VeriFone Expands International Channels with Hypercom Distributors

September 12, 2011 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Post-Merger, Moves to Integrate Hypercom Channels into VeriFone International Partner Program

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--VeriFone Systems, Inc. (NYSE: PAY) today announced it has integrated Hypercom international distributors into the VeriFone International Partner (VIP) program, which provides distributors with access to support resources and a wide array of technology to enhance their ability to deliver the latest payment solutions to their markets.

“VeriFone has a long history of working with international partners to best meet the needs of local customers by tailoring VeriFone solutions with applications, services and support tailored to local needs,” said Jeffrey Dumbrell, VeriFone executive vice president, International. “The international distributors in the Hypercom network are a vital element in our strategy for geographical and product and services diversification. We are working aggressively to share the benefits of our VIP program with these new partners.”VeriFone completed its acquisition of Hypercom Corp. on August 4 and has moved aggressively to welcome Hypercom’s international distributors into the VIP program and work with them to accelerate international growth, increase innovation and build value.

VeriFone has revealed plans to grow and enhance all major product lines that existed prior to completing the acquisition and bolster them with the strong VeriFone global brand identity. The VIP program offers Hypercom distributors a wide range of services including in-depth product and sales training and web-based access to exclusive strategic, product and technology information.

Additional Resources:
www.verifone.com/vip-partners

First Data Releases August 2011 SpendTrend®

September 12, 2011 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time 

Credit Card Spending Up in August on Heavy Back-to-School Promotions

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--First Data Corporation, a global leader in electronic commerce and payment processing, today released its First Data SpendTrend^® analysis for the full month of August 2011 compared to August 2010. SpendTrend tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations.

“In August, consumers were drawn to stores by aggressive Back-to-School promotions. These sales increased overall card spending despite lower average prices. The exception was the East coast where we saw a slowdown in card spending growth in the last week of August because of Hurricane Irene”

Overall year-over-year dollar volume growth was up 9.0% in August compared to 7.3% in July. In August, misc. store retailers and non-store (mail/telephone order) retailers drove overall retail growth of 9.2% with Back-to-School discounting in these subcategories. Overall average ticket growth at retailers grew only 0.3%, exceptionally low considering government figures showed inflation exceeded 3.0% in recent months.

Credit dollar volume growth was up 12.4% and transaction growth increased 11.7% in August, both 13-month highs. Credit has led all other payment types at the point of sale three of the previous four months. Federal Reserve data show that credit balances have increased in two of the previous three months. Consumers continued to increase their use of credit cards on non-discretionary purchases such as gas and food.

“In August, consumers were drawn to stores by aggressive Back-to-School promotions. These sales increased overall card spending despite lower average prices. The exception was the East coast where we saw a slowdown in card spending growth in the last week of August because of Hurricane Irene,” said Silvio Tavares, SVP and division manager of First Data Information and Analytics Solutions, which publishes SpendTrend.

August Transaction Growth

CHANGE

August Dollar Volume Growth

CHANGE

Credit

+11.7%

Credit

+12.4%

Signature Debit

+5.7%

Signature Debit

+4.9%

PIN Debit

+5.6%

PIN Debit

+7.0%

Check

-10.2%

Check

-11.0%

Note: All transactions are same-store growth.

For more information on First Data SpendTrend, visit www.firstdata.com/infoanalytics or call SpendTrend Customer Care at 800-430-0169. A supplementary podcast including further analysis of the SpendTrend August 2011 report is available here.

To participate in the SpendTrend conversation, please follow First Data at http://twitter.com/FirstData and join us at http://www.facebook.com/FirstData.

Around the world, every second of every day, First Data makes payment transactions secure, fast and easy for merchants, financial institutions and their customers. First Data leverages its vast product portfolio and expertise to drive customer revenue and profitability. Whether the choice of payment is by debit or credit card, gift card, check or mobile phone, online or at the checkout counter, First Data takes every opportunity to go beyond the transaction.

