News from the Wire

Retail Gift Card Association welcomes 18 new members

Monday, July 18, 2016 — 12:33:21 (EDT)

Washington, July 18, 2016 – The Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA) Board of Directors today announced its newest membership additions, including 18 companies comprised of legacy-brand retailers and other marquee gift card industry stakeholders. As the only non-profit trade association representing the closed-loop gift card industry from a collective, global stakeholder perspective, the RGCA’s mission is to protect, promote and enhance the use of retail gift cards.

Organizations that have joined the RGCA as new members include:

• Academy Sports + Outdoors
• Bouxtie Inc.
• CardCash
• CashStar
• Gift Card Impressions
• Meijer
• Openbucks
• Raise
• Sephora
• Stored Value Solutions (SVS)
• Travel Tags, Inc.

“At Raise, we were thrilled when the association opened membership to non-retailers, and are very proud to join,” said Martha Weaver, Director of Merchant Relationships at Raise. “We believe a more robust base of member companies, all committed to the common cause of furthering the success of gift cards, will create deeper relationships among retailers and non-retailers alike.”

Earlier this year, the RGCA expanded its membership opportunities to include non-retailer organizations that have a vested interest in the growth of the gift card industry. The RGCA creates opportunities for members to cooperatively explore gift card industry issues, advocate for policies that protect consumers and retailers and promote the positive attributes of gift cards to the retail industry, the public and the media.

“We are extremely proud of our growth in membership over the last year,” said Timm Walsh, Board Chairman of the RGCA. “The energy of the new members, including the non-retailers, brings a fresh and strengthened perspective to the global stakeholder community – enhancing what we can do as a collaborative association.”

All members will be invited to convene at Money20/20 in October 2016 for the annual fall member meeting where they can participate in strategic committee activities, and learn about and join newly launched RGCA task forces examining fraud/secondary markets, innovation, insights and merchandising.

For more information on the RGCA, or to become a member, visit the website at www.thergca.org . Membership benefits include the following at no additional cost:

• RGCA updates and member communications on industry issues, news coverage of gift cards, regulatory matters affecting gift cards, legislation updates, etc.

• Access to an annual metrics report, benchmarking, baselines, etc.

• Access to original consumer research examining consumer use of gift cards and shopper trends

• Access to RGCA legal counsel and lobbying efforts

• Opportunities to participate in promotional media programs that add significant value to the industry and members’ individual organizations via exposure to millions of consumers

• Opportunity to participate in webinars, discussion forums, and committees – as attendees or to present as original thought leaders

• Discounted registration rates at industry events such as Money20/20 and APEX

About the Retail Gift Card Association (RGCA)

The Retail Gift Card Association is the trade association that represents the closed-loop gift category. The Association’s mission is to protect, promote and enhance the use of retail gift cards. All RGCA members abide by a Code of Principles that supports consumer-friendly policies for the purchase and redemption of closed-loop gift cards. RGCA’s membership is comprised of retailers from all sectors as well as non-retail members who have a vested interest in the growth of the gift card industry. RGCA For more information, visit us at www.theRGCA.org .

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Source: Company press release.