The Prepaid Press - September 15, 2008 - (Page 29)

RETAIL FOCUS September 15 · 2008 - 29 NACS Releases State of the Industry Report 2007 Data Now Available ALEXANDRIA, VA (August 8, 2008) NACS has just released the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2007, a benchmarking tool which includes firmlevel, store-level and category data and trends based on the convenience store industry’s 2007 performance. Compiling and analyzing totals, trends and averages for the industry, the 148-page report also examines economic conditions and their potential impact on the industry. It features more than 100 charts and tables focusing on every area of the industry’s 2007 performance, including financials, store operations, merchandising, motor fuels sales and quartile analysis. The report also features a four-year perspective of same-firm data from the CSX retail database. “Retailers who want to improve their operations and communicate the industry’s perspectives on motor fuels sales and other industry trends rely on the information contained in the annual NACS State of the Industry report,” said NACS Director of Research and Statistics Bob Swanson, noting that retailers consider the report a vital resource for benchmarking store performance. According to the report, overall convenience store sales grew 1.4 percent to reach $577.4 billion. Inside the store, revenues grew 3.0 percent to reach $168.5 billion. On a per-store basis, combined in-store sales surpassed hit a record $1.3 million per store, with merchandise revenues hitting $1.1 million, and foodservice revenues reaching just over $200,000. While revenues increased, so did expenses. Credit card fees continued to burden retailers in 2007, costing the industry a staggering $7.6 billion – a 15.2 percent increase over the $6.6 billion in card fees in 2006. Complimentary copies of this year’s report have been shipped to companies that participated in the annual survey. “We are extremely grateful to those who submitted data for this year’s survey. Not only does the NACS State of the Industry Report serve as the industry’s premier benchmarking tool, the industry numbers compiled are critical to our outreach efforts in quantifying the industry and its priority issues, both on Capitol Hill and with the national media,” said Swanson. The new report features a number of additional research supplements: • CSX Same Firm Trends for 2004-2007: Data from 122 firms with 13,618 company-operated stores to facilitate “apples to apples” comparisons for benchmarking. • Same-Store Trends: A sample group of 424 stores, selected to be representative of the industry, are part of a NACS Index Group that tracks same-store data and comparisons for 2006 and 2007. • Technology: A total of 205 companies, representing 31,610 stores, provided data on key technology metrics in more than a dozen categories, including capital investments, scanning, payment methods and wireless technology. • Motor Fuels: An update on sales and new realities confronting motor fuels retailing. Purchasers of the NACS State of the Industry Report of 2007 Data report will also receive the NACS Convenience Store Industry Fact Book CD-ROM. The 21st edition of the Fact Book provides a detailed statistical account of industry data over the past several years -- or in some cases, decades -- as well as a historical recap of the industry and key definitions and events that have shaped it. The Fact Book will be shipped in September. Source: NACS (www.nacsonline.com) PaySpot to Distribute Futura Cards Multi-Year Distribution Agreement Announced LEAWOOD, KS and CARLSBAD, CA (August 14, 2008) PaySpot, Inc. announced a multi-year agreement to distribute Futura Prepaid MasterCard products to PaySpot’s Independent Sales Organization (ISO) nationwide network of stores. As part of the agreement, Futura has chosen PaySpot as its exclusive U.S. distribution partner for the ISO channel. The debit card program from Futura is available only through PaySpot. “We are very excited to take our agreement with Futura to the next level - the synergies, incentives and co-marketing opportunities are substantial,” said Eric Mettemeyer, president of PaySpot. “Our distributors deserve a prepaid debit card offering for their independent retailers and we are pleased to bring them this unique product. We will continue to introduce additional product offerings to our distributors to ensure their success and continued growth.” “We understand the needs of the independent distributor, the merchant and most importantly, the consumer, and have specifically redesigned our merchandising, product offerings and distribution model to address those needs,” said Keven Lake, CEO and president of Futura. “With our innovative product suite, PaySpot’s dominant presence in the ISO channel, and their ability to support our rapid growth, we are very pleased to be entering into this partnership.” PaySpot is a subsidiary of Euronet Worldwide, Inc. (Nasdaq: EEFT) and offers prepaid products and financial solutions, including prepaid wireless, prepaid long distance, prepaid gift cards, prepaid debit cards, international wireless recharge, check guarantee, merchant processing and prepaid handsets, as well as bill payment and money transfer in conjunction with its affiliate RIA Financial Services. Futura markets, distributes and services a suite of instant issue prepaid MasterCard debit card products that includes reloadable general spend debit cards, gift cards and wage disbursement cards. Source: PaySpot, Inc. (www.payspot.com) Futura Cards (www.futuracards.com) Hypercom Lands Element Payment Services HBNet and SmartPayments Server To Power Express IP Platform PHOENIX, AZ (September 2, 2008) Element Payment Services has selected Hypercom’s HBNet transaction transport service and SmartPayments Server to provide high-speed data transport and payment processing services for merchants using the Element Express Processing Platform. Element’s Express IP payment platform provides merchants with a PCI DSScertified solution that is easy to manage and can readily scale with their business in a safe, secure manner. The combined solution is designed to reduce Element’s payment processing costs, simplify new customer conversions, and provide top-level security for sensitive cardholder data. “Hypercom’s complete switching, data transport and transaction management solution will connect up most of the Hypercom dial and IP terminals on our Express IP payment platform,” said Roy Bricker, Chief Operating Officer, Element Payment Services. “This is a seamless, efficient and innovative way for us to support multiple POS devices on our platform at the same time.” With the new system, Element’s merchant customers will transmit their electronic payment transactions to Express, Element’s PCI certified IP payment platform, by connecting via dial or IP to Hypercom’s transaction transport service. The SmartPayments Server software installed in the data center will log all transactions for tracking and reporting purposes and then pass the data on to Element Express. By establishing direct communication between the merchant and the Express system, Element can offer new PCI DSS certified payment services to its partners and merchants. These include dynamic changes to terminal applications, customized reports, and quick conversion of new customers through message translation, which eliminates the need for merchants to reprogram their point-of-sale devices. “This contract validates our strategy of offering integrated payment processing products and services. It simplifies procurement for the customer, speeds rollout by providing pre-integrated systems, and provides a single point of contact with full responsibility for switching as well as data transport functions,” said Heidi Goff, President and Managing Director, The Americas, Hypercom Corporation. “This same model can benefit other ISOs who want to increase their efficiency and enhance their service portfolio.” Source: Hypercom (www.hypercom.com) Element Payment Services, Inc. (www.elementps.com) Introducing iPay Station: Get on board. iPay Station is a suite of products and services that turns any retail merchant into a 1-stop-shop for the unbanked, under-banked, or convenience shopper. » Prepaid calling cards and wireless minutes. » EZ bill pay connected to 5,000+ billers nationwide. » Prepaid MasterCard » Convenient, low-cost money transfer. All available on a virtual or POS terminals. Easy-to-use. Easy-to-sell. Supported by FREE marketing in English or Spanish. Excellent reseller deals now available. Get lifetime residuals. Call Osvaldo Rodriguez at 800.432.7787 or visit www.ipaystation.com. http://www.payspot.com http://www.futuracards.com http://www.nacsonline.com http://www.ipaystation.com http://www.ipaystation.com http://www.hypercom.com http://www.elementps.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Prepaid Press - September 15, 2008