First Data SpendTrend, a macro-economic indicator, is based on aggregate same-store sales activity in the First Data Point of Sale Network. First Data SpendTrend does not represent First Data’s financial performance.

Contacts

First Data
Elizabeth Grice, 303-967-8526
elizabeth.grice@firstdata.com

USA Technologies Continues Impressive Growth Trend for Transactions and Dollars Processed in 2011

Transactions processed up 81%, Dollar Volume up 71% from a Year Ago

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--USA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAT), a leader of wireless, cashless payment and M2M telemetry solutions for self-serve retail industries, today announced that for the month of August 2011, the Company’s ePort Connect® Service processed a new high of 8.4 million transactions representing $14.1 million in small-ticket transactions, increases of 81% and 71%, respectively, compared to August 2010. The Company also reported that on September 6, 2011, it set a single day record by processing 375,000 transactions. These latest milestones put the Company on an annualized run rate of approximately $170 million in processing volume.

“Activity levels in August continue at a record pace with a sequential increase from July’s processing activity of 7.8 million transactions and $13.4 million in small ticket transactions”

“Activity levels in August continue at a record pace with a sequential increase from July’s processing activity of 7.8 million transactions and $13.4 million in small ticket transactions,” said George Jensen, Chairman and CEO of USA Technologies. “USA Technologies’ePort Connect Service operates on a scalable and flexible platform which is capable of processing increased numbers of transactions at a low incremental cost. Our unique, one-stop service continues to deliver superior performance to our customers. Combine all of this with the low up-front capital cost available through our JumpStart program, and it becomes clear why USA Technologies offers the solution of choice for the small-ticket, unattended cashless payments space.”

The ePort Connect Service is a PCI-compliant, end-to-end suite of cashless payment and telemetry services specially tailored to fit the needs of self-service, small ticket retail industries. ePort Connect enables self-service terminals, such as vending machines and kiosks, to accept credit, debit, new contactless cards and other cashless forms of payment, handles all elements of transaction processing, and allows customers to monitor and manage their terminals online - all with the highest level of data security.

The Company recently announced that it had added approximately 4,000 new connections during July 2011 and added 105 new customers to its ePort Connect Service bringing the totals to 123,000 connections and 2,079 customers, and making this the fastest start to a fiscal year for the Company in three years.

Pursuant to its processing agreements with its customers, the Company earns transaction processing fees equal to a percentage of the dollar volume processed by the Company, which fees are included as licensing and transaction processing revenues in its Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company’s transaction processing volume is not indicative of the gross profit from license and transaction fees.

About USA Technologies:

USA Technologies is a leader in the networking of wireless non-cash transactions, associated financial/network services and energy management. USA Technologies provides networked credit card and other non-cash systems in the vending, commercial laundry, hospitality and digital imaging industries. The Company has been granted 79 patents and has agreements with Verizon, Visa, Compass, Crane and others. Visit our website at www.usatech.com.

Visa Inc. to Present at Jefferies 2011 Electronic Payments Summit

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) announced today that Bill Sheedy, Group President - Americas, will participate in a panel discussion titled "The Future of U.S. Debit" at the Jefferies 2011 Electronic Payments Summit in New York on Tuesday, September 20, 2011. The discussion is scheduled to begin at 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time and last for approximately 40 minutes.

A listen-only audio webcast and replay will be accessible for 30 days on the Investor Relations web site at http://investor.visa.com.

About Visa Inc.

Visa is a global payments technology company that connects consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments in more than 200 countries and territories to fast, secure and reliable digital currency. Underpinning digital currency is one of the world's most advanced processing networks—VisaNet—that is capable of handling more than 20,000 transaction messages a second, with fraud protection for consumers and guaranteed payment for merchants. Visa is not a bank and does not issue cards, extend credit or set rates and fees for consumers. Visa's innovations, however, enable its financial institution customers to offer consumers more choices: pay now with debit, ahead of time with prepaid or later with credit products. For more information, visit www.corporate.visa.com.

