Tefisto Partners Offers Chain Store Retailers Free Consultation and Calculation of Sales and Gross Profit Potential with Prepaid Telecommunications, Prepaid Debit, Third Party Gift Cards, Check Cashing and Walk-Up Bill Payment

Firm Enables Chain Store Retailers to Satisfy Needs of the Unbanked Market with Stored Value and Fringe Banking Offerings

(PRWEB) October 11, 2004 -- Tefisto Partners, a consulting practice founded by former Circle K Convenience Store executives, is calling attention today to the opportunity presented to chain store retailers within the Prepaid Telecommunications, Fringe Banking and Stored Value space.

Chain store merchants are sitting on a significant new opportunity, focused on servicing the needs of the 'Unbanked market", according to Keith Brand, President of Tefisto Partners. This population pays their bills, cashes their paychecks and consumes products and services utilizing non-traditional means, and will now seek out convenient locations in which to perform these transactions."

We believe chain store retailers will become 'banks for the unbanked, where consumers can 'self-bank by performing a myriad of financially-oriented, easy to execute, point-of-sale driven transactions while picking up a loaf of bread or filling their tank" continued Mr. Brand. Tefisto Partners enables our retail partners to fast-track their time to market in this space, utilizing our expertise and supplier contacts, in order to meet the needs of the Unbanked customer".

Tefisto Partners now offers chain store retailers a free initial consultation and calculation of their sales and gross profit opportunity" continued Mr. Brand. Our model takes into account average store traffic per day, number of locations, and customer demographics, in order to compute the sales and gross profit potential of each individual offer within the Prepaid Telecom, Financial Service and Stored Value subcategories."

The experience, contacts, expertise and business processes we accumulated while managing these categories for Circle K Stores can now serve as an extremely valuable launching pad for any chain store retailer interested in winning with this customer base" concluded Mr. Brand. We believe shared vision, combined with the will to win, will enable our partners to experience significant sales and gross profit performance, change how their stores are used and perceived, and best satisfy the needs of their customers."

Offerings chain store retailers should be aggressively pursuing include:

•    PREPAID WIRELESS: This market has exploded from $4.5 Billion in 2000 to over $23 Billion in 2004 -- driven by youth, minorities and unbanked" customers. Chain store retailers should be seeing $4,000 - $5,000 average sales per store per month based on 1,000 customers per day traffic count, and large chain store retailers could see a 30% improvement in Gross Profit by going direct versus utilizing a distributor.

•    PREPAID DEBIT CARDS: Currently a $600 Million market, expected to grow to over $5 Billion by 2007. Chain store retailers should be issuing a branded card, and offering universal refill similar to the Prepaid Wireless model.

•    THIRD PARTY GIFT CARDS: A $50 Billion market, growing to $100 Billion market by 2007, are so popular that issuing merchants are paying chain store retailers significant commissions to sell their cards in their stores.

•    PAYROLL CHECK CASHING: This $60 Billion industry is now available to chain store retailers utilizing a simple Point-of-Sale solution. Check cashing is a safe, efficient and profitable addition to a retailers money order, money transfer and ATM financial services solution, driving significant new store traffic, increased in-store sales and incremental transaction commissions.

•    WALK-UP BILL PAYMENT: Done regularly by 20% of American households, can now be delivered with a simple Point-of-Sale solution, driving significant new store traffic and revenue for chain store retailers.

For additional information on Tefisto Partners, contact 602.750.8055. Interested parties should also visit www.tefistopartners.com.

About Tefisto Partners:

Tefisto Partners, based in Tempe, Arizona, is a consulting / outsourced category management practice made up of retail industry veterans who specialize in product development, marketing communications and supply chain management within the Prepaid Telecom / Financial Services / Stored Value space. Tefisto Partners works with large chain store retailers to bring new electronically delivered products and services to market, and maximizes retailer profitability by streamlining the supply chain and product delivery, while ensuring products and services are effectively marketed inside and outside the store.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Keith Brand

President

Tefisto Partners, Inc.

602.750.8055

http://www.tefistopartners.com

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