There are plans, though, for bonus rewards of up to 5 percent to be offered by certain merchants for spending on an affiliated online "mall," where purchases made with any registered credit or debit card can earn rewards — not just the debit card associated with the bank account.
UPromise and its peers are similar in principle to rewards programs that offer a rebate check for purchases made at certain merchants or through a particular Internet site.
In particular, the effects of card payments on the demand for cash (for purchases) in certain merchant sectors may per se be invariably conditional on merchant's acceptance (related, for example, to idiosyncratic reasons and the size of payments) in that sector.
Liberty Reserve also offered users the chance to transact with certain merchants who accepted LR as payment.
"Parents can fund and monitor spending, and set limits on certain kinds of spending, like blocking certain merchants," Robertson said.
MoneyPaks can be used by certain merchants to make payments, but consumers should check the full list of merchants on GreenDot's website before sharing a serial number.
Only merchants preapproved for certain top-selling electronics, software and computers will be allowed to list the products on its site, Amazon.com said in a Web posting to sellers.
In 1303, a similar agreement was reached with foreign merchants, in return for certain rights and privileges.
Nobody knows for certain.
