Interesting Mobile Info
45 Percent of active mobile phone uses have indicated that they would be interested in using their mobile phones to utilize the value of gift cards, as well as pay for goods and services. This statistic is especially interesting because in the same survey 73 percent of respondents also indicated they had significant concerns regarding privacy and identity theft in using mobile technology. This shows that mobile technology is going to become more and more important to the gift card industry, and the benefits are clearly outweighing the risks, even with the technology being so new. For more information on the growing mobile market for gift cards check out this Iewy News
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Food for Thought: Interesting Gift Card Question
The Mercator Group referenced in our last post presented at the PrePaid Congress and posed an interesting question. We don't have the answer yet because the survey is ongoing but what do you think the answers could be? In 2015 (five years) what percentage split of the total gift card market for prepaid closed loop gift cards will be? Plastic ___% Virtual ___% Mobile Wallet ____% Leave comments and let us know what you think.
Prepaid Congress Debrief: E-Certs
GiftCard Partners attended the 2nd annual Prepaid Congress this week, so over the coming week or so we will be posting information from the Congress. E-certifications, are an emerging closed loop gift card technology within the incentive industry that allow retailers to instantly deliver incentives to their customers through either cell phone technology, or online. According to the Mercator Group 33% of retailers in the U.S. currently offer e-certification incentives. E-certifications can save incentive companies fulfillment charges, and provide instant gratification to the customers receiving the incentives. E-certifications are opening up new markets for retailers who are able to participate because e-certifications are opening up new avenues to contact customers and deliver marketing messages. Some studies even suggest that e-certs are more effective at delivering memorable long lasting marketing messages than physical gift cards.
Judge puts NJ gift card seizure law on hold
Today, the Associated press announced: Trenton, N.J.: A federal judge has temporarily stopped the state of New Jersey with their plan to profit from money left on gift cards. The state worked to legally seize unused money on gift cards and travelers checks. The state's retailers would have been required to begin collecting the zip codes of gift card buyers starting today Tuesday February 1st, 2011. If this effort was not blocked and a gift card has remained unredeemed after two years, the state could seize the money left on the cards if bought by NJ residents. The Associated Press states : "The state expects to raise about $80 million from the unspent cards to help balance the state budget. New Jersey Retail Merchants Association, the New Jersey Food Council and American Express sued to block the law. A federal judge granted the temporary injunction on Monday pending a more detailed review." Are the details of this legal issue of interest to you? Visit Legalbytes.com for more:
http://www.legalbytes.com/2010/08/articles/promotions/gift-cards-in-new-jersey-its-complicated/ A perspective from NJ.com:
Should New Jersey cash in Aunt Betty’s gift to you?
