Check out the product information and customer testimonial for our RFID Washpass product. We have been in testing and develpment for over a year and are now very happy with the end result.

Check out our new product page and video!

You want to have a chance to talk in a relaxed atmosphere with WashCard marketing experts and successful operators using WashCard? You have GOT to make it out to the Savannah Road Show put on by the folks at SECWA.

Meet Robert Greene of Carwash Express who uses the WashCard RFID program, credit card in the bay, and loyalty card program. Ryan Carlson, Director of Marketing will also be there to answer any questions and dishing out free good marketing ideas you can immediately put to use at your wash.

Visit the SECWA website for details!

The 5th generation laundry terminal is now shipping across the country!

The primary change to the full production version of the hardware is the elimination of the single red button and it is now replaced with a heavy-duty membrain switch decal with 'Back', 'Next', and a 'Cancel' button.

All current and future orders will be filled with the latest wireless reader terminal.

Hardware is available and currently IN STOCK - so place your orders today and inquire about our "First Guy on the Block" promotion - if your state does not have a coin laundromat with the WashCard system in it or on order yet you could qualify for a manufacturer incentive program!

We have a limited number of free passes for the Southwest Carwash Association Expo that will be in Arlington Texas, February 21-22. Visi www.swcarwash.org for more details about the convention.

These passes will get you into the expo hall for free and we will be mailing these out on a first come first serve basis.

Email ryan@washcard.com about availability of passes.

See you at the show!

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

BY APARAJITA SAHA-BUBNA

Credit cards are so 2006. Today the fast-growing way for consumers to pay is the prepaid card.

This kind of plastic, traditionally a bastion of gift cards, is also being used by federal and state governments to pay out benefits, and by companies to pay their employees.

Use of prepaid cards has also risen with the economic slump, as budget-conscious consumers shun debt. Companies including MasterCard Inc., Visa Inc., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Discover Financial Services Inc. and American Express Co., are plowing millions in investments into this area.

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Ryan Carlson (WashCard Systems):

This is a trend that we have been tracking for close to 22 months now and both laundromats and car washes with our solution have seen a huge rise in the use of the prepaid cards that spend money JUST like a credit card, but they are instead prepaid. The wild thing is that it is lower-income demographics that carry these cards since it is the only way to make online purchases, pay for many services these days, and secure prepaid phone minutes over the telephone without making a trip into a special store.

Now that more people that are not credit worthy are being turned away from getting a traditional credit card it should be no surprise that prepaid cards are on the rise. Why? Because our society is becoming GEARED to appeal to card-carrying consumers and a little credit crunch won't be slowing things down.

I was in line at a popular sub-sandwich chain the other day at the mall while doing my holiday shopping and there was two lines. I chose the shortest line that was 12 people deep, the other line had 17 people. The line with 17 people PLUS an additional 3 people got their orders processed before me because they ALL paid with credit cards. My line of 12 people was slowed up by TWO cash-paying customers. Is it any wonder why businesses want to promote payment by card? Faster through-put. Whether you are in the business of turning loads of laundry, washing cars, or selling sandwiches it's all about throughput and maximizing dollar per ticket. Would it also surprise you that of the 22 customers that paid by credit card 19 of them bought the full "meal" with chips and a drink, whereas the two cash paying customers only got the sandwich...