PR - Alliance Data will Issue Store Cards for Hot Topic

Dallas-based Alliance Data Systems Corporation (NYSE: ADS), a leading provider of loyalty and marketing solutions derived from transaction-rich data, today announced it has signed a long-term agreement with leading specialty retailer Hot Topic, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOTT) to provide private label credit card services for its Torrid branded stores. Headquartered in City of Industry, Calif., Hot Topic is a specialty retailer of young men and women’s apparel, accessories, music and gifts with 690 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and with fiscal 2007 net sales of $728 million. Torrid is Hot Topic’s newest multi-channel retail brand launched in 2001 providing plus-size, fashion-forward apparel and accessories for women through more than 150 stores nationwide and its website. 

Under terms of the agreement, Alliance Data will provide private label credit card services including account acquisition and activation; receivables funding; card authorization; private label credit card issuance; statement generation; remittance processing; customer service functions; and marketing services for Torrid.

Alliance Data’s private label credit card program will also complement and enhance Torrid’s existing divastyle customer rewards program. More than 1 million Torrid customers are currently enrolled in divastyle, which rewards customers for purchases by offering discounts, invitations to exclusive in- store shopping events, and communications regarding fashion trends and new styles. Divastyle customers that sign up for a Torrid private label credit card will receive additional program benefits for purchases made on the private label credit card.

"We are committed to offering trend-focused fashion apparel and accessories that appeal to fashion-savvy customers, and Alliance Data’s integrated credit and marketing solution will allow us to further reinforce that brand promise and help us grow our business," said Chris Daniel, president of Torrid. "Alliance Data brings to bear extensive retail industry experience and a turnkey private label credit card solution that will serve as an effective marketing tool that also nicely augments our current divastyle loyalty program. We look forward to working with Alliance Data to support our ongoing sales and growth goals."

"Torrid is a great example of a specialty retailer that has built a distinctive brand and a loyal customer following, said Ivan Szeftel, president, Alliance Data’s Retail Services. "We are excited to partner with Torrid to build upon their divastyle program and create and deliver even more value to their customers. Our partnership mission is to increase Torrid’s retail sales; we’ll leverage our unique consumer insights, proprietary marketing approach, and branded customer care to accomplish this goal."