7-11 offers pre-paid American Express Card - like Web Certificate

[The Bunny]

Not sure which forum this should go in, but because this could be good for internet shopping, I will put it here. This sounds similar to a web certificate.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]

From the site:

7-Eleven® Internet Shopping Card & 7-Eleven® Gift Card
from American Express

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between the 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card from American Express and the 7-Eleven Gift Card from American Express?

A: Both Cards are issued by American Express, and both can be loaded and reloaded with funds at any participating 7-Eleven store in the United States. In addition, you can use either Card to make purchases at any participating 7-Eleven store. In addition, however, the 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card is intended solely for use at Internet retailers that accept the American Express® Card, and cannot be used at traditional retailers. The 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card is great for those who want to shop on the Internet and who may not have a credit card, those who do not wish to use their own credit card number on the Internet, or those who wish to shop privately online.

The Gift Card is accepted at most retailers, both traditional and on the Internet, that accept the American Express® Card. It makes a great gift, since it allows the user to shop at a wide variety of retailers and Web sites. Unlike most gift cards that limit you to one store or chain, the Gift Card allows the user the freedom to shop at a variety of stores and chains, including restaurants!

2. What if someone steals my Card or uses it without my permission?

A: You should treat your Card as if it were cash. Because there is no name associated with the Card, there is limited ability to get a replacement Card. Guard the account number the same way you would cash or any credit card. Do not share your Card number with anyone. Also, be careful to protect your receipts because some merchants print the entire Card number on them and someone could use your receipt to get your Card number.

3. How do I get a replacement Card?

A: If you lose your Card or believe it to be stolen, you must immediately contact Customer Service at 1-888-528-9331for the Internet Shopping Card and 1-877-451-8043 for the Gift Card. For a replacement Card, you will need to provide your Card number and identifying details regarding recent purchases. For the 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card, you will also need to provide your original purchase receipt. If our records show a current balance remaining on the Card, the Card can be cancelled and a replacement Card can be sent. A handling fee of $4.95 will be debited from the Card balance for any such replacement Card and express shipping options are available. There will be no reimbursement of any funds that may have been stolen or debited from the Card by third parties.

4. What if I return merchandise?

A: Web and store merchants credit your returns back to the Card that you used to make the purchase. For this reason, it is very important that you keep the Card. Funds credited by a Web merchant or a retailer, like a 7-Eleven store, will be available approximately three days after the date the return is processed.

5. Can Card balances be transferred or consolidated?

A: The only way to consolidate funds from multiple Cards to one Card is to bring the Cards into 7-Eleven and use one of the Cards to pay for a load of additional funds onto the other Card. You cannot consolidate Card balances over the phone. Because these are private Cards, we cannot confirm that you are the person that should authorize a transfer of funds. Again, we recommend using one Card for your Web shopping.

6. What is a load fee?

A: A load fee is a charge for putting funds onto the Card. Each time you load funds onto the Card - whether you are putting funds onto a new Card or you are putting funds onto a Card you already own - you may be charged a load fee. The load fee is charged at the point of sale at 7-Eleven. At the current time the load fee is 4%; however it may change, so check with the 7-Eleven clerk at the time you pay for a reload.

7. What do I do with the Card after I've spent the money?

A: Reload it with more cash! If you have an odd amount left after shopping or want something that costs more than the value that remains on the Card, simply go to any participating 7-Eleven in the United States and add more money to the same Card. If you decide not to reload and you are happy with all your purchases, we suggest that you cut the Card in half and throw it away.

8. How do I find out the balance on the Card?

A: For your convenience you can check your balance on the Internet at [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] or by calling our toll-free Customer Service number 1-888-528-9331 for the Internet Shopping Card or 1-877-451-8043 for the Gift Card.

9. What do you mean when you say the Card is private?

A: Your Card is private in the sense that no personally identifiable data is retained by American Express or by 7-Eleven from the use of this Card. However, when you place an order on the Internet, you will be asked to provide information to the Internet merchant. You should check the Internet merchant's privacy policy to know whether they retain or use your personal information.

10. I used the Card on a Web site and the site accepted my order even though I didn't have enough money on the Card. Am I going to get the merchandise?

A: No. Many sites will accept your order under the assumption that payment will be valid. When it is determined that your Card does not have enough funds on it, the order will be held to give you another chance to pay. You can add more funds to your Card and make payment again. The Web merchant may not send an e-mail informing you that your order has been held so you may have to go into their order tracking system to determine the status. Order tracking should be easily found on their main page.

11. What should I use as the billing address when using the Card on a Web site?

A: Internet sites primarily use the billing address to verify your identity. However, while your name and address are not associated with the Card, when asked for a "billing address," we suggest you use your home address.

12. What is the 4-digit number next to my 15-digit Card number?

A: Some merchants require the processing of this 4-digit number at the time of sale. This extra number provides additional security when using the Card.

13. Can I get cash back on the Card?

A: No. The Card is not redeemable for cash.

14. If I use the Card at 7-Eleven, can I also pay at the pump?

A: If you pay at the pump, 7-Eleven does not know how much fuel you intend to purchase, so it gets an authorization for an amount that should safely cover the purchase and then allows you to begin fueling. The pump will authorize your Card for $50 and "freeze" the entire $50 until the store gets the actual charge to American Express (about 3-5 days). At that time, the difference between actual purchase and the frozen amount is released. For this reason, you must have at least $50 loaded on your Card to pay at the pump. You are never charged for more than you bought. We suggest you always pay for gas with other purchases inside the 7-Eleven store, as the store knows the amount of the purchase and authorizes payment for the exact amount. By paying for fuel inside the store, no funds will be made temporarily unavailable.

15. Can I use the Card to buy air travel over the Internet?

A: Yes, provided there are sufficient funds loaded on the Card to cover the full cost of the purchase.

16. Can I use the Card to reserve hotel rooms and car rentals?

A: Yes, you should be able to reserve cars and hotels at travel sites such as Travelocity.com. However, you will need a valid personal credit card when you actually check in. Hotels and car rental companies often authorize an amount greater than the "up-front" cost of the services (# days times the rate per day) to allow for taxes or because you might stay longer or use room service. That authorization freezes funds on your Card for a few days and would therefore create an inconvenience. For car rentals, some car rental companies require that customers have a credit card to rent a car, so you should also bring a credit card with you.

17. What do you mean when you say "Cards must be pre-loaded with sufficient funds prior to use"?

A: We mean that in order to make a purchase with the Card, you must have already loaded enough funds onto the Card to pay for that purchase - including additional costs like tax or shipping and handling (if applicable). You can only buy a good or service up to the value you have already loaded on the Card. For example, to buy a $350 airline ticket, you must have preloaded $350 (plus any applicable taxes) for the transaction to be approved. When shopping online, you cannot split payment by using the Card in combination with another credit card.

18. What is the $1.50 servicing fee?

A: If you do not have any activity on your Card for 12 consecutive months, a $1.50 per month charge will be incurred. This $1.50 will be debited from the funds on your Card each month until activity resumes on the Card or until the value of the Card is depleted. This fee helps pay for the maintenance costs arising out of your Card. If you use your Card regularly, you will not need to worry about this.

19. Does the Card affect or have any connection to my American Express® Card accounts?

A: No. Both the 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card and the Gift Card are completely independent of any American Express account you may have.



Frequently Asked Questions specific to the 7-Eleven® Internet Shopping Card

1. Can I have more than one Internet Shopping Card?

A: It is not recommended to have more than one Card because you must have enough funds on one Card to make your purchase. For example, if a merchant does not offer split transactions, having four $25 Cards will not allow you to make a $100 purchase. To avoid these problems, we suggest you reload value onto one Card, rather than having multiple Cards. Also, if you return merchandise to a Web merchant, it may be difficult to determine which Card was credited with the funds.

2. How do I find out more information about the 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card?

A: You can visit our Web site at [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] or call toll free 1-888-528-9331.

3. Why did you develop the 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card?

A: The Card is perfect for shoppers who prefer to pay in cash or do not use credit cards. The 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card offers the best of both worlds - the convenience of a credit card that spends like cash. The 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card also provides a payment alternative for others who may not have access to credit cards but would like to shop online.

4. How does the Internet Shopping Card work?

A: Ask the sales associate at the 7-Eleven counter for a 7-Eleven Internet Shopping Card in a value large enough to make your purchase. Cards can be loaded with any whole dollar amount from $25 up to $1,000. When shopping online, choose American Express for payment and enter the 15-digit Card number. When asked for an expiration date, enter the current month and year.

5. I thought the Internet Shopping Card could be used privately.

A: The Card allows you to shop without having a card account with American Express, and since neither American Express nor 7-Eleven records personally identifiable data about you, this Card provides a high measure of privacy. However, retail merchants will normally request additional information from you in order to fulfill your order and avoid fraud. Merchants have a legitimate interest to protect themselves from fraud and to verify the information you provide. Always check the merchant's own privacy policy on their Web site to learn how they will retain or use any personal data.