Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs
MEDIA ADVISORY: 09-063 October 20, 2009
AAFES Gift Cards Go Worldwide Through the Exchange Online Store
DALLAS – According to a recently released “2009 Gift Card Trend Report,” “gift cards are still the gift of choice among consumers.”
And while the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s gift card’s affordability and value have attracted a large following inside, and outside, the military community, the BX/PX card’s flexibility, up until now, has been limited due to an inability to be redeemed online.
“AAFES is a global retailer with facilities in more than 30 countries, five U.S. territories and all 50 states,” said AAFES’ Senior Enlisted Advisor Chief Jeffry Helm. “While our reach is wide, the command’s unique customer base means that a gift card recipient may not be within driving distance of an exchange. Allowing AAFES gift cards to be redeemed online was a priority for our leadership because it opens up a world of tax-free shopping options from any internet-connected location.”
After months of testing and years of planning, the Exchange Online Store at
www.aafes.com,
www.usmc-mccs.org and
www.navy-nex.com began accepting AAFES gift cards at the end of Sept. Online redemption requires users to simply enter the AAFES gift card number as it appears on the back of the card and a unique pin code (also on the card).
From there, AAFES gift cards, ranging in values from $10 to $500, can be addressed to a specific Soldier, Airman, Sailor or Marine or sent to “any servicemember” through the American Red Cross, Fisher House Foundation, USO, Soldier and Family Assistance Center, Air Force Aid Society or Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
The added flexibility to accept gift cards at the Exchange Online Store is just one of many upgrades to the ever-evolving site that serves as a gateway to more than 18 million products. In addition to gift card acceptance, the Exchange Online Store has also unveiled a “review” function that allows customers to directly provide feedback concerning their purchases to fellow military shoppers.
“The ‘review’ function at the Exchange Online Store continues a nearly 115-year tradition of coming together at the BX/PX,” said Helm. “Now, instead of going to the exchange to hear what their fellow servicemembers think about this year’s new televisions, they can simply log on and read all about it from the comfort of home, their hooch or even the airport as they wait for their next flight.”
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The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) is a joint command of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and is directed by a Board of Directors who is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. AAFES has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with articles of merchandise and services and of generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs. To find out more about AAFES' history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our Web site at http://www.aafes.com/pa/default.asp.
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