Sunday, February 7, 2010

eBay and KBank Offer Joint Promotion to K-Web Shopping Card Holders

Buy & Sell Securely on eBay without Credit Cards, Top Five Sellers Will Win Blackberry Curve 8520


eBay and Kasikorn Bank (KBank) today announced a new feature to the K-Web Shopping Card, an Internet shopping card by KBank that will help facilitate buying and selling on eBay. As part of the launch, eBay and KBank are also offering K-Web Shopping Card holders exclusive incentives and a chance to win attractive gifts when they use the card on eBay.

The K-Web Shopping Card is a virtual card with a 16-digit card number, just like a regular credit card. Users can simply fill in their K-Web Shopping Card number, Card Verification Value (CVV) number and expiration date to pay for goods and services at online stores. As an added form of protection, users will also be able to set a spending limit of up to 100,000 Baht for the K-Web Shopping Card, depending on the funds available in their bank accounts. Interested individuals can apply for the card via K-Cyber Banking without having to submit additional documents.

“We are pleased to work with KBank, Thailand’s leading commercial bank, to provide Thai users with a payment solution that will enable them to trade more effectively on eBay. Thai eBay users are among the most active in cross border trade in Southeast Asia—buying from and selling to over 90 million active eBay members worldwide,” said Allis Ghim, Director at eBay, who oversees Southeast Asia and Japan.

“With the K-Web Shopping Card, Thai eBay users who do not own a credit card will still be able to perform various tasks on eBay such as registering their new eBay and PayPal accounts, verifying their eBay accounts for selling internationally, paying their selling fees or making payment for their online purchases,” she added.

During the promotional period, which lasts from now until May 31, 2010, the first 1,000 new eBay sellers who register with PayPal using a K-Web Shopping Card can receive rebates on eBay insertion fees and selected feature fees for their first 50 completed eBay listings. The first five participants who achieve the highest total sales amount (in US dollars) from selling on eligible eBay websites during the promotional period will stand a chance to win a new BlackBerry Curve 8520.

Additionally, KBank will be giving out exciting gifts to customers who spend either 8,000 Baht or 25,000 Baht with their K-Web Shopping Card on eBay.

To register for the promotion or find out more, please visit http://export.ebay.co.th/kbank/.
About eBay Inc.

Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) connects millions of buyers and sellers globally on a daily basis through eBay, the world's largest online marketplace, and PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to securely, easily and quickly send and receive online payments. We also reach millions through specialized marketplaces such as StubHub, the world's largest ticket marketplace, and eBay Classifieds sites, which together have a presence in more than 1,000 cities around the world. For more information about the company and our global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com.

Facebook users hacked with direct messages forwarding to suspicious site

Facebook users have reported receiving direct messages which includes a link to a suspicious website.


In what could be the first major Facebook security story of the year, users have reported receiving a message that encourages them to visit the ‘binsservicestore.info' website after a friend's recommendation.

According to DomainQuery, the website was created on 15th September 2009, last updated on 29th December 2009 and is due to expire on the 15th September this year. The sponsoring registrar is GoDaddy.com Inc and the administrator and registrant data provide contact details in India.

Rik Ferguson, senior security advisor at Trend Micro, said that binsservicesstore.info lands on a 'work from home scam page' that uses geo-ip to look like a local (to you) online newspaper.

Andy Thomas, commercial director of Garlik, warned at the end of December about a scam on Facebook where a user is offered a free £25 iTunes voucher. The scam, which came via an invitation and involves sending the group administrator a message with the user's name and email address, had around 464,000 respond.

Thomas said: “Some simple maths and logic says this is going to cost someone over £12 million. That is Hooveresque in promotional scale and we all remember what happened to them, the truth is this is a well timed scam that plays on people's trust of the iTunes brand and love of a bargain (it's called social engineering).

“The only gift members will get is a nasty surprise in an email (probably the one containing your iTunes ‘gift') or a permanent place on a phishing attack list sold, much like direct marketeers buy email or physical addresses. If you or a friend joined this list make sure they know what to expect over the next few days, weeks, months.”

Friday, February 5, 2010

Jetstar set to transform airport experience for customers via efficient self-service check-in model USD $3.5 billion deal

Jetstar set to transform airport experience for customers via efficient self-service check-in model USD $3.5 billion deal with International Aero Engines (IAE) signed


Low fares leader Jetstar will set about transforming the check-in experience for its Australian and New Zealand domestic customers during 2010 by unveiling a new approach towards the airport experience for customers with a target of 100 per cent customer self service.

