Do retail stores check your credit before making a purchase?

The other day I was in a high end retail store in NYC to do some shopping (you see their ads in Vogue all the time - for reference). When I went to pay, the salesperson took my credit card and went to the back. It was awkward and strange, but I just thought they didn't want to make the transaction in front of me. A few days later, I was reviewing my credit report as part of general maintenance, …

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