LAS VEGAS – Convenience retailer Wawa has teamed with Debitman Card Inc., creator of The Retailer’s Network, to launch a private-label PIN debit card for its customers. The retailer and Debitman announced the new venture on October 9 at the NACS Show 2006 in Las Vegas.

Wawa and Debitman are launching a pilot phase in late October to test the Wawa Check Card at 29 select Maryland and Pennsylvania stores. The initial phase is expected to last 90 days, followed by a potential chain-wide implementation, notes a press release.

“Debitman provides us with the opportunity to reduce the cost of credit and debit card interchange fees, enabling us to share the savings with our customers through an easy-to-use cash rebate program,” said Wawa Manager of New Initiatives Bob Riesenbach in the release. “The Wawa Check Card is available to any customer with a bank account in good standing, regardless of credit rating, and provides a convenient and safe payment alternative that can be used at many other leading retailers across the United States.”

The Wawa Check Card will reward customer loyalty with an initial $5.00 gift card after the first use, followed by cash rebates on every purchase. According to the release, consumers who use the Wawa Check Card will enjoy the convenience of using the card at more than 200,000 merchant locations in the United States that participate in the Retailer’s Network.

Consumers will also earn rebates whenever they use the card at participating Wawa stores or anywhere else Debitman-enabled cards are accepted. Rebates will be deposited monthly directly into the customer’s bank account that is linked to the Wawa Check Card.