FIRST DATA OFFERS INTERNET MERCHANTS A NEW SIMPLE WAY TO OFFER CUSTOMERS PAYMENTS ALTERNATIVES
New Delivery System Provides Suite of Payments Alternatives, Making it Easy For Internet Merchants to Expand Beyond Credit Card Payments
DENVER, March 3, 2004 – First Data has launched a new delivery system for a
comprehensive suite of alternative Internet payment offerings through one
unique payments platform – First Data Encompass. The new solution supports
the TeleCheck Internet Check Acceptance® service, TeleCheck Checks by
Phone, Verified by Visa, MasterCard Secure Code and Bill Me Later®, making
it quick, easy and cost-effective to integrate new payment technologies as
they become available. Merchants can now offer online shoppers diverse
payment alternatives without the time and expense of separate integrations.
This new approach provides merchants a single solution to access
authentication, authorization and settlement services for traditional
Internet bankcard transactions and alternative Internet payments including
Internet checks. The flexible system allows for scalable implementation.
This allows merchants to easily add functionality as needed. The platform
is added to a merchant’s Web site through an easy-to-integrate payments
interface and is available for direct integration, through a variety of
Internet payment gateways such as LinkPoint® and YourPaySM and through many Independent Selling Organizations (ISOs).
“First Data created an easy to use solution for merchants to offer their
customers payments alternatives,” said Margaret Weichert, vice president of
Internet services for First Data. This approach enables them to reach the
consumers that cannot or prefer not to use a credit card online or over the
telephone. Merchants can now easily add additional payments services with
minimal risk and overhead.”
First Data’s new delivery system shields merchants, gateways and ISOs from
the complexities of dealing with installing each service individually. The
platform provides the ability to quickly plug-in new alternative payment
options as they are developed because the service offerings can continue to
grow and adapt as the industry does, and First Data can continue to build
upon the existing framework. The platform includes payer authentication
services that help lower the costs of Internet fraud.
About First Data Corp.
First Data Corp. (NYSE: FDC), with global headquarters in Denver, helps power the global economy. As a leader in electronic commerce and payment services, First Data serves approximately 3.1 million merchant locations, 1,400 card issuers and millions of consumers, making it easy, fast and secure for people and businesses to buy goods and services using virtually any form of payment. With more than 30,000 employees worldwide, the company provides credit, debit, smart card and stored-value card issuing and merchant transaction processing services; Internet commerce solutions; money transfer services; money orders; and check processing and verification services throughout the United States. First Data also offers a variety of payment services in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Spain, the Netherlands, the Middle East and Germany. Its Western Union and Orlandi Valuta money transfer networks include approximately 182,000 Agent locations in more than 195 countries and territories. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.firstdata.com.
CONTACT:
Jeff Fowler
First Data Media Relations
713.331.7359
jeff.fowler@firstdatacorp.com
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