The e-commerce industry has broadened in scope in recent years. Originally confined to transaction activity between large financial institutions, e-commerce then expanded in the 1970s and 1980s to include what was termed “EDI” (Electronic Data Interchange) between large companies who could afford the dedicated computing power and related IT department.

Since the rise of the Internet, the definition of e-commerce it has expanded to include Internet purchasing, mobile, and, more recently, social and peer-to-peer financial activity. Read more »

For incentive programs, print catalogs led the way more than a decade ago. Now, as egifting has come to the fore, all the talk is about mobile and social. Smart retailers and catalog merchants are leveraging the synergy among mobile and social gifting and online catalogs.

It is no surprise that gift cards have remained one of the most popular gift items among consumers. According to Michael Hursta, Vice President of payment transaction firm First Data Prepaid Services, the gift card market is growing at least as fast as the general consumer spending market. The latest trend in gift cards, the virtual gift card (or “eGift” card) gained momentum in 2011 and is positioned to continue its growth over the next few years. While this growth has primarily been focused in B2C, the stage has been set for the same growth experience in B2B due to the benefits of instant delivery, promotional opportunities and tracking capabilities.

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Transaction Wireless, the San Diego, CA-based provider of digital gift card solutions, has unveiled a new B2B online storefront. The new portal allows retailers to provide business and incentive purchasers to order and deliver bulk and single-issue digital and traditional plastic gift cards.

Transaction Wireless clients to begin deploying online B2B Storefronts to benefit retailers and purchasers in Q2

Transaction Wireless, the leading provider of digital gift card solutions, today announced that it has released its B2B Storefront, which allows retailers to provide business and incentive purchasers with an online store to order and deliver bulk and single issue digital and traditional plastic gift cards. The B2B Storefront will automate registration and related back office management and support required for mass distribution of gift cards in the incentive marketplace.

Many of Transaction Wireless’ current retail clients will be implementing the B2B Storefront as part of their gift card offering beginning in Q2. The B2B Storefront makes it quick and easy for retailers to offer B2B purchasers of any size a store to buy digital and traditional plastic gift cards online. Gift cards are simple to buy via the online storefront that sits on a retailer’s website, with an intuitive user interface that makes the whole transaction easy to understand. Both purchasers and retailers can track orders, manage delivery, run reports, and access customer service tools. In addition, retailers are able to manage multiple B2B accounts with ease and eliminate the complexity and manual processes associated with bulk gift card orders.

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Las Vegas — Digital gift card solution-provider Transaction Wireless said Tuesday that Applebee’s expanded its offering with the Transaction Wireless platform to provide its sports fans with personalized digital gift cards as part of its “Catch the Game” invite application on Facebook.

The app is timed to launch in concert with the March Madness NCAA basketball series. Basketball fans visit the Applebee’s Facebook page and schedule a viewing party at any Applebee’s location to invite family and friends to attend.

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Domino’s Pizza has chosen Transaction Wireless, a provider of digital gift card solutions, to enhance its gift card program to offer both eGift and traditional plastic gift cards on the Domino’s website.

Gift cards can be personalized with an image, audio and text to be delivered through email, mobile and mail, and can incorporate social media with Facebook.

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Transaction Wireless, the leading provider of digital gift card solutions, today announced that it has released its B2B Storefront, which allows retailers to provide business and incentive purchasers with an online store to order and deliver bulk and single issue digital and traditional plastic gift cards.

The B2B Storefront will automate registration and related back office management and support required for mass distribution of gift cards in the incentive marketplace.

Many of Transaction Wireless’ current retail clients will be implementing the B2B Storefront as part of their gift card offering beginning in Q2.

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The holiday season has always been a good time to recognize employees and thank clients for their business. Research studies show that the majority of people value recognition and rewards even more than money. In the past, the business to business (B2B) rewards and incentive space was dominated by merchandise such as sports gear, electronics, and vacation packages.

“But the market has evolved towards gift cards as the incentive of choice,” said Lori Breitzke, president, E&S Consulting. “In fact, gift cards are regularly used as rewards in the workplace, setting a positive tone and note of gratitude for the current year and into the next.”

