PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

A good forecast is a notoriously difficult thing to write – particularly if one is trying to write it about the payments and commerce ecosystem. Had we told the world a year ago today that Amazon was going to buy Whole Foods, that Walmart Pay would surpass Apple Pay as a consistently favored mobile payment method, that CES would essentially become a showdown between Alexa and Google Assistant, that Uber would take a major valuation haircut in its next funding round, that bitcoin was going to be

Retail 79

Retail Technology Maine Finance 79

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

Western Union reported results Tuesday that showed continued momentum in its digital business, as consumer money transfers grew on a cross-border basis. The company posted 4 percent growth in the top line to $1.4 billion, which topped the Street by $40 million, while earnings of 41 cents a share missed the Street by four pennies. In remarks made on the earnings call , Hikmet Ersek, president and CEO of the company, said that the improvement in the top line came amid improved spend in the company

Government 78

Government Retail Sales Technology 78

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Soon after Ripple announced a collaboration with MoneyGram, the blockchain firm revealed yet another partnership, this time in China. Reports in Blockchain News on Wednesday (Feb. 7) said Ripple announced a partnership with LianLian International, a Hong Kong-based, cross-border payments company, that plans to use Ripple’s xCurrent enterprise blockchain tool to process real-time payments coming into China.

B2B 77

B2B Finance Technology 77

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

There are few verticals where business is a guaranteed — basically just food, healthcare, and funerary services. And even those spaces are changing. Then there’s gifting. People have always given gifts and probably always will. But they don’t always give the same gifts in the same way. As Jifiti Co-Founder Yaacov Martin sees it, every gift involves three parties: the initiator, the recipient, and the vendor in the middle who’s fulfilling the gift.

Start-ups 75

Start-ups Healthcare Retail E-commerce 75

Speaker: Nancy Wu, Head of Sales and Customer Success at SkyStem

Join us for an enlightening webinar as we delve into the transformative realm of modern accounting practices. In today's digital age, the convergence of outsourcing and automation has revolutionized how businesses manage their financial operations. In this webinar we will explore the synergistic potential of these two strategies to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, save cost and drive strategic decision-making.

Account

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Being a program manager isn’t easy. Essentially, it means handling everything other than card issuing, authorization and transaction processing. If it’s not holding money or providing a payment network, the program manager does it: AML (anti-money laundering) compliance, KYC (Know Your Customer), fraud mitigation, marketing, privacy, document review, OFAC compliance, reporting and more.

Maine 67

Maine Start-ups 67

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 5, 2018

Daimler’s Mercedes and Bosch are gearing up to test driverless taxis on the roads in the coming months. Engadget, citing German news site Automobilwoche, reported that Bosch head Volkmar Denner said the first test taxi will be on the roads in the coming months. He didn’t provide other details, reported Engadget, but did offer up more of a timetable for the initiative.

Technology 66

Technology Gaming 66

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2018

The banking world is racing to get smarter via artificial intelligence (AI), but how can intelligence that’s artificial stack up to human expertise and the demands of human consumers? . To tackle this issue, companies are looking to infuse AI with a bit of humanity, help consumers better connect with computer-operated services and offer improved insights.

Technology 65

Technology Finance Maine 65

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 12, 2018

Transaction banking products provider Intellect Global Transaction Banking (iGTB) and cloud-based software solutions firm Pivotal are partnering to enhance corporate banking technology for businesses in the U.S. and U.K. The companies made an announcement Friday (Feb. 9) noting iGTB will lend its cash management platform, CBX 18, to Pivotal clients via its Pivotal Cloud Foundry cloud platforms.

Technology 63

Technology B2B 63

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 28, 2018

DICK’S Sporting Goods — one of the United States’ major gun retailers — has decided it no longer wants to be in the business of selling assault-style weapons like the one used in the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting. While the retailer is limiting its stock, DICK’S has also decided it will no longer sell high-capacity magazines that allow shooters to fire more rounds than a traditional weapon