Contacts:

Investor Relations: Victoria Hyde-Dunn, 415-932-2213, ir@visa.com

Media Relations: Will Valentine, 415-932-2564, globalmedia@visa.com

SOURCE Visa Inc.

Transact Network® Reaches Half a Million Prepaid Card Milestone With MasterCard®

GIBRALTAR, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Transact Network, a leading European prepaid card issuer, has issued over 500,000 prepaid cards on the MasterCard network in Europe.

Transact Network has been a MasterCard principle member since 2008 and launched its first prepaid program in 2009. The company now has over 100 programs live in 12 European countries across a diverse range of prepaid program categories, including general purpose reloadable, payroll, youth, and corporate.

With one of the most experienced management teams in the European industry, Transact Network's revenues have close to doubled over the last 12 months.

Chairman and CEO, Colin Greaves, said: "Our excellent and collaborative working relationship with MasterCard over the last three years, and our focus on providing fast and bespoke service to our partners, have been instrumental to the rapid growth and increasing profitability of our business. Reaching half a million cards this quickly is a significant milestone for any company, and says much about the maturity of the prepaid market in Europe for which I genuinely believe no one is better placed than Transact Network to capitalize upon."

Matt Lanford, Head of Prepaid at MasterCard Europe, said: "We congratulate Transact on reaching this milestone. It helps to underline the growing importance of prepaid in the new payment society as consumers, businesses and governments increasingly recognize how the controlled flexibility of this simple payment vehicle can be customized to meet their diverse needs."

About Transact Network

Transact Network is a MasterCard and Visa Europe Principal Member providing European BIN sponsorship and modular prepaid services.  Transact Network's electronic money and payment service permissions have been successfully passported to every EU and EEA member state enabling the issuance of prepaid card programs across Europe.  The Company's proprietary modular prepaid card service platform enables bespoke, scalable solutions, rapid implementation, low entry costs, reliable ongoing management and proven risk reduction.  The Company can implement a prepaid program from concept to launch in approximately 90 days. Transact Network is a licensed and authorized e-money institution by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and has fully owned subsidiaries and offices in England, Spain, India and Bulgaria, as well as affiliate sales offices in France and Germany.

For more information about the types of products and services Transact Network provides please visit:http://www.transactnetwork.com.

About MasterCard Worldwide

As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2010, $2.7 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network – the fastest payment processing network in the world – MasterCard processes over 23 billion transactions each year and has the capacity to handle 160 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 130 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl®. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.

SOURCE Transact Network

UniRush Names Rob Rosenblatt as Its Chief Executive Officer

Accelerated product innovation and company growth predicted with new leadership

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- UniRush, which offers financial empowerment to millions of underbanked Americans through its Prepaid Visa RushCard, announced today that card industry veteran Rob Rosenblatt has been appointed its Chief Executive Officer.

The selection of Rosenblatt positions RushCard to thrive in the growing prepaid industry, said RushCard founder Russell Simmons. He added that RushCard's rapid growth has created the opportunity to attract best-in-class investors and management.

"RushCard is growing because we offer money-saving services that give our members financial freedom," Simmons said. "By naming a CEO with Rob's qualifications, we are taking RushCard to the next level of industry leadership.  I look forward to seeing the new directions RushCard will take with his guidance."

Rosenblatt said he will concentrate on industry partnerships, recruitment, and developing innovative products that are exclusive to RushCard's members. These will build upon current features such as card-to-card funds transfers, online budgeting tools, mobile tools, and other value-added benefits and services, he added.

"I'm excited to join the company that pioneered the prepaid debit card space," Rosenblatt said.  "I have long admired RushCard's laser focus on developing products and features that its members really need in order to gain control over their finances. Our customers have rewarded us with their loyalty and the highest direct deposit rates in the industry.  I look forward to accelerating our growth through an even greater focus on marketing and innovative product development."

