Phoenix Theatres Installs First Customized Gift Card Kiosk

Phoenix Theatres at Laurel Park Place in Livonia has installed the first customized gift card kiosk in Michigan, where users can create individualized gifts for the holidays or any occasion.

Options that make the kiosk unique, compared to pre-printed consumer cards, are the users' ability to choose from a large variety of backgrounds (holiday, special occasions, photos, etc.), plus print any personal messages they want on the front of the card via a kiosk monitor keyboard, and select any dollar amount.

The new kiosk has been installed in the public area of Laurel Park Place Mall between the two interior entrances for Von Maur.

"Gift cards have become very useful and easy for people with a lot of shopping to do," said Cory Jacobson, president of Phoenix Theatres. "But until now, while the idea of gift cards has become more commonplace, the types of cards to select from have been pre-processed and often times fixed-price, which causes many limitations. This new option not only provides a fun and unique gift of going to the movies, but the kiosk gives the chance for a more personalized way of giving -- especially for those who might not have ever purchased them because they think gift cards are not very personal."

The card has a magnetic strip on the back that allows for reloading more credit to the gift card at the kiosk or the Phoenix Theatres concessions counter anytime.

The kiosk vendor is iTranaq out of Cambridge, Mass., which in the near future hopes to add backgrounds that would match artwork from upcoming movie releases. iTranaq has placed about three dozen such units across the country. This is the first in Michigan.

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