Visa issues UK Internet shopping gift card

Visa is looking to cash in on the festive season with the launch of the UK's first Internet shopping pre-paid gift card.

The £25 3V Visa Internet Shopping Gift Card can be bought over the counter at major high street retailers including, The co-operative, Martin's Newsagent, Martin McColl's and Borders.

The cards come in four different designs and can be used to shop online, through mail order or over the telephone, wherever Visa is accepted.

Cards are activated online and the recipient is issued with a unique number and three-digit security code, which are entered at the check-out.

The cash value on the cards is backed by Alliance & Leicester.

Related Companies

Alliance & Leicester Visa

Channels

Retail banking Security Payments

Keywords

Cards

Comments: (3)

A Finextra member 26 November, 2008, 11:03

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It's an improvement on the WH Smith gift vouchers I used to get for Xmas as a nipper!

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Paul Penrose - Finextra - London 26 November, 2008, 11:25

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It'll be interesting to see whether it makes a dent in high street gift voucher sales, such as the popular M&S vouchers. Can't see it somehow. Interesting price point. Why peg it at £25?

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Russell Burke - The Central Bank of Ireland - Dublin 27 November, 2008, 14:34

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Good to see alternatives to cash and cheques being introduced, but worth noting the associated charges too - £3.50 redemtion fee, £1.75 transfer fee and monthly account fee of £2 after 9 months until it expires at 12 months. Recipients of these as gifts should be made aware. 3V was introduced in Ireland in voucher form some time back with similar fees applying, but unfortunately I have not seen any statistics for it. Would be interesting to hear how successful it has been if any readers know?