A gift card usable in several shopping centres
- Natixis Paiements and Unibail-Rodamco have partnered to launch the prepaid Visa gift card “Rêvons Plus”. This new card can be used in several stores and is available in six Parisian shopping centres (Forum des Halles, Parly 2, Rosny 2, Carré Sénart, Les Quatre Temps and Vélizy 2) as well as in a shopping centre in Lyon (La Part Dieu).
- The amount loaded on this magnetic stripe card can be used at once or for several distinct purchases. It is valid one year and cannot be topped-up. Customers can ask for it at the partner shopping centres’ reception desks and specify the required amount (between 15 and 150 Euros). Online orders have been also possible since January, the card is then sent by post mail within a few days. Customers can also buy a package, the price of which varies from one to two Euros (standard or premium offer). The beneficiary can use his/her card in all the shops from different shopping centres involved in the operation. A dedicated website www.revonsplus.com allows cardholders to check on the amount left on the card.
- In 2011, other shopping centres should also propose it, notably in Bordeaux and Calais. The two partners are working on an instant “take away” version of the card which would be available using a dedicated automaton in the shopping centre if there is no reception desk.
- A contactless version should also be made available if the brands benefit from adapted terminals.
- Unibail-Rodamco is one of the main shopping centres' owners in Europe (present in twelve European Union countries). This concept developed in France with Natixis Paiements already exists in Italy and in the United Kingdom. In France, this European player deems that the gift products market may represent nearly eight billion Euros, or 2.5 billion for gift cheques (80% of which is purchased by French work councils), 5 billion gift cards and 0.2 billion for gift boxes (Le Monde, December 8, 2010).
- The gift products market is more and more dynamic: they are generally acclaimed by the customers who consider gift products as the first most desired present for Christmas (Deloitte, November 2010). Banks now try to position themselves on this market which shows very strong potential. They must also face competition as other companies offer several services directly to customers and merchants:
- Market leaders specialists such as Edenred (former Accor Services) and the Auchan group through its financial arm Banque Accord,
- Card networks such as Visa and MasterCard developed their own prepaid card platforms (Visa Prepaid Processing Services and MasterCard Prepaid Card Solutions),
- Internet pure players, leveraging means of payment dematerialisation and the significant growth of the e-commerce, now position themselves on this market. A recent partnership between Facebook and Amazon enables the American e-retailer's customers to post gift vouchers directly on the beneficiary's wall. This voucher can be used on the Amazon website, from the customer’s Facebook page.