Bookseller Tools
 
 
 
Home > Business Solutions > Givex Gift Cards >
ABA Gift Card Program Frequently Asked Questions

Please check back on a regular basis for updates. 

 

General Questions

Q: Did the ABA Gift Card program end?
Q: On what date did the ABA gift card national program transition to a Givex in-store program?
Q: How will the program change after June 1, 2010 if I stay with Givex?
Q: How much will the Givex in-store program cost?
Q: Will increment (adding value to an already active gift card) be available after June 1, 2010 if I stay with Givex?
Q: I process through Webpos.givex.com. What will change?
Q: I process through an integrated POS (Anthology, Booklog, Computac/Square One/[i]Merchant, IBID, Wordstock) and I want to stay with Givex. What will change in terms of processing?
Q: I process through a Givex stand-alone terminal (Elite, Entouch, Omni) and I want to stay with Givex. What will change in terms of processing?
Q: I want to use my Givex cards with another processor. How do I make those arrangements?
Q: If I want to switch to another gift card processor, will IndieCommerce still be able to process gift cards via the shopping cart?
Q: How can I transfer my gift card balances to a paper gift certificate program?
Q: Why do I have to change my password on Givex’s http://portal.givex.com administrative website every 90-days?
Q: Why do I get automatically signed out of http://portal.givex.com?
Q: Why do I need to sign an agreement with Givex to use cards I’ve already bought through ABA?
Q: What are my other gift card options?

Customer Service Questions

Q: I can't process transactions. What should I do? (updated 5/30/10)
Q: Is a sticker template available for covering the current wording on the back of ABA Gift Cards?
Q: What do I tell my customers who come in with a gift card from another store? (updated 5/15/10)
Q: Where can I find information about my state's unclaimed property funds and other gift card laws?

For more information:

Q: Who should I contact if I have further questions?

Answers

Q: Did the ABA Gift Card program end?
A: No, it just became an in-store program. ABA took itself out of the management of the program in order to move from a national program to an in-store program. Givex (ABA Gift Card program partner) is still going to process real-time transactions; offer a variety of reports, 24-hour customer service, and card and holder designs.

Q: On what date did the ABA gift card national program transition to a Givex in-store program?
A: June 1, 2010. Booksellers wishing to stay with Givex will be asked to sign an agreement. Fax the completed agreement to Givex Givex at 1-416-981-3990. Please direct your questions to ABA's Jill Perlstein.

Q: How will the program change after June 1, 2010 if I stay with Givex?
A: Very little will change in terms of how you process your transactions, run reports, and get customer service. Pricing for cards, transaction fees, and holders will be comparable to current pricing, minus the $20 monthly fee. After June 1, 2010 cards will only be valid in the selling store (or group of multi-location stores) and via participating store’s IndieCommerce websites.

Q: How much will the Givex in-store program cost?
A: Please refer Givex's USA Merchant Agreement for details. If you plan to stay with Givex after June 1, 2010 (even if only to redeem cards), you will be required to sign this agreement. Fax the completed agreement to Givex at 1-416-981-3990. Please direct your questions to ABA's Jill Perlstein or Linda Ford.


Q: Will increment (adding value to an already active gift card) be available after June 1, 2010 if I stay with Givex?
A: Yes. However, stores that use their Givex cards, but switch to a different program will have to check with their gift card transaction processor to confirm if they offer a similar service.

Q: I process through webpos.givex.com. What will change?
A: The look of the website will be Givex branded rather than ABA branded. IDs and passwords did not change.

Q: I process through an integrated POS (Anthology, Booklog, Computac/Square One/[i]Merchant, IBID, Wordstock) and I want to stay with Givex. What will change in terms of processing?
A: Nothing. IDs and passwords did not change. If you use Anthology's integrated module with PC Charge, please contact Anthology's Jim Bean, jim@anthology.com, (800) 392-1726.

Q: I process through a Givex stand-alone terminal (Elite, Entouch, Omni) and I want to stay with Givex. What will change in terms of processing?
A: Nothing. IDs and passwords did not change.

Q: I want to use my Givex cards with another processor. How do I make those arrangements?
A: After June 1, 2010, Givex will be able to provide a file of card numbers and current balances to the other processor. A script is written that allows the new processor to read the card number and the current balance. The card will no longer work through Givex. ABA will assist with this process.  Please email Jill Perlstein if you require this service.

Q: If I want to switch to another gift card processor, will IndieCommerce still be able to process gift cards as a form of payment via the shopping cart?
A: No. IndieCommerce will only be able to process Givex cards processed by Givex via the shopping cart. At some point, if enough booksellers switch to another processor, IndieCommerce may be able to do the necessary development to support more than one gift card processor.