Rosenblatt comes to UniRush from Chase Card Services, where he served as General Manager for Customer Loyalty, Mobile Commerce and Innovation.  In this role, he developed one of the card industry's largest and most successful customer rewards programs, comprising 25 million enrolled cardholders, the #1-rated card rewards website, and a comprehensive array of reward redemption offerings.  Rosenblatt was also responsible for identifying new opportunities in mobile payments, including the pilot of one of the first mobile gift card wallets, receiving a Webbie award for innovative mobile financial services in 2010.  In prior positions, Rob led the e-business unit for Citi Cards, and developed the first cobranded credit cards for American Express.

"I am excited to be joining the team that has made RushCard one of the most successful companies in this growing industry," Rosenblatt said. "I look forward to partnering with Ram Palaniappan and his entire team."

To learn more about the Prepaid Visa RushCard, card fees, and money management tools, visit www.RushCard.com or call 866 RUSHCARD. Check out www.flexyourfreedom.com for the latest personal finance news, tips, and polls to help you stay on the road to financial freedom.

About UniRush LLC

Headquartered in Cincinnati and New York City, UniRush LLC provides members with access to services that enable them to achieve their personal and financial goals.  The RushCard offers the more than 60 million Americans without access to a traditional banking relationship an array of basic financial services via the Prepaid Visa RushCard. Benefits of the program include direct deposit, card-to-card funds transfers, online budgeting tools, the ability to withdraw funds at more than 850,000 ATMs globally, the ability to use the card wherever Visa debit cards are accepted, and a suite of health products to help those underserved by the insurance industry. For more information about UniRush and RushCard visit www.rushcard.com or find us at Facebook.com/Rushcard or on Twitter @RushCard.

SOURCE UniRush LLC

Marketron Signs Agreement With Chase Paymentech to Provide Payment Processing to Its 7,000 Media Clients and Their Advertisers

HAILEY, Idaho, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Marketron, the leading provider of business software solutions and services for the media industry, has selected Chase Paymentech as its preferred partner to enable the 7,000 media clients using Marketron solutions to accept credit card and electronic payments from their advertising customers.

Marketron clients will directly benefit from state-of-the-art solutions in credit card and electronic payment acceptance made available by Chase Paymentech, a leader in merchant acquiring and payment processing. This arrangement will provide direct benefits to media entities by reducing days sales outstanding (DSO) and collection costs, increasing operating efficiencies and providing convenient payment options for their advertisers. The combined power of Marketron and Chase Paymentech provides confidence and best-in-class performance for Marketron clients and their advertising customers.

As media entities increasingly want to make it easier for their advertisers to do business with them, providing them the capability to make payments with credit and debit cards further enables this objective. Marketron customers can utilize Chase Paymentech's processing services as a standalone service but also have the ability to integrate those services with Media Connect, a Mediascape service.  Media Connect provides stations with a branded web portal that provides advertisers online access to advertising schedules, creative copy and encourages early or on-time electronic payment of invoices with a unique points-based loyalty program.

"Marketron's respected position in the media marketplace is very enticing to us," says Peter Gasparro, Group Executive of Chase Paymentech. "By combining Chase Paymentech's expertise in high quality payment processing with Marketron's technology, services and distribution, we will enable media companies to leverage cost efficiencies that only a direct processor can provide. This partnership is a clear win for media entities, allowing them to access real-time, system-integrated payment options that expand the ways stations can accept and track advertising payments. Media clients will now look to Marketron to get the most cost effective and comprehensive services to accept payments."

"This relationship is very compelling to us because it delivers a clear value proposition for our clients," said Steven Minisini, CEO of Marketron. "Not only does Chase Paymentech offer a superior product but they have been able to provide a very competitive pricing model for every customer that we have approached together. Chase Paymentech's competitive processing, combined with the 30% reduction in DSO we have seen in our Media Connect implementations, ensure there is no question about the overall value delivered to clients."

