PROGRAM CARD - Hornbach ProfiCard

Program name: Hornbach ProfiCard
Distinction: B2B credit card with ProfiService
Brand / operator: HORNBACH Baumarkt AG
Family / owner: HORNBACH Holding AG
Industry: DIY and construction
Industry benchmark: no
Market: DE (analogous ProfiCard programs in AT and CH)
Related programs: Hornbach ProjektWelt-Karte (the consumer equivalent in the same market)
Status: active
Legal / time status: no restrictions
Launch year: no public data
Main type: B2B
Additional type: member-benefit
Cost of joining: free (Karte kostenlos - §1.1 AGB)
Channels: in-store (all HORNBACH stores in DE), online (HORNBACH Webshop with PIN)
Reach: no public data

Comparative parameters (estimated ratings)

Implementation difficulty (1-5): 3 - a B2B program with credit verification, POS and webshop integration, additional card management and monthly settlement; not a coalition program, but it requires managing the limit and liabilities
Main KPI (impact strength): share of wallet (high)

Descriptive sections

0. Summary

Hornbach ProfiCard is a free B2B payment card with deferred payment (until the end of the calendar month), aimed at tradespeople, businesses and institutions purchasing at HORNBACH stores in Germany. The program is not based on points but on trade credit, professional service and partner discounts.

1. Objectives and context

The program aims to keep B2B customers within the HORNBACH ecosystem, increasing their share of construction-related purchasing. The deferred payment term and a dedicated account manager (ProfiTeam) are designed to eliminate purchasing friction and encourage consolidation of orders in one place.

2. Target group

Entrepreneurs from the construction and renovation sector (Handwerk, Gewerbe), as well as public institutions and property managers operating in the German market. The program requires a business registration entry or another document confirming entrepreneur status.

3. Architecture and type

Application and credit verification - the company obtains the form (online PDF or in-store), fills in the company details and submits it together with proof of business activity at the ProfiService counter; HORNBACH verifies creditworthiness through Creditreform.
Card issuance - after a positive verification, an immediate temporary card (Sofortkarte) is issued; the actual card (valid for 3 years) arrives by mail within 14 days; the company can apply for additional cards (up to 99) for employees.
Purchase and deferral - every card purchase in-store or in the webshop (with PIN) is automatically deferred until the end of the month; HORNBACH generates a Monatsabrechnung (monthly consolidated invoice) and collects it in a single payment by bank transfer or direct debit.

4. Earn & burn mechanics

Accrual: no points mechanics; the program is based on trade credit - each card purchase initiates a Stundungsvereinbarung (an agreement to defer payment until the end of the calendar month)
Threshold and redemption: no redemption thresholds; the entire month's purchases are settled in a single payment by the date indicated on the Monatsabrechnung
Reward forms: deferred payment term (until the end of the month); 20% discount on equipment rental at Boels centers; extended right to return unused goods from stock within 12 weeks; ProfiPack - reduced prices on bulk purchases (yellow labels); access to a dedicated ProfiTeam account manager
Points expiration: not applicable - no points mechanics; the card is valid for 3 years and automatically renewed by the issuer

5. Emotional value

HORNBACH positions the ProfiCard as a card "for you and your business" - not as a discount program, but as a partnership. A dedicated account manager, access via WhatsApp and invitations to the Profi-Frühstück (industry breakfasts) build a sense of belonging to an exclusive club of professionals, not just a commercial relationship.

6. Gamification

The monthly Monatsabrechnung as a spending benchmark - a transparent purchasing report encourages self-monitoring and may motivate consolidation of purchases
The card as a delegation tool (additional cards for employees) - visibility and control over employee spending builds structural loyalty of the company, not just its owner
ProfiPack (bulk pricing) creates incentives to increase the volume of single orders

7. Differentiation

Unlike classic points-based programs (e.g. PSB Plus), ProfiCard offers no intermediate rewards - the program's value lies in eliminating operational friction: one payment instrument for the entire company, one consolidated monthly settlement, one dedicated account manager. This is a model close to corporate fuel cards, transferred to the DIY industry.

8. Data and personalization

Data scope: company data, owner/beneficiary data, purchase history (product, amount, time and place of transaction)
Credit verification through Creditreform Neustadt Langenfeld KG; assignment of receivables to TARGO Factoring GmbH
Personalization limited to the monthly purchasing report and marketing communication with consent (email, SMS, phone); no public data on product offer personalization

9. Technology

Plastic card with signature; in the webshop, additional authorization via PIN (separate application)
Online CardService for viewing the Monatsabrechnung (PDF formats, potentially e-invoicing: XRechnung, ZUGFeRD, Peppol - a new service for the public sector and B2B)
HORNBACH app (iOS/Android/Huawei) - mainly for individual customers; ProfiCard functions available via the webshop and Online CardService
Support for additional cards with separate transaction limits (Kartenlimit) and a shared total company limit (Gesamtlimit)

10. Communication and lifecycle

Communication channels: email (Monatsabrechnung, account manager), WhatsApp and phone (ProfiTeam in-store), optionally SMS
Onboarding: store visit, credit verification, Sofortkarte issuance; onboarding literature at the ProfiService counter
Retention: automatic card renewal every 3 years, regular Profi-Frühstück and Profi-Treffs as networking events, individual account manager contact

11. Conclusion / inspiration for the almanac

Hornbach ProfiCard proves that in the B2B segment the strongest retention mechanism is the elimination of operational pain (one invoice, one card, one advisor), not point-based rewards. When designing a B2B program, it is worth asking what "takes time" away from the customer before offering them points.

Sources: hornbach.de/profiservice/zahlungsmoeglichkeiten-fuer-profis/ (program overview page, DE); hornbach.de/profiservice/ (ProfiService description); kaufda.de/insights/hornbach-kundenkarten-proficard-projektwelt-karte/ (overview of Hornbach cards, 2024); media.hornbach.de/cmsm/de/proficard-hauptkarte-antrag-agb-0518.pdf (full text of the ProfiCard AGB + GDPR clauses)
Terms (link): https://www.hornbach.de/profiservice/zahlungsmoeglichkeiten-fuer-profis/
Entry compiled on: 2026-06-25

Hornbach ProfiCard