NCR Self-Service Offer Helps Take The Wait Out Of Gift Card Purchases

Gift cards have become one of the easiest and most appreciated forms of gift-giving, although standing in a long line of shoppers to purchase one may take some of the joy out of giving. But thanks to a self-service offer from NCR Corporation, gift card purchases may soon be more convenient for consumers.

NCR Xpress Gift Card, which allows retailers to extend their gift card program to self-service kiosks, will be demonstrated in the NCR booth (No. 1327) at the National Retail Federation's Annual Convention & Expo, Jan. 13-16, in New York.

"Gift cards are increasingly becoming one the most popular gifts throughout the year, providing flexibility to both the gift giver and receiver. However, shoppers find they still have to wait in the same long lines to purchase and load the cards," said Mike Webster, NCR vice-president for Self-Service Solutions. "By offering a self-service approach to purchasing gift cards, retailers can provide their customers with quick and convenient service while also freeing sales associates to assist with more complex or revenue-generating activities."

In an NCR survey conducted by Opinion Research Corp., two-thirds of consumers said they expected to purchase at least one gift card during the holiday season. Those who purchase at least one gift card will buy, on average, more than seven gift cards per year.

According to a survey conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation, holiday gift card expenditures in 2006 were more than $24B, with 2007 sales expected to total $26B.

NCR Xpress Gift Card can work with any NCR EasyPoint kiosk and can be integrated with any point-of-sale system. NCR's Professional Services and Human Factors Engineering groups work with each retailer to customize a gift card program tailored to fit its specific business needs.

About NCR Corporation
NCR Corporation is a global technology company leading how the world connects, interacts and transacts with business. NCR's assisted- and self-service solutions and comprehensive support services address the needs of retail, financial, travel, healthcare, hospitality, gaming and public sector organizations in more than 100 countries. NCR is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio.

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