It was a great boon to merchants, consumers and payment professionals when plastic gift cards replaced old-fashioned gift certificates, which now seem quaint when the small number of retailers who still use them pull the paper certificates out, fill them in with pen and log them in by hand at the POS. Plastic made stored-value cards of all types proliferate and led to the creation of "gift card malls" at markets throughout the country as consumers grew increasingly fond of them, both as gift givers and as recipients.
Now, stunning technological developments are not only transforming the payments industry overall, but they have also rippled into the prepaid gift card realm, where the convergence of digital and physical commerce, online and in-store, is creating new ways for ISOs and merchant level salespeople to strengthen their relationships with merchants. This issue's lead article takes an in-depth look at possibilities in prepaid that until recently did not exist.
Another feature notes that the CFPB is preparing new rules to extend federal electronic funds transfer and truth-in-lending rules to general purpose, reloadable prepaid debit cards. Further features and view articles point out how difficult it is to predict consumer behavior when it comes to mobile wallets; share research on the future of mobile commerce globally (hello, China); discuss the difference between authentication and authorization; and highlight the actions European nations are taking to phase out cash.
This issue also contains the first article in a three-part series in which members of The Green Sheet Advisory Board discuss what payments innovations they believe can take their businesses to the next level and how they plan to implement them.
Our education section contains insights from experts on the impact of Visa's new chargeback thresholds; how to tell when you are doubting your sales capabilities; the benefits of owning a business instead of having a job; and the fine job the industry's feet on the street are doing despite a lack of readily available educational resources and support.
And that's not all. There's plenty of news, both in full-length stories and in briefs, along with new product stories, profiles, research, and items on company triumphs, partnerships, acquisitions, appointments and more.
We have plenty planned for the next issue. You, too, can help shape the news and views we share. Please email us at greensheet@greensheet.com, and send your press releases to press@greensheet.com. 
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
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