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Sport Chalet is enhancing its gift card offerings by adding personalization options of images, text and audio messages. The personalization can be part of an electronic gift card itself, or be delivered with the recipient notification for a plastic gift card.

The retailer can also use the notifications, which are powered by the Transaction Wireless cloud-based gift card platform, to deliver timely digital promotional campaigns via e-mail or to consumers’ mobile devices.

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Transaction Wireless, the leading provider of digital gift card solutions, today announced that Sport Chalet, a leader in the specialty retail sector, has selected the Transaction Wireless cloud-based gift card platform to deliver personalized plastic and e-gift cards with added marketing capabilities to drive digital promotional campaigns when delivering notifications to gift card recipients.

Sport Chalet plastic and e-gift cards make a great last minute holiday gift for the passionate sports and outdoors enthusiast and can be purchased conveniently on its online site or Facebook page. Both the plastic and e-gift cards have email or mobile notification for intended recipients that can be scheduled or delivered in real time. The e-cards can be personalized with an image, text and audio message, and the available notification that comes with plastic gift cards is also customizable in the same way.

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San Diego – Transaction Wireless announced that Sport Chalet has selected the Transaction Wireless cloud-based gift card platform to deliver personalized plastic and e-gift cards with added marketing capabilities to drive digital promotional campaigns when delivering notifications to gift card recipients.

Sport Chalet plastic and e-gift cards can be purchased on its online site or Facebook page. Both the plastic and e-gift cards have email or mobile notification for intended recipients that can be scheduled or delivered in real time. The e-cards can be personalized with an image, text and audio message, and the available notification that comes with plastic gift cards is also customizable in the same way.

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Red Robin International, a casual dining restaurant chain focused on serving an innovative selection of high-quality gourmet burgers in a family-friendly atmosphere, has selected Transaction Wireless to power its B2B and B2C gift card program and promotional activities around the holiday season.

With Transaction Wireless, Red Robin will be able to offer its customers last minute e-Gift Cards that can be purchased on the Red Robin website or on its mobile gift card storefront and personalized with text, images and voice message and sent at a click of a button over email and mobile.

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Transaction Wireless, a provider of digital gift card solutions, as teamed with Finish Line, a retailer of athletic shoes, apparel and accessories, to power e-gift cards on the Finish Line website, Facebook page and mobile storefront.

The gift cards can be personalized with a photo and unique text and audio messages, making it a customized gift for any sports enthusiast, according to a company press release. Additionally, e-gift cards have no expiration date or fees and can be redeemed online at FinishLine.com or in-store at any Finish Line location nationwide.

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Transaction Wireless, the leading provider of digital gift card solutions, has announced that sports bar and grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, will be leveraging Transaction Wireless’ wGiftCard and wCentive solutions to power customized and personalized digital and plastic gift card purchases via the Buffalo Wild Wings website, Facebook page, and mobile storefront. The Transaction Wireless B2C solution, wGiftCard, will enable Buffalo Wild Wings’ customers to virtually gift friends and family by purchasing and redeeming digital gift cards using their mobile phones. Customers can easily personalize their gift cards by adding a text and audio message as well as a photo and can send them for immediate delivery, or they can be scheduled for delivery at a specific date and time, such as during an important football game. Transaction Wireless was a pioneer in providing mobile capabilities to high profile brands such as American Eagle Outfitters (including Aerie and 77 Kids), Bass Pro Shops and Blockbuster.

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Buffalo Wild Wings, will be leveraging Transaction Wireless’ wGiftCard and wCentive solutions to power customized and personalized digital and plastic gift card purchases via the Buffalo Wild Wings website, Facebook, and mobile storefront.

The Transaction Wireless B2C solution, wGiftCard, will enable Buffalo Wild Wings’ customers to virtually gift friends and family by purchasing and redeeming digital gift cards using their mobile phones.

Customers can easily personalize their gift cards by adding a text and audio message as well as a photo and can send them for immediate delivery, or they can be scheduled for delivery at a specific date and time, such as during an important football game.

