Chase Paymentech Makes Gift Cards Easy for Small Businesses with All-In-One Payment Pack

DALLAS, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Chase Paymentech, the world's premier provider of payment services, announced today the introduction of an integrated, All-In-One payments package that provides small and medium-sized businesses with payment card processing and business growth services, including a "ready-to-market" gift card package.

This new package will help ensure that smaller businesses can provide their customers the same payment choices as national retail chains. With the run-up to the 2007 holiday shopping period, letting customers use card-based payment methods - including the increasingly-popular gift card option - will provide a boost to merchants' bottom line.

Gift cards are proven to increase merchant sales while increasing merchant profitability and are considered an increasingly essential tool for driving key holiday sales. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the gift card market is expected to reach $80 billion this year, and gift cards will account for about 10-15 percent of consumer spending. Thirty to forty percent of gift cards are redeemed the week after Christmas and into January, causing the ICSC to extend their predictions beyond the traditional months of November and December.

Consumers appreciate the convenience and flexibility offered by gift cards, including the ability to time-shift their purchases to the post-holiday rush period or via online shopping. During the 2006 holiday season, U.S. gift card sales surpassed all other retail gift options including perennial items like toys, music and apparel, according to survey research from American Express.

This new All-In-One offer includes the Chase Paymentech Gift Card starter kit (100 cards) - a customizable gift card solution designed to help increase repeat store traffic and average ticket size; Card-swipe terminal - a high- speed Internet-connected terminal with dial-up capabilities; and Online electronic statements - an interactive reporting tool that allows merchants to reconcile their accounts quickly and easily.

"With this All-In-One offer, Chase Paymentech becomes a true business partner to the more than 500,000 small businesses launched each year," said Greg Schaub, executive vice president of business development at Chase Paymentech. "This new bundling of services and technology empowers small merchants with a strong competitive advantage. The ability to offer customers gift cards, with the business name right on the card, will give small businesses the same brand awareness and loyalty benefits that larger merchants enjoy."

Chase Paymentech's interactive design tool allows the merchants to preview their customized gift cards online by visiting www.chasepaymentech.com/giftcard and using the intuitive online design tool to personalize card design.

About Chase Paymentech Solutions

Chase Paymentech Solutions, LLC is a leading global payments firm and the world's largest merchant acquirer, transacting payments in 140 currencies. In 2006, the privately - held company processed approximately 18.2 billion payment transactions, with more than $660.6 billion in annual bankcard and debit volume. Chase Paymentech's customer base reflects the most respected brands in the world, including 70 percent of leading ecommerce businesses and more than 600,000 merchants in nearly one million locations worldwide. Chase Paymentech is a joint venture between JPMorgan Chase & Co. and First Data Corp. Learn more at www.chasepaymentech.com.