News

Vcom kiosks add e-shopping functionality

December 11, 2003

DALLAS -  7-Eleven recently added online shopping functionality to most of its 1,000 Vcom kiosks, according to a report in the Dallas Morning News.

Using a touch-screen menu, customers can order flowers, books, video games or a round of golf from e-retailers linked to the kiosk. "It's a shopping mall in a box," said Brady Giddens, 7-Eleven's managing director for the company's Vcom division.

Retailers participating in 7-Eleven's online retailing initiative include: 1-800-flowers.com; eBags.com; freejewelry.biz; TopWeb Buys.com, which sells books and video games; U.S. Health Services, a health products company; and Universal Tickets Inc., which sells golf outing packages.

"We are contacting many more retailers, and we will be expanding with well-known brands into next year," Giddens told the Morning News.

According to an earlier report on Internetretailer.com, 1-800-Flowers.com trialed flower sales through Vcoms last spring, apparently the first e-commerce shopping application to be offered through 7-Eleven's partnership with Cyphermint Inc.

Cyphermint is responsible for recruiting online retail partners, and its proprietary technology allows users to pay for their online orders with cash. The cash acceptance is an important feature, as the kiosks are designed to serve customers who may not have credit cards or don't use banks.

Customers can pay for the goods they order online with either credit cards or cash. The kiosks accept up to 30 bills at once and give exact change. Customers pay a $1 service fee for each shopping transaction.

The goods are shipped from the retailers to customers' homes. Some merchants offer next-day shipping or free shipping, while regular shipping will take three to five business days via UPS ground or U.S. Postal Service.

7-Eleven has been developing its click-and-mortar strategy for some time. In 2000, the retailer said it planned to let customers make online orders from home or from its stores and pick up the packages at a store later, but that service didn't get off the ground.

In June, 7-Eleven completed a rollout of 1,000 Vcom kiosks in 25 markets covering 11 states and Washington, D.C. -- including 46 located in Dallas-Fort Worth.

In addition to e-shopping, Vcom customers can conduct ATM transactions, cash checks and purchase Western Union money orders and conduct money transfers. Verizon customers can view and pay their residential phone bills, order calling features and request repair service through the kiosk.

7-Eleven plans to add bill payment services provided by e-Money Systems and vehicle insurance coverage through Public Access Insurance to Vcom.