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Leverage Inc. announced today that consumers who buy gift cards redeemable for Costco Wholesale Corp. membership certificates through the Leverage Web site will receive coupon booklets with discounts and free products along with the gift card for membership. Irvine, Calif.-based Leverage offers consumers a Web site where they can buy and exchange prepaid gift cards, keep track of their participation in loyalty programs, and sign up for offers from retailers. To receive the Costco coupons consumers must buy a $50 gift card for membership, Leverage says. Mark Roberts, Leverage CEO, tells CardLine consumers receive the coupon books only if they buy the membership certificates online through Leverage's site. Jennifer Mathe, Leverage chief operating officer, tells CardLine retailers want to use sites such as the one Leverage offers to sell more gift cards to new customers and to take advantage of the growing gift card market. "If they want to continue to capitalize on that growing market, they are looking for ways to make that gift card more valuable for consumers," Mathe says of retailers. Adding coupon books accomplishes that, she says.
