The Prepaid Press - March 15, 2008 - (Page 23)

RETAIL FOCUS March 15 · 2008 - 23 Kiosks Change the Face of Prepaid Reduce Cost, Increase Card Sales By Rick Redding Kiosks are changing the way retailers do business by reducing cost and enhancing the customer experience. New capabilities for kiosks, being deployed by retailers and casinos, have made a dramatic difference in retailing. This new technology hasn’t just made things easier for consumers, it has helped retailers analyze their stores’ performance, recognize what works over large geographic areas, and increase sales. When retailers consider the value of providing prepaid options, the proposition is getting more attractive all the time. Consider the kiosk, an industry that barely existed 20 years ago. In today’s retail world, kiosks are expected to take payments, provide information and dispense merchandise. They help build loyalty programs and are trusted to handle payments. of retailer gift cards, with a variety of printing options, according to Jeff Grider, the company’s Vice President of Personalized Marketing. “It’s very exciting, and we’ve got a lot of interest in it,” Grider said, speaking from the floor of the Prepaid Card Expo in March. “The machine starts with a white card and produces something that’s ready to use.” Grider said the machines have just been placed in a handful of retail locations thus of branded outlets and make money off their customers’ purchases at those stores,” Grider added. According to Angela Bush, Dave and Buster’s IT project manager, the move to kiosks has already paid off to the tune of $2 million in labor savings far, but he believes that the idea of allowing consumers to make unassisted purchases will catch on at all kinds of retail outlets. No longer do retailers have to predict sales and order an appropriate number of cards. The number of designs and styles of cards that the machines can produce are nearly unlimited. “They can sell their own branded cards, but they can also give their customers a choice New Kiosks Create Cards One of the latest innovations is a kiosk that removes the need for human touch in dispensing gift cards, giving consumers a variety of purchase options for obtaining ready-to-spend plastic at the touch of a few buttons. Introduced at the National Retail Federation show in January 2008, Pay By Touch’s gift card mall stands out because it offers a variety Dave and Buster’s The idea of a kiosk that accepts payments and produces a stored-value card is all the rage at 49 Dave and Buster’s locations throughout the United States. The chain’s restaurants feature giant game rooms, where customers can play games such as NASCAR simulators and other racing games, or even traditional games like Pac-Man or Skeeball. To play, customers need a Power Card – a stored-value card with a magnetic stripe that is inserted into game machines. About a year ago, the Dallasbased company began installing kiosks that dispensed storedvalue cards, called Power Cards, in hopes that the company could save on staff time by eliminating the labor intensive costs to sell and re-stock Continues on page 24 CAESARS PALACE, LAS VEGAS · AUGUST 19 – 21, 2008 The Prepaid Press Expo is the one event that bridges all sectors of the prepaid services industry, and all players within each sector. It is the primary point of convergence for prepaid services in 2008, and an event you won’t want to miss! THE PREPAID FORUM AT TPPEXPO’08 LEARN Register for Prepaid’s Most Comprehensive Conference: Grammaticus at tppEXPO’08 Day One: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 Prepaid Long Distance Day Two: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Prepaid Wireless Day Three: Thursday, August 21, 2008 Prepaid/Alternative Payments ALL GRAMMATICUS (CONFERENCE) PASSES INCLUDE CONFERENCE(S), EXPO, FLOOR DEMOS, TOGA PARTY. Each Industry Track (one day pass) $200 through May 16 $275 thereafter $325 on site Full Grammaticus Pass (all three days) $499 through May 16 $599 thereafter $675 on site tppEXPO’08 has partnered with industry leading research rm and conference organizer, The Pelorus Group, to help produce the industry’s most informative and most a ordable conference program for prepaid services. These tracks were created speci cally to provide you with the critical information you need to learn, adapt, and thrive in today’s competitive prepaid marketplace. Emperor Sponsor Grammaticus (Conference) Partner Giornale (Media) Sponsors Centurion Sponsors PACTOLUS V I S I T P R E PA I D P R E S S E X P O. C O M F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N FREE EXHIBIT HALL PASS THROUGH MAY 16! http://www.PREPAIDPRESSEXPO.com http://www.PREPAIDPRESSEXPO.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Prepaid Press - March 2008

The Prepaid Press - March 2008 tppEXPO’08 Slated for August 19-21 AT&T Strikes Back Contents The Retske Report: Net Neutrality 5 Minutes With Terry Maher, NBPCA Counsel Regulatory Rundown: FCC Enforcements Prepaid Wireless Roundup Prepaid Wireless in Brief tppEXPO’08 Spotlight BlackBerry Prepaid Option to be Offered Virgin Mobile USA Ringbacks Growing The Splitting of a Titan The State of Prepaid Technology: Part II – The Other Prepaid Calling Spot Rates Calling Cards in Brief IVR and Stratus to Offer SIP Platform PhoenixSoft Completes Integrated IP Transcoding The Legal Line Web Streamlines Bill Pay & Prepaid Distribution Travelex Debuts New Foreign Currency Packs TSYS and Telrock to Provide Mobile Solutions Payments in Brief NBPCA Offers Tips to Fight Money Laundering Hypercom Responds to Ingenico Inquiry Kiosks Change the Face of Prepaid Prepaid 101: Prepaid Wireless Coinstar to Expand Centers in Wal-Mart Locations Meta and MoneyGram Partner NRF Battles Retail Crime Retail Focus in Brief Our Advertisers Contact Us

The Prepaid Press - March 2008

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