Fly Buys is launching the world’s first electronic gift card to be offered by a coalition of different retailers. This gift card will allow New Zealanders to purchase a range of gifts in approximately 1,500 Fly Buys Participant outlets across New Zealand.

Fly Buys Gift Card is an electronic version of a paper-based gift voucher and is the size of a credit card. It will be available to all New Zealanders – both Fly Buys Members and non Fly Buys Members – via Fly Buys Participants and online.

Ten years after pioneering coalition loyalty management in New Zealand, Fly Buys Gift Card will be, at launch, a new form of payment in 14 leading Participant brand outlets in this country. The number of retail brands and services accepting Fly Buys Gift Card is expected to exceed 20 by early 2007.

In its first decade, Fly Buys has influenced $40 billion in retail spending – the amount that New Zealanders have purchased from Fly Buys Participant companies when using their Fly Buys card. In the past 12 months alone, Fly Buys has influenced $7 billion of retail spend in the same way.

Fly Buys General Manager Peter Monk said Fly Buys Gift Card represented a watershed in retailing, potentially as significant as the launch of Fly Buys itself 10 years ago.

“Fly Buys Gift Card means Kiwis can give without fear of getting it wrong,” said Mr Monk.

“One of the biggest difficulties New Zealanders face in gifting is simply knowing what to give. International surveys show that 40 percent of gifts end up either stored in a cupboard, consigned to a landfill or passed on to another person.”

Mr Monk said the Fly Buys coalition of retail companies was the perfect group for launching such a far-reaching new payment system.

“We believe it will quickly become the market standard.”

He said the speed with which New Zealanders adopted Fly Buys in 1996 suggested they would be quick to pick up on the benefits of Fly Buys Gift Card.

Mr Monk said Fly Buys Gift Card also had significant potential as a gift option for people overseas looking for gifts for friends and family in New Zealand, and as a corporate gifting option.

The cards will be available from Monday 2 October at selected participating outlets, such as Shell and New World.

Gifted — the engine behind Fly Buys Gift Card Programme is provided and supported by Cardlink.