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By Lauren Johnson

Fast-casual restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings is furthering its plunge into mobile by using mobile advertising and gift cards.

Buffalo Wild Wings is running mobile ads that tie in with social and location-based services for a football season-themed campaign. The company is also using digital gift cards that are powered with mobile solution Transaction Wireless.

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By Amanda Baltazar

Gift card revenue is expected to dramatically increase at Buca di Beppo this holiday season, thanks to the implementation of digital gift cards.

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By Janna Herron

Lazy and/or last minute shopper? To give these you don’t need to leave the couch

Last-minute couch-potato shoppers rejoice! It’s become a whole lot easier to send gift cards almost instantly. Six big-name retailers and one major credit card issuer have rolled out e-gift cards, according to Bankrate.com’s 2011 Gift Card Survey, a nod to the growing popularity of online shopping.

“Retailers are adding them in droves,” says Rebekka Rea, executive director at the Retail Gift Card Association. “It’s definitely something that if retailers don’t have now, they are behind.”

Starbucks, Best Buy, Gap Inc., Pizza Hut, Staples, Overstock.com and American Express all added a virtual version of their gift cards since last year’s survey. Consumers simply buy the e-cards online and send the gift card directly to the lucky recipient’s inbox. No worrying about shipping a plastic card in time. And no getting out of your pajamas.

“We added the (e-gift card) option because we increasingly see our customers access our brand through mobile and online means,” said Pizza Hut spokesman Chris Fuller in an email to Bankrate.

Still, the e-gift card market is small. Ben Jackson, a senior analyst at Mercator Advisory Group, says that e-gift cards made up about 4 percent of the $97.2 billion gift cards brought in last year. But he expects the market to continue to grow, even if plastic gift cards stick around.

“There will always be people like me who remember my sister’s birthday is tomorrow and I need to get something to her in Florida,” says Jackson, who is in Massachusetts. “E-gift cards have a future.”

In all, more than half of the cards in Bankrate’s survey were available as e-cards too. Only one retailer, Costco, eliminated its e-card this year.

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By Bob Krummert

Cloud-based digital gifting platforms sound complicated, but you get cash fast with no work.

Now that the holiday gift-buying season is about to hit high gear, it might be time to investigate whether the promise of digital gift cards cheaper (for you) and more convenient (for both you and your customers) matches the reality. Cracker Barrel is already on board.

By LaRita Heet

Published October 28, 2011 | CreditCards.com

This year, holiday shoppers can say goodbye to plastic gift card hassles and hello  to mobile gift cards.

Mobile gift cards — the “cooler, more sophisticated, and smarter cousin to the gift card,” according to one expert — are simply gift cards consumers can use on their smartphones. They made a big splash in 2011, with retail giant Starbucks leading the way. However, Starbucks isn’t the only retailer letting its customers go mobile, and many, many more will likely jump on board in the near future. Why? Convenience.

This past summer, Doug Schneider, president and CEO of San Diego-based Transaction Wireless, sent a mobile gift card to his son to use in New York City, where he happened to be for his birthday. “On his birthday, he’s walking down the street in New York and presto — there’s the gift card that shows up on his mobile phone with the personalized text message from me,” says Schneider. “He’s actually walking down the street and talking to me, and he walks into American Eagle and he’s able to use it immediately. Then he calls me back to say, ‘Dad, this actually works.’”

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November 1, 2011 | By Katherine Field Boccaccio

San Diego – Digital gift card solution-provider Transaction Wireless said Tuesday that restaurant chain Buca di Beppo has selected Transaction Wireless to power its digital gift card program.

The cloud-based digital gifting platform will enable Buca di Beppo, which is owned by Planet Hollywood International, to leverage channels such as email, mobile and Facebook for digital gift card promotions and marketing initiatives.

Buca di Beppo will be deploying Transaction Wireless’s full suite of services. wGiftCard for Buca di Beppo’s B2C digital gifting offerings, wCentive for its B2B programs, and wConnect for its marketing campaigns to power its loyalty and customer incentive programs from a cloud-based digital gifting platform.

