Jim Strabo, Blackhawk Networks’ managing director for Europe, says that although cultural differences exist, prepaid card malls have a bright future in Europe. In an interview with Paybefore.com, Strabo says that the company has struck deals with major retailers in Europe and that the example of card malls in the United States has helped the concept win acceptance on the other side of the Atlantic.
Through a lot of hard work by people who believe in prepaid, we’ve been able to show that—when harnessed the right way—gift card malls, or gift card stores as they are commonly referred to here in Europe, can do amazing things by putting consumers in touch with so many verticals. It’s really helped to have the examples of Safeway and Kroger to point to in the U.S.
In addition to highlighting Blackhawk’s successes in Europe, the interview also provides clues about some of the difficulties in expanding a prepaid program into international markets.
Read the interview at: http://www.paybefore.com/aboutus/default.aspx?id=20086