About Chase Paymentech

Paymentech, LLC ("Chase Paymentech"), a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), is a leading provider of payment processing and merchant acquiring. The company's proprietary platforms enable integrated solutions for all payment types, including credit, debit, prepaid stored value and electronic check processing; as well as digital, alternative and mobile payment options. Chase Paymentech has uniquely combined proven payment technology with a long legacy of merchant advocacy that creates quantifiable value for companies large and small. In 2010, Chase Paymentech processed 20.5 billion transactions with a value of $469.3 billion, including an estimated half of all global Internet transactions. In addition to the ability to authorize transactions in more than 130 currencies, the company provides business analytics and information services, fraud detection and data security solutions.  For additional information, visit www.chasepaymentech.com.

About Marketron

Marketron is the leading provider of business software solutions and services for the media industry. The Marketron Mediascape Platform, traffic and suite of services drive innovation to create new growth opportunities that produce the maximum value for our clients and facilitate their evolution into digital. Relied on by more than 7,000 media organizations, Marketron solutions are the most widely-used media solutions in the world, managing an estimated $15 billion dollars of annual advertising revenue. Marketron is an affiliate of The Wicks Group of Companies, LLC of New York, which specializes in communications, information and media businesses.

Global Payments Releases Innovative eCommerce Solution for Small to Mid-Sized Business Segment

Providing merchants with a compliant, cost-effective, secure and customer-friendly solution

ATLANTA, Sept. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leader in electronic transaction payment processing, and CRE Secure, the industry's leading cloud-based, secure payment solution for merchants, today announce an agreement to incorporate CRE Secure's HTML Clone® technology within Global Payments' award-winning Global Transport® Secure eCommerce solution. The solution addresses the small to mid-sized business (SMB) eCommerce segment.

Global Payments' merchants will be able to implement CRE Secure's HTML Clone payment technology through Global Transport in North America later this year. With HTML Clone, merchants can outsource PCI-sensitive parts of the checkout process. As a result, the merchant's systems are no longer within the scope of their PCI DSS compliance obligations, allowing a significant reduction in ongoing costs and providing a seamless checkout experience for their consumers..

"Using HTML Clone technology will not only decrease the drop rate, or shopping cart abandonment, caused by other hosted payment pages, it will seamlessly integrate with multiple shopping carts in a completely PCI-compliant environment, increasing eCommerce conversion significantly," said Sid Singh, senior vice president and global head of product for Global Payments.

Gary Austin, owner/operator of Gary Austin Advertising and an existing customer of CRE Secure utilizing the HTML Clone technology said, "This product gives me the peace of mind that my websites are compliant, secure and customer friendly in a cost-effective environment, while being simple to maintain. The shopping cart integration modules within this solution, such as Magento, X-Cart and OS Commerce, made implementation fast and easy, allowing me to focus on the strategic initiatives of my business."

"Merchants who process their payments through Global Payments will never need to house or process sensitive credit card data on their servers, yet they can enjoy the same features and functionality found on larger competitors' websites," said Kevin Lee, CEO of CRE Secure. "They now have the capability to meaningfully reduce the scope of PCI compliance without expensive upgrades to the network or data center hosting costs."

About Global Payments Inc.

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) is a leading provider of electronic transaction processing services for merchants, Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs), financial institutions, government agencies and multi-national corporations located throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Global Payments, a Fortune 1000 company, offers a comprehensive line of processing solutions for credit and debit cards, business-to-business purchasing cards, electronic check conversion and check guarantee, verification and recovery including electronic check services, as well as terminal management. Visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com for more information about the company and its services.

About CRE Secure

CRE Secure Payments is the first cloud-based Internet payment security company with end-to-end PCI compliance for card-not-present merchants. CRE Secure enables leading eCommerce software solutions and payment software systems to be distributed worldwide in a secure, hosted PCI-compliant environment. CRE Secure delivers hosted, payment processing solutions through its patent-pending technology, HTML Clone, and partnerships with top global payment gateways. CRE Secure is a level one PCI DSS-certified service provider and a contributing member of the PCI Security Standards Council. For more info, visit www.cresecure.com or call (888) 453-4885.

Global Payments Inc.