Louis Berney

As the maples turn red and gold and the air picks up a little snap, banks are readying their inventory of gift cards. The holiday season is by far the busiest time of the year for the sale of branded, open-loop cards.

Product popularity can be a good thing financially. Unfortunately, when there is money to be made, expect crooks to be lurking nearby.

The open-loop gift card industry is galloping into all kinds of new territory. In fact, banks and third-party marketers are using a variety of promotions to help hasten card sales.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. That is the mantra being chanted today by members of the terminal leasing and financing communities, as well as some independent sales organizations, as they ponder how to combat the latest challenge to their business: the giving away of "free" terminals to merchants.

But Will it Blossom Into the Leading Form of Debit?

The business of collecting delinquent payments from credit card users has become a highly sophisticated and technology-driven enterprise. Indeed, advanced analytical tools, computer models and software programs that are available can cut labor costs and increase payments.