Franchises: Facilitate the clearing of gift cards and prepaid cards

With CentralPay, independent retailers and franchisees can automate the prepaid management of the values exchanged within their network (gift cards, etc.) and meet the legal requirements of European regulators.

solution de paiement : transaction sur un TPE physique par carte bancaire dans un magasin
Issues

Regulate and automate prepaid value exchanges

Unlike 100% branch networks, independent or franchised networks cannot consider prepaid values (e.g. gift cards) as stored sales in the form of customer credit note.

A customer doesn’t buy a gift card, he exchanges a currency value (e.g. EUROS) for an equivalent value accepted only in a defined network of participants.

To market a gift card that can be used throughout the network of independents, chains must submit an annual application for exemption to the ACPR, or delegate responsibility to an approved Electronic Money Establishment.

Impacts

To comply with European regulations, independent networks issuing prepaid values must:
  • Isolate sales of prepaid media
  • Manage prepaid value exchanges between network entities and customers
  • Ensure traceability and reporting of these exchanges
The processing of these transactions has a direct impact on the accounting departments of each network entity, and places a perpetual burden on the brand to maintain compliance.
schéma du système d'échange de valeurs prépayées (cartes cadeaux) dans un réseaux retail
Solution

One account for each member entity and each prepaid support

Find out how CentralPay meets your challenges

picto symbolisant la gestion des valeurs prépayées

Prepaid value management

Each member of the network and each prepaid media is associated with a CentralPay electronic money account. When these supports are purchased or used in your network, CentralPay’s Easy Wallet solution ensures :

  • Automatic entity compensation
  • Real-time traceability of operations
  • Equalization of charges between issuer and beneficiary
Discover the e-money account  >
picto symbolisant la mise en conformité UE

European compliance

CentralPay ensures the legal and technical compliance of the system with the ACPR by issuing the countervalue of your prepaid in electronic money.

Brands also benefit from the European passport, enabling them to extend their prepaid program to all franchisees, even those in other European countries.

Discover the CentralPay payment institution  >
picto symbolisant l'intégration à la solution caisse

Integration with your cash register or gift card solution

The CentralPay platform can be fully integrated via API, enabling cash register or gift card solutions to easily manage operations, whatever the sales channel used.

For example, your customers can buy prepaid media in one store, use part of it in another and then use the remaining funds on your website.

Discover the Easy Wallet solution  >

Frequently asked questions

All about CentralPay prepaid and gift card clearing solution

The brands concerned are those issuing prepaid values (gift cards or other cards) accepted by separate legal entities:

  • Franchisee or affiliate networks
  • Freelance networks
  • Hybrid / mixed networks

If the network is national and mono-brand / mono-product, a request for exemption may be submitted to the ACPR.

If the network is international or national and multi-brand / multi-product, an Electronic Money Establishment distribution contract is required.

Only integrated or 100% branch networks are not concerned.