Gift Cards – now also Electronic!

Alongside with the well-known traditional payment cards issued by banks or loyalty cards issued by various merchants and service providers, also electronic gift cards are now available in Latvia. The first electronic gift cards are being offered to its clients by the cosmetics shops and parlours network Kolonna ( Baltic Cosmetic Holding ), in cooperation with subsidiary First Data International in Latvia, from December 15.

With this event, Latvia has joined those technologically developed countries of Europe and the world where gift cards are available in electronic form. Within the nearest five years, electronic gift cards will replace the traditional paper cards, and also in Latvia, like in the UK and the USA, the largest merchant and service provider networks will change over to the electronic cards version.

The size of all other plastic cards, the electronic cards will fit conveniently in wallets of clients, they will not have any nominal value limitations, the amount on card can be spent gradually or at once, it will be possible to load the cards, and the electronic gift cards will be easy and fast to service at outlets.

This is another proof of the growth in the field of electronic data and payment processing, which is ensured by the rapid development of software and technologies in the world and in Latvia.

“We are satisfied that our first partner, which efficiently and professionally got involved in the implementation of electronic gift cards system, was the well-known in Latvia cosmetics shops and parlours network Kolonna. It is a new solution, which will provide merchants with additional conveniences in accounting, safety in payment processing and, at the same time, place these merchants among the users of the most modern technologies,” said First data International managing director in Latvia Zanda Brīvule.

The Sales Department Manager of Baltic Cosmetic Holding , Antra Eglīte: “We are leaders in the sale of perfumery and cosmetics products and provision of beauty services; therefore, we are glad that we are the first in Latvia to offer to our clients the technologically most advanced and coolest electronic gift card. This card has a wide range of options and it is very convenient to use!”