New Card Gets Online Shoppers To Spend Cash

Taking a cue from prepaid phone cards, a new product will be introduced next month for consumers who wish to make purchases on the Internet without credit or debit cards. New York-based SpendCash.com's Internetcash card will be sold in increments of $10, $20, $50 and $100 at retail locations such as supermarkets and convenience stores.
     The cards will be available initially from at least 10,000 locations, but company officials would not identify the merchants. At least 1,000 online retailers will accept the cards by the time of the launch, says Thomas F. Hespos, senior vice president of online operations, who would not name the participating merchants.
     Hespos says Internetcash is "for people who do not have access to credit, and also for people uncomfortable putting their credit card number online."
     SpendCash will take a 2.25% transaction fee on each purchase.