“With Transaction Wireless, we will be able to create more effective digital gift card campaigns that enable us to better understand and engage our customers, while providing a fun, more personal and secure way to give digital gift cards this holiday season,” said Kyle Collins, director of interactive marketing for Buca di Beppo.

Get, send and use your gift cards via cell phone apps, text or email
By LaRita Heet

This year, holiday shoppers can say goodbye to plastic gift card hassles and hello to mobile gift cards.

Mobile gift cards — the “cooler, more sophisticated and smarter cousin to the gift card,” according to one expert — are simply gift cards consumers can use on their smartphones. They made a big splash in 2011, with retail giant Starbucks leading the way. However, Starbucks isn’t the only retailer letting its customers go mobile, and many, many more will likely jump on board in the near future. Why? Convenience.

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Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has announced its new digital gift card program, which offers gift card buyers more choices in appearance, denomination and speed of delivery. According to the company, the electronic version of Cracker Barrel’s traditional plastic gift cards lets purchasers add personal messages and images, schedule delivery of the card for a specific day, time and even share it socially with friends through Facebook.

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By William Ng

In the past two years, Incentive has been following digital gift cards and several ecard platform providers as they expand in both the consumer and business-to-business markets. One company that is now making a presence is San Diego-based Transaction Wireless. Founded in late 2006, the ecard platform company spent the last several years developing its patented technology and is now gaining traction with retailers and a major B2B card distributor, SVM, as clients.

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Includes Ability to Add Personalized Messages and Photos

LEBANON, TN (September 14, 2011) Technology meets nostalgia on new Cracker Barrel Old Country Store digital gift cards, and the company says the result offers gift card buyers more choices in appearance, denomination and speed of delivery. The electronic version of Cracker Barrel’s traditional plastic gift cards lets purchasers add personal messages and images, schedule delivery of the card for a specific day, time and even share it socially with friends through Facebook.

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Watch Football at Applebee’s, Check in via Facebook Places for a Chance to Win an ESPN Experience Package; Plus 600 Instant Winners Will Win Applebee’s Digital Gift Cards

LENEXA, KS, Sep 12, 2011 — The next best thing to online chats with virtual friends about football is hanging out with them in person at your neighborhood Applebee’s, where this fall, you can instantly win great prizes including Applebee’s gift cards while rooting on your favorite team.

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By Carolyn J Dawson

Payment Card Industry or PCI Level 1 Certification has been achieved by Transaction Wireless. For the first time, the PCI Data Security Standard or DSS v2.0 has been met by a digital gift card provider. Transactions Wireless’ continued commitment to ensuring the highest level of data security for its customers is reflected with this early compliance. The company’s innovative cloud-based approach to digital gifting has been also endorsed through this certification. An announcement in this regard has been made by the top provider of digital gift card solutions, Transaction Wireless.

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Transaction Wireless achieves highest and most difficult level of compliance with recent PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) to meet latest industry requirements

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Transaction Wireless, a provider of digital gift card solutions, announced it has achieved Payment Card Industry (PCI) Level 1 Compliance. Transaction Wireless is one of the first digital gift card providers to meet the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) v2.0, which is a part of the latest industry compliance requirements that also incorporate cloud-based platforms.

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Transaction Wireless achieves highest and most difficult level of compliance with recent PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) to meet latest industry requirements

Certification marks Transaction Wireless’ dedication to customer excellence and commitment to ensuring the highest level of data security for its customers

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Transaction Wireless is the first digital gifting platform to be certified on PCI DSS v2.0. The latest standard was created in order to provide greater clarity on requirements, better manage evolving threats, improve merchant flexibility and keep pace with recent changes in industry best practices. Transaction Wireless’ patented digital gifting platform offers B2C and B2B turnkey solutions for retailers and partners with a variety of gift card services including electronic, mobile, social and even traditional plastic. With a PCI Level 1 Certification quickly following Transaction Wireless’ recent patent for gifting on Facebook®, Transaction Wireless continues to lead the industry in security as well as innovation.

