7-ELEVEN SELLS LONG-DISTANCE CALLING CARDS
By Adnews Staff
7-Eleven has become a long distance discounter. The convenience store chain has started selling its own brand of prepaid long-distance phone card which carries up to 50% savings on long-distance calls to more than 200 countries. This is just one more in a line of items 7-Eleven is continually adding to keep customers coming back, says marketing product manager James Martin. The charge is 50 to 60 cents per minute from anywhere in Canada or the U.S., and cards can be purchased in 15, 30 and 60-minute increments. Users dial a 1-800 number, then enter a personal identification number and the number they're calling. They are told the number of minutes available and the call is connected. Radio and point-of-sale advertising for the cards will begin in September. It is being created by 7-Eleven Canada's ad agency, Bryant, Fulton & Shee of Vancouver. The convenience store chain is owned by Southland Corporation which has 14,000 7-Eleven stores around the world.