The Prepaid Press - September 15, 2008 ISOs Hold Key to Growth in Prepaid Industry Contents From the Publisher: The Show Goes On Regulatory Rundown: Early Fall Regulatory Beat 5 Minutes With Brian Rudolph, Co-owner, Krush Communications TPPEXPO’08 Spotlight Dateline Expo: Prepaid Wireless Update 2008 Wireless in Brief MetroPCS Available at Best Buy Western Capital Resources Inc. to Acquire PQH, Inc. TracFone Launches SafeLink Wireless Prepaid Wireless Roundup CIT Secures Financing for Prepaid Wireless Company MetroPCS Premiers Loopt Social-Mapping Services Virgin Mobile USA Reports Financial Results Dateline Expo: Prepaid Calling Card Update 2008 Inc. 5000 Recognizes Viscom International USAC’s “Carrier’s Carrier” Rule Comes Under Attack NetIQ Extends VoIP Management to Microsoft Office Transverse Launches OSS/BSS Open Source Platform Calling Cards in Brief Dateline Expo: Prepaid and Alternative Payments Update 2008 NETELLER and TransSend to Offer Cards Payments in Brief U.S. Treasury Introducing Direct Express Debit Card Visa Launches New Mobile Payment Services SCX Global Acquired by Rev Worldwide Metavante Selected by Corporate Network eCom ACE and NetSpend Launch March of Dimes Card AccuPOS Announces AccuCount Software Springbok Offers Private Label Prepaid Cards Prepaid 101: ATMs and Prepaid NACS Releases State of the Industry Report PaySpot to Distribute Futura Cards Hypercom Lands Element Payment Services Retail Focus in Brief Our Advertisers Contact Us

The Prepaid Press - September 15, 2008

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