The proposal builds upon existing customer self service technology now in place for Jetstar’s domestic passenger base including Web Check and Self Service Kiosks at some Airports.

This will be complemented by the introduction of world-first SMS Boarding Pass technology during the first 2010 quarter and automatic Web Check and pre-enrolment for flights at time of booking.

Jetstar Chief Executive Officer Bruce Buchanan announced the airline’s plans during an address to the Low Cost Airlines World Asia Pacific 2010 Conference in Singapore.

In a series of announcements the Pan Asian carrier also secured Agreements valued at up to USD $3.5 billion with the International Aero Engines (IAE) consortium to have the latest V2500 SelectOne™ engine power a new fleet of 50 additional Airbus A320 family aircraft for the Jetstar Group, with options and purchase rights on up to 40 more aircraft.

The major deal, one of the largest in Jetstar’s history, includes an Engine Purchase Agreement valued around USD $1.5 billion if all options and purchase rights are exercised to be distributed amongst the mainline Jetstar fleet based in Australia and New Zealand, as well as with Jetstar Asia/Valuair of Singapore and Jetstar Pacific, based in Vietnam,.

A long-term USD $2 billion Aftermarket Services Agreement will cover these new engines and those installed on 40 IAE-powered aircraft that the Jetstar businesses currently operate.

Mr Buchanan said over the term of the Agreements significant savings would be generated and solidified a long term strategic commercial relationship with IAE to help support Jetstar’s continued growth, including its Pan Asian network plans.

“The Agreements reflect Jetstar’s continued focus on cost-competitive outcomes and fostering long term partnerships that help deliver sustainable low fares and growth,” Mr Buchanan said.

Jetstar’s move to help put people back in control of their airport experience during domestic travel will incorporate a more streamlined and hassle-free customer airport experience supported by:

Doubling the number and footprint of Self-Check Kiosks across Jetstar’s Australian and New Zealand domestic networks. Kiosks will cover all domestic ports in Australia and NZ;

Introduction of world-first SMS boarding pass technology across Jetstar’s domestic Australian & New Zealand ports during 2010 and fitted to all Jetstar Self-Check Kiosks;
Enhanced web tools such as Automatic Web-Check at Jetstar.com;

Redeploying existing Jetstar staff from primarily check-in duties to customer service and revenue generating activities.

Mr Buchanan said the airline’s fresh approach towards allowing its domestic customer base greater choice in self service prior to their travel would balance the efficient application of new technology for air travelers with strong customer service outcomes.

“Through our growing suite of innovative new customer facing applications at Airports we are seeking to ensure that the airport experience is increasingly convenient, easier and more hassle-free than before,” Mr Buchanan said.

“The approach we are taking is firmly designed around improving, not reducing, the customer service and airport experience at increasingly busy terminals, and of empowering both regular and irregular Jetstar flyers to use technology to take control of the airport experience.

“This is an extremely positive and exciting step forward for our airline as well as for our employees that will greatly enhance customer service levels.

“There will be no change in our Airport staffing numbers under this model, meaning our Airport Customer Service personnel can move beyond the check-in counter to spend more effective time directly with our customers prior to flying.”

Jetstar passengers who Web-Check for Australian domestic flights will soon be given the option to have their boarding pass and unique boarding code sent to their mobile phone via a standard text SMS message.

The SMS technology has been developed by Melbourne-based company Sissit Group with which Jetstar has a Research and Development arrangement.

Unlike some other airlines who have introduced this technology to WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) or internet enabled handsets, in a global first, any mobile phone will be able to accept the Jetstar boarding pass on a domestic flight via the common text message.

This will allow customers who purchase fares via Jetstar.com to request at the time of booking for the airline to automatically check the passenger(s) in 24 hours prior to their Jetstar flight departure with the boarding pass to then be sent via email or SMS text message.

Mr Buchanan said SMS boarding pass technology would be further trialled on Sydney-Melbourne (Avalon) flights from late February 2010, with a staged roll-out across Jetstar’s domestic Australian and New Zealand networks during the 2010 calendar year.

He said automatic check-in when purchasing a fare at Jetstar.com had commenced earlier this month.

“Automatic check-in for the airline’s Australian and New Zealand domestic services allows passengers at the time of booking to choose to check-in and have their boarding passes automatically sent to them via email 24-48 hours before flight departure,” Mr Buchanan said.

“The new technology will be further enhanced when SMS boarding pass technology is fully activated, meaning a boarding pass can then be delivered direct to the future passenger’s mobile phone.

“By introducing applications such as Automatic Web-Check and SMS Boarding Passes, Jetstar saves real costs, which we are able to directly pass on to our customers with our low fares.”