7-Eleven are expaning their offerring into the realm of banking payments.  The backer to Info Touch mentioned here at the New York Times, is Hewlett Packard.

The Convenience of an A.T.M., but So Much More – New York Times

"The convenience retailers want to become a bank for the unbanked," said Hamed Shahbazi, chief executive of Info Touch Technologies, a company in Burnaby, British Columbia, that supplies hardware and software for the Exxon Mobil, Circle K and Sunoco programs and others. "They're getting all this pressure from the Wal-Mart's of the world, and they're trying to respond."

The benefits of this service to the retailers, are outlined on by Info Touch as follows:

The TIO Network
The “TIO Network” is the largest national multi-retailer network of self-service financial service kiosks in North America. Services offered under the TIO brand umbrella are tailored specifically towards the non-banked consumer marketplace. The TIO brand provides a beacon that symbolizes fair, convenient and secure access to financial services for non-banked consumers.

 

Benefits

• All upfront and ongoing Info Touch C-Store Paystation Network Costs are managed by Info Touch meaning that they cost you NOTHING
• Reduces repudiation issues & costly errors (Bill Presentment)
• Decreases reconciliation costs (Info Touch Service)
• Lower cost per transaction than manned transactions
• Marketing Edge (Flexibility)
• Effectively serve the typically underserved un-banked market
• Option for customer service offices (Takes pressure off till)

Relevance to Bankwatch:

 At first glance, this service is aimed at the "un-banked" market.  Banks can see this as one of two opportunities.  Its either a threat that they should compete with, or more likely they can view this as an opportunity to move "up scale" in their offerring.  The second choice has important social responsibility questions.