Thorntons Launches eGift Cards on Website, Facebook

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Thorntons Inc. has signed a deal with Transaction Wireless, a provider of virtual mobile and gift card services, to create a turnkey store on Thorntons website at and Facebook page.

Thorntons will offer a variety of gift card services from traditional plastic to mobile. The chain's gift card store for Facebook Platform will enable social gifting through both virtual and traditional plastic cards through clients' Facebook pages, giving access to Facebook's more than 500 million active users with virtually no ramp up time or dedicated resources.

The program will be launched through a relationship with Fifth Third Processing Solutions, a provider of secure electronic payments and credit, debit and gift card processing services

Both the digital gifting and social gifting services allow consumers to purchase gift cards, create customizable messages and send them instantly via mobile phone or through the recipient's Facebook page. A link for a secure virtual card is sent to an email address for printing options, as well. "Digital gifting has seen tremendous growth in the past few years with the adoption of virtual gift cards, and now mobile devices provide a ubiquitous platform for consumer gifting due to the ease of use, cost savings and security features which are ideally suited for stored value programs," said Bruce Springer, president and CEO of Transaction Wireless.

In other Thornton's news, on Oct. 8, the chain will sell e85 fuel for 85 cents per gallon at its newly remodeled store at 4154 Bardstown Road in Louisville from 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

"We are very excited about the expansion of E-85 fuel in our stores," said Matt Thornton, CEO of Thorntons. "We support the use of ethanol, wherever it is economically available."

Thorntons Inc. operates throughout the Midwest and ranks among Forbes's 500 largest privately held companies, with more than $1.4 billion in annual revenue. The chain operates 163 gasoline/convenience stores, one travel plaza and eight car washes. Thorntons also distributes their petroleum products through their wholly owned Thornton Transportation Company and operates a river bulk storage terminal in Louisville.