Q: How can I transfer my gift card balances to a paper gift certificate program?
A: As long as you stay active with Givex, you can adjust the card to zero via http://portal.givex.com and transfer the balance to a paper certificate.

Q: Why do I have to change my password on Givex’s http://portal.givex.com administrative website every 90-days?
A: The portal is your frontline to gift card program security. Gift cards are like cash and it’s important that IDs and passwords be kept secure to protect from fraud and theft. This security step was taken to ensure that access is more secure.

Q: Why do I get automatically signed out of http://portal.givex.com?
A: In response to new PCI compliance requirements, after 15 minutes of inactivity on the Portal website, the system will automatically log the user out. This security step was taken to ensure that access is more secure.

Q: Why do I need to sign an agreement with Givex to use cards I’ve already bought through ABA?
A: The agreement that was previously signed is with both ABA and Givex and will not be transferable to an in-store program even though booksellers have paid up front for certain services. The 50-cent per card transaction (or service) fee that you paid upfront when purchasing cards, covers the initial activation, and all redemptions and balance checks for the life of the card. It also covers customer service, reporting, and transaction processing. The only other transaction fee that is charged is 25 cents for increment (adding value to an already active card). Increment is currently billed quarterly as used by the bookseller. The new agreement will guarantee certain pricing as well as give Givex the ability to charge for increments and new card orders. Even if you never increment or buy another card, in order to continue to process transactions through Givex, you will need to sign an agreement.

Q: What are my other gift card options?
A: Besides Givex, you can consider POS gift card programs, as well as other stand-alone programs. Contact the POS vendors listed below (who are already integrated with Givex) for more information about their in-store programs. In all cases, dual programs can be run and/or Givex cards can be transferred to the new processor.

POS Contacts

Stand Alone Gift Card Program:  PLI Gift & Loyalty (formerly PlastiCard Plus)

Q: I can't process transactions. What should I do?
A:  Troubleshooting tips:

  • If you stayed with Givex and cannot increment cards it is likely that you still need to sign the Givex USA Merchant agreement and return via fax to 1-416-981-3990 today.
  • If you stayed with Givex and cannot activate a card, it is likley that the card was not uploaded into Givex's database. Prior to June 1, all Givex numbers belonged to ABA. Any cards that had been activated prior to June 1 were automatically assisgned to the issuing store, but cards that remain inactive as of June 1 technically still belong to ABA. We need to reassign those numbers. Please see this how-to sheet for more information and email aba@givex.com as soon as possible.
  • If you stayed with Givex and, if at any time your store encounters technical problems using the Givex websites (Portal or WebPOS), contact Givex technical support 24/7 at (800) 962-4935. You will need your Portal User ID (store name and ABA member ID number). You can also email clientservices@givex.com.
  • If you are using an integrated system such as Anthology, Booklog, Computac/Square One/[i]Merchant, IBID, or WordStock to process your gift cards, you will need to contact the appropriate tech department.
  • All bookstores that stayed with Givex have access to the IVR (telephone backup system) for use when their primary processing method is not available. Please click here for more information.
  • Booksellers in need of an ID and/or password should contact Givex technical support 24/7 at (800) 962-4935 or email  clientservices@givex.com. If the Portal password is lost or forgotten, a new system-generated, temporary password will be provided via e-mail to the program contact's e-mail address on file. The temporary password must be changed in order to gain access. Look for the "Forgot your password?" link on the Portal site in these instances.

Q: Is a sticker template available for covering the current wording on the back of ABA Gift Cards?
A: Yes, a template and instructions can be found at this link.

Q: What do I tell my customers who come in with a gift card from another store?
A: You can do a balance check on givex.com to see confirm the issuing bookstore or call 1-888-266-5736. Please suggest that the customer contact the issuing bookstore, or if the bookstore is out of business, they can mail the card to ABA for reimbursement. We've created a sign and a reimbursement form to help with this service.

Q: Where can I find information about my state's unclaimed property funds and other gift card laws?
A: The National Conference of State Legislatures is an organization serving state legislators and their staff. Please note the summaries should be used for general informational purposes and not as a legal reference. NCSL is unable to provide guidance to citizens or businesses regarding gift cards and gift certificate laws and practices. If you have questions regarding issuing or redeeming a gift card or gift certificate or a retailer's practices, please contact the Office of the Attorney General in your state.

Q: Who should I contact if I have further questions?
A: If you have any further questions that are not covered in this document, please feel free to contact Jill Perlstein or Linda Ford for more information. Jill can be reached at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6642, or via email at jill@bookweb.org. Linda can be reached at (800) 637-0037, ext. 6644, or via email at lindaf@bookweb.org.