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SAN DIEGO, Aug. 23, 2011 — Transaction Wireless, the leading provider of digital gift card solutions, today announces it has achieved Payment Card Industry (PCI) Level 1 Certification. Transaction Wireless is one of the first digital gift card providers to meet the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) v2.0, which is a part of the latest industry compliance requirements that also incorporate cloud-based platforms. Transactions Wireless’ early compliance marks its continued commitment to ensuring the highest level of data security for its customers, as well as endorses its innovative cloud-based approach to digital gifting.

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Digital Gift Card Platform Meets Industry Requirements

SAN DIEGO, CA (August 23, 2011) Transaction Wireless, provider of digital gift card solutions, has achieved Payment Card Industry (PCI) Level 1 Certification. Transaction Wireless now meets the PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) v2.0, which is a part of the latest industry compliance requirements that also incorporate cloud-based platforms.

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IEWY News - March, 2011

This article indicated that a majority (64 percent) of consumers surveyed would use gift cards and coupons delivered directly to their mobile phones, led by Chinese respondents (94 percent) Korean respondents (91 percent) and Indian respondents (76 percent).

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Flippocket.com – February 9, 2011

Applebees, American Eagle boost revenue via Valentine’s Day mobile gift cards Applebees launches Valentine’s Day-themed mobile gift cards Applebees, American Eagle, AMC Theatres, Blockbuster, Bass Pro Shops and SpaFinder are driving revenue by offering Valentine’s Day digital gift cards that are redeemable via mobile. Transaction Wireless, a provider of virtual and mobile gift cards, is powering these retailers’ gift card programs.

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By Roger Cheng

November 24, 2010

This holiday season, there will be one gift consumers will never see in a store: a mobile gift card.

You now can exchange mobile gift cards via an email or text message on your smartphone. To redeem them, just flash the phone’s screen at the register to pay, or provide a card identification number that can be typed in. There’s no losing track of cards to redeem.

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By Mike Freeman

September 19, 2010

The wireless industry has been talking about the mobile wallet for years, where consumers swipe their cell phones at a retailer’s check out to make a purchase — just like they do now with credit cards.
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By Kate Fitzgerald

Two-way information transfers still may be out of merchants’ reach, but experiments in mobile couponing through NFC and lower-tech alternatives are on the rise.

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Now showing on cell phones — movie tickets, gift cards, coupons and airline tickets.
Retailers and technology companies nationwide are increasingly making commerce mobile, embracing the cell phone as an electronic replacement for paper coupons or plastic gift cards. It’s moving the world ever closer toward the “mobile wallet,” in which most transactions are conducted on wireless phones.
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Electronic payments company PowerPay has partnered with Transaction Wireless, a mobile payments and marketing company, to enable credit card payments via the mobile Web.

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Springfield-based Bass Pro Shops entered an agreement with San Diego-based Transaction Wireless for the creation of a comprehensive mobile gift card program using Transaction Wireless’ patent-pending wGiftCard technology.

Transaction Wireless will help Bass Pro extend its gift card program, including point-of-sale redemption, personalization, balance checks and a one-on-one marketing campaign, to customers’ cell phones. The program is expected launch in first-quarter 2010, according to a joint news release from the companies. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The wGiftCard platform also will enable Bass Pro customers to personalize their gift cards with customized mobile and e-mail text and video messaging.

“We’ve always been focused on getting to know our customers and reaching them on a personal level,” said Greg Thompson, Bass Pro corporate incentives manager, in the release. “With Transaction Wireless we’re able able to  reach our customers in even more relevant ways through the mobile phone.”

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Outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops has tapped mobile commerce and marketing firm Transaction Wireless to create its first mobile gift card program, which will go live in next year’s first quarter.

Bass now offers physical gift cards, which can be purchased in-store or online. When the mobile program launches next year, consumers will be able to customize online gift cards by incorporating personalized text, videos and voice messages. Once they do so, the user enters the recipient’s mobile number and e-mail address, and the digital card will be sent to both mobile and e-mail inboxes. Users will also be able to schedule what date and time the card will be sent.

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