Instore announces the release of Gift Card Merchant, an instant gift card program for retail businesses worldwide. There is no cost to Gift Card Merchant; it's Instore's gift to our customers this holiday season. One simple app promises to improve profitability for millions of businesses, instantly.

Everyone loves gift cards. Americans alone spend over $110Bn on them annually. Maybe we fear buying the wrong gift or simply value the flexibility of a prepaid card, but surveys show that over 80% of uswill buy at least one gift card this holiday season. Businesses love gift cards too, as they improve sales, profit, and brand recognition. Unfortunately, for cost and complexity reasons, gift cards have largely been the domain of big retailers like Target, Apple, and Starbucks.

To implement a gift card program today, you need either a point-of-sale software system with integrated gift cards or a standalone terminal that can load and read gift cards. Both options require upfront spending of $500 or more before any revenue is realized. Existing systems also require either the purchase of blank gift cards or customers with smartphones to store digital gift cards. Physical cards cost money, take time to implement, and create card inventory challenges. Digital gift cards are less attractive to purchasers who want something tangible to "gift".

Not surprisingly, an estimated 90% of small retailersdon't have a gift card program.

Until now.

For the first time, retailers can instantly begin selling gift cards in physical form. For free. All you need is an iPhone, iPod, or iPad. Gift Card Merchant™gives retailers and consumers the tangible satisfaction of selling and giving a physical gift card.

Why are gift cards so compelling? When a retailer sells a gift card, they get cash upfront, improving cash flow. Over 70% of gift card recipients spend morethan the gift card value, increasing sales. When gift card recipients redeem the card, they are more willing to pay full value, increasing profit. Gift cards are a great way to reduce overall transaction costs, specifically credit card fees. Finally, gift cards help the retailer promotes its brand and grows its customer base. What's not to love?