US retail chain 7-eleven is to offer online bill payments through its national instore network of 1000 Vcom electronic kiosks.
The retailer is partnering with e-Money Systems to provide 24-hour bill payment via the touch-screen Vcom kiosk. 7-Eleven customers can choose to pay their utility and other bills using cash, automated clearing house accounts, credit, ATM debit and, in the future, with 7-Eleven's stored-value Convenience Card. Receipts are issued for each payment, and the biller is immediately notified - often in real-time.
e-Money is developing relationships with hundreds of businesses to collect their payments through Vcom.
Jay Giesen, 7-Eleven's vice president and general manager of Vcom, says focus groups conducted last year revealed a demand from consumers for the ability to cash cheques and pay bills at the same time.
He adds: "With Vcom, billers can offer a convenient and efficient payment option to their cash customers who can pay bills at the last minute, perhaps avoiding discontinuation of services."
Currently, 7-Eleven customers can conduct ATM transactions via America Express, purchase Western Union money orders and money transfers, cash cheques through Certegy Check Services, review and pay their Verizon residential phone bills and order additional services. The ChoicePay bill payment service is expected to be available on Vcom this autumn.