Could someone enlighten me on why this makes more sense than to do an application here and another one there?

Besides the 2 browser trick, what advantages are there? And if I do an AOR one one day, would I still be able to apply for another card a week later?

Immediate advantage is that often multiple cards result in one credit pull.

For example, with the Citi 2 browser trick, I only got one pull. With CSP + Freedom, one pull. With AMEX SPG + SPG business, one pull. Two pulls for the HA cards though, so it doesn't always work.

Besides generating one pull, sometimes it allows you to get multiple cards on one day instead of having to wait 3 months or 6 months for the next application. Chase used to (not sure if they still do) have this rule and would routinely deny you with the reasoning "Too many recent inquiries".

However, a call to the reconsideration line would usually allow the application to go through with some credit reallocation.

2bm has nothing to do with if you get one or two pulls.

What's 2bm?

Two browser method

Applying for multiple cards in one day means that companies don't see any of those card inquiries on your report when they're pulling your score/report to review for approval (though it's usually automated these days for most banks).

The advantages of this are more frequent immediate approvals, whereas waiting a week in between apps could raise a flag to the 3rd and 4th bank you apply to that you're credit hungry and either deny outright, or force a recon line phone call, since they would be able to see the inquiries you did in the prior few days.

Wrong, they do see them.

Do you need two browsers to get two personal cards?

A little more details please.

I have read at least twice some time ago that they don't. So I always assumed you could apply for a bunch of credit cards in one day and none of the creditors would know about the other inquiries that day.

I also just Googled, and found this:

Inquiries Don't Show Up Instantly

Credit inquiries sometimes take a week or longer to show up on your credit reports. Theoretically, you could apply for 12 credit cards in one day and none of the creditors would know about the other inquiries that day. Of course, your FICO score would take a major hit when the 12 inquiries are factored into your score 30 days later. And you would have a very hard time getting approved for a loan or other credit with that many fresh inquiries on your reports.


Read more: Should I Apply for 2 Credit Cards on the Same Day? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/decision_7168558...#ixzz2ACNkV9aU

Don't believe everything you read on the internet. Some folks who pay for monitoring have reported the inquiries are nearly instant.

That said, a new app hurts you two ways - 1. the inquiry; 2. when the new tradeline is created they will see new credit issued and see a reduction in your average age of accounts. The second part usually takes a few days to show up, which makes grouping apps preferable.

You probably shouldn't get any info from ehow.com, ever. You might as well have gotten info from Yahoo Answers. Inquiries show up instantly. In rare cases they make a day or two.

I apply for all my cards at the exact same time. You might also call it the 4-5 browser trick. It would be virtually impossible for the report to update THAT instantly. In my last AOR, the inquiries didn't alert me until the next day via the Experian monitoring service via USAA, and I ran the gamut of bureaus and lenders.

I'm not going to be quoting ehow links, but I need a little more than a couple of people's "he said she said" to confirm or deny my initial statement.

Right, but the monitoring services are generally behind. I also have USAA and was doing my daily report refresh immediately after applying for a card (or, cards) that day and all the inquiries showed up immediately. Then I got a USAA credit change monitoring notification 1-3 days later notifying me of a change in my CR. I only recall one case where the inquiry didn't show up for a couple days.

First you say in the same day now you say at the exact same time. The only time you use the BM trick is for the same issuer. Did you apply for 4/5 cards from the same issuer? Sorry but your statements show you know very little about how this works. Everyone can try this for themselves. After you apply immediately pull your reports directly from TU, EQ and EX. Your inquires will be there.