ONLINE / VIRTUAL GIFT CARDS:

Online or Virtual Gift Cards sold by retail stores can only be redeemed through a retailer’s online store.  For example, Amazon.com sells Gift Cards and they can only be redeemed through their website.  Recently, merchandisers began offering Open Loop or Closed Loop Gift Cards that are only redeemable online.  In these instances, a consumer can opt for a physical card that is sent to them in the mail for a small fee. 

Here’s a snapshot of the market for Online or Virtual gift cards and what you need to know.

1. Gift Card Sales Numbers
2. Special considerations
3. ATM Capabilities
4. What Do I Need to Do to Start Selling Online or Virtual Gift Cards from My ATM?

1. Gift Card Sales Numbers

• Online or Virtual Gift Cards are growing in popularity among the younger demographics.
• In 2007, many retailers struggled with weak store and catalog sales.  By contrast, Ecommerce was the retailing industry’s growth engine.  In 2007, the business-to-consumer Ecommerce market, which includes the Internet Retailer Top 500, grew nearly six times faster than total retail sales.  Last year, online retail sales reached $165.9 billion, an increase of 21.8% from $136.2 billion a year earlier.  Meanwhile, total retail sales grew by 3.9% to $2.41 trillion from $2.32 trillion in 2006, according to the National Retail Federation.
• Books, music, and video – the shopping segment that began the online retailing movement in the 1990s – grew by a combined 32% to $4.14 billion in 2007 from $3.13 billion in 2006, according to data compiled in the current edition of the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide.  Back to List
  

2. Special considerations

• Any Online or Virtual Gift Card program can be printed on  Better ATM^TM Services’ Gift Card sheet and dispensed from an ATM.
• Better ATM^TM Services can assist in coordination of the printing as we have identified and certified specific Gift Card manufacturers.
• Better ATM^TM Services has contracted for several “Ride Along” and coupon offers that can be coupled with traditional Gift Card offerings.  Back to List 

3. ATM Capabilities

• Purchasing gift cards that are for use Online or purchasing Virtual Gift Cards at ATMs presents no dispensing limitations because a thinner media can be used.  That means more flexibility because several more brands and models of ATMs are certified to dispense Online or Virtual Gift Cards.  The following manufacturers have ATMs capable of dispensing Online or Virtual Gift Cards:
  • Wincor-Nixdorf
  • Diebold
  • Nautilus Hyosung
  • Tranax
  • Triton  Back to List
    

4. What Do I Need to Do to Start Selling Online or Virtual Gift Cards from My ATM?

• Contact Better ATM^TM Services at info@betteratmservices.com or call us at (480) 296-2033 and let us know you’re interested in selling Online or Virtual Gift Cards.  Back to List