PROGRAM CARD - Hornbach ProjektWelt-Karte

Program name: Hornbach ProjektWelt-Karte
Distinction: a payment card instead of discounts
Brand / operator: HORNBACH-Baumarkt AG; card issuer: Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale (Helaba)
Family / owner: Hornbach Holding AG
Industry: DIY and construction
Industry benchmark: no
Market: DE (Germany)
Related programs: Hornbach ProfiCard (B2B variant for companies and tradespeople)
Status: active
Legal / time status: no restrictions
Launch year: no public data
Main type: member-benefit
Additional type: none
Cost of joining: free (a positive creditworthiness assessment is required; the card is a credit product issued by Helaba)
Channels: brick-and-mortar (Hornbach-Märkte in DE, Boels outlets)
Reach: no public data

Comparative parameters (estimated ratings)

Implementation difficulty (1-5): 2
Main KPI (impact strength): engagement (medium)

Descriptive sections

0. Summary

ProjektWelt-Karte is a free Hornbach payment card available to individual consumers, functioning as an interest-free revolving credit line. It does not offer points or discounts - instead, it delivers a package of services that make it easier to carry out renovation projects: deferred payments, an extended return guarantee, transport insurance and deposit-free equipment rental.

1. Objectives and context

Hornbach consistently refuses to use loyalty discounts, treating its low everyday prices (Dauertiefpreise) as a sufficient buying argument. ProjektWelt-Karte serves as a tool for retention and increasing basket size by making project financing easier - a customer who has to buy large quantities of materials at once receives a cash-flow management instrument, not a discount.

2. Target group

Active DIY enthusiasts and people carrying out renovation and construction projects in Germany, for whom budget planning and purchasing logistics (transport, returns of surplus) are significant barriers. The program is not aimed at professionals - they have a dedicated ProfiCard.

3. Architecture and type

Registration: the customer fills out an application at the Service-Theke or downloads the form online; an ID document and a positive creditworthiness check (SCHUFA/Infoscore) are required.
Temporary card: available within ~20 minutes in the store; the final card is mailed after ~14 days.
Usage: the card works like a credit card in Hornbach stores and partner Boels outlets; monthly limit up to €4,000 (Standard) or up to €8,000 (Bauherren variant for larger projects).
Settlement: a full month of purchases is settled in a single payment after the close of the calendar month; settlement without interest; optional installment repayment.

4. Earn & burn mechanics

Accrual: not applicable - the program does not grant points or cashback
Threshold and redemption: not applicable
Reward forms: non-monetary benefits: interest-free payment deferral of ~1 month; a 3-month return guarantee on unused stocked goods (without receipt time limits); free transport insurance for purchased goods; deposit-free rental of trailers, transporters and equipment (in Hornbach stores with no amount limits; at Boels centers next to Hornbach - equipment up to a value of €1,000); the option to add partner cards (Partnerkarten) with the same limit
Point expiration: not applicable

5. Emotional value

Hornbach builds its brand around the MACHER archetype - the bold doer who gets projects done. The card fits this narrative: it does not give petty discounts but removes the operational barriers of large projects (financing, transport, returns). The cardholder identifies with a "serious" customer, not an occasional one.

6. Gamification

No gamification mechanisms - the program deliberately avoids points logic and leaderboards, consistent with the brand's pricing philosophy.
Intrinsic motivation comes from the satisfaction of completing a project, not from a loyalty reward.

7. Differentiation

ProjektWelt-Karte is unique among DIY programs - instead of points and reward catalogs, it offers a pure financial instrument. None of the direct competitors (OBI heyOBI, Bauhaus, Globus Baumarkt) has built deferred credit payment into their customer card as the main benefit. This model is consistent with the "low everyday prices" philosophy, eliminating the cognitive dissonance of a discount.

8. Data and personalization

Data collected by HORNBACH-Baumarkt AG: transactional data from card usage (when, how much, in which store); data from the application (interests, DIY skills, type of dwelling) - optional.
Data collected by Helaba (the issuer): personal and financial data for creditworthiness assessment; data passed to SCHUFA and arvato infoscore.
Personalization: newsletter with project information (opt-in), no visible offer segmentation based on purchase data (beyond the terms).

9. Technology

Physical card (Mastercard/Visa - no public data on the network), accepted at the in-store checkouts of all Hornbach-Märkte in Germany.
Online portal: HORNBACH Online-CardService (hornbach-kartenportal.ims-loyalty.de) for reviewing transactions and managing the card.
Card issuer: Helaba; card processing: Ingenico (Worldline) - contact: hornbach-cardservice@ms.ingenico.com.
No dedicated mobile app for ProjektWelt-Karte (the card is available in the Hornbach app as a payment method).

10. Communication and lifecycle

Project newsletter (e-mail) after consent is given in the application form.
Monthly purchase statement sent by post or e-mail.
No identified reactivation communication or lifecycle program - the model assumes the customer returns on their own for subsequent projects.
The application is submitted exclusively in-store (service desk) - no full digitalization of onboarding (beyond downloading the form).

11. Conclusion / inspiration for the almanac

Hornbach proves that a loyalty program need not touch points at all - it is enough to remove the customer's real purchasing barriers (cash flow, logistics). This is a lesson for the DIY industry: the value of perceived loyalty need not come from rewards, but from the sense that the brand understands the project cycle and makes it easier to complete.

Sources: official program page hornbach.de/services/projektwelt-karte/; ProjektWelt-Karte brochure (media.hornbach.de/cmsm/de/de-projektwelt-werbefolder-1019-a4.pdf); application form (media.hornbach.de/cmsm/de/projektwelt-hauptkarten-antrag-0919interaktiv1.pdf); kaufda.de article (February 2024)
Terms (link): https://www.hornbach.de/services/projektwelt-karte/
Entry compiled on: 2026-06-24

Hornbach ProjektWelt-Karte