OREANDA-NEWS. October 14, 2010. Starting from August this year in the fashion and entertainment centre Riga Plaza you can purchase unprecedented shopping centre gift cards which have been produced in co-operation with Visa International and card issuer A/S Latvijas Krajbanka. They are unique because they are the first gift cards in the Baltic States which at the same time are international VISA payment cards, reported the press-centre of Latvijas Krajbanka.  

The co-operation with VISA grants several advantages to gift cards which were not available for buyers by purchasing a local electronic gift card. Firstly, a buyer can choose any amount which he or she would like to gift – starting from LVL 10 up to the maximum amount LVL 350. Secondly, the presence of VISA provides additional security for payments – the lost or stolen cards can be blocked and afterwards their operation may be renewed.

In addition to the previously mentioned advantages the owner of the shopping centres has additional benefits. Although gift cards are international payment cards, the owner of the shopping centres may determine without restriction those shops which POS terminals may accept such gift cards. It means that the owner of the shopping centres who has chains of centres in several cities or countries may establish a gift card of one brand for all trade outlets of such centres which are equipped with POS terminals.

More information provides Manager of Payment Cards Department of Latvijas Krajbankas Ludmila Berzina:

“We are satisfied regarding the work done and that at last electronic gift cards with new possibilities are available also in Latvia which significantly changes and broadens the application types of such cards. Already now we can see the potential directions of the development of these cards. In the future the cards of such type can be used also in other countries and regions where the centres of a particular retail  group are represented, thus broadening the range of shops available for consumers – eliminating the frontiers between the countries and allowing a customer to be free in his or her choice.”

Regional manager in the Baltic states of SIA EMCM Baltic (Euro Mall Centre Management) Santa Rozenkopfa is also satisfied with the work done:

“It was possible to buy a local gift card in a shopping centre or shop already some time ago. However a card having all advantages of international payment card is a novelty for all participants of the sector – buyers, banks, as well as owners and managers of the shopping centres. We are considering introducing a similar project in the shopping and entertainment centre Babilonas I in Panevezys, which is managed by EMCM since December 2009.”

The Head of Fashion and Entertainment Centre Riga Plaza Iveta Priedite tells more about surprises expected from VISA:

“We and VISA would like to thank buyers which trust us and buy new gift cards. Starting from 1 October and until 14 January next year in the Fashion and Entertainment Centre Riga Plaza a special campaign will take place for those who have purchased Riga Plaza gift card or have paid for goods with this card in the shopping centre. A buyer or user of a gift card will have a possibility not only to gift a card or pay for goods but also to win. Every day you can win tickets to cinema and bowling games (altogether 210 cinema tickets and 105 bowling games for 4 persons will be raffled), each week and month – additional gift cards (altogether 54 gift cards of the value from LVL 20 to LVL 50), but in the beginning of 2011 the top prize will be raffled – a tour to Venice Carnival for two persons. More information about this campaign and tour, please, read on our homepage – www.rigaplaza.lv”.

Gift cards may be purchased at the information centre of Riga Plaza every day from 10:00 to 21:00 (on Sundays – to 20:00). Maximum amount of one gift card is LVL 350. The balance of a card can be checked free of charge at any ATM of Latvijas Krajbanka, at the information centre of Riga Plaza or on homepage of Riga Plaza – www.rigaplaza.lv by entering a 16 digit gift card number. Taking into account the possibility to use a card for several times, namely, non-limited number of times, a card can be used every day, for example, for paying for food or cinema tickets, or for shopping in any of 130 shops  in the shopping centre Riga Plaza.