ANKEY, Iowa – Casey’s General Stores has partnered with Blackhawk Network Holdings to offer Amazon Cash to its shoppers who don’t have a bank account or prefer not to use debit or credit cards for purchases. Leveraging Blackhawk’s technology, Casey’s General Stores rolled out Amazon Cash across the Midwest on January 1.
“We are thrilled to offer our customers the added convenience of Amazon Cash at Casey’s General Stores, which we anticipate will drive additional foot traffic in our retail locations around the country,” said Bill Walljasper, senior vice president and CFO of Casey’s General Stores, in a press release. “By partnering with Blackhawk, we are able to bring Amazon Cash to our stores and continue to be a one-stop shop for our diverse group of customers, including cash-based shoppers.”
Amazon Cash allows consumers to load between $15 and $500 in cash to their Amazon balance without fees by simply presenting a personalized Amazon barcode to a cashier at a participating retailer, along with the money they wish to load. The amount is then applied to the customer’s existing Amazon account and available to use for online shopping of eligible products and digital content on Amazon.com.
David Tate, senior vice president of Blackhawk, added, “We are excited about the first Amazon Cash launch with Casey’s General Stores. The integration of Amazon Cash into our network gives us new growth opportunities for our technology, and expands financial inclusion for unbanked or cash customers. According to a 2015 report by the FDIC1, the unbanked or under-banked customer accounts for about 27% of consumers.”
Meanwhile, Casey’s is considering a $2 billion acquisition of Kroger’s c-store chain, which includes Kwik Shop, Tom Thumb and Turkey Hill stores, Pymnts.com reports. Investors recently requested Casey’s explore alternatives, such as selling, which it appears Casey’s is countering with a potential acquisition. Last fall, Kroger indicated it was looking for strategic solutions to its close to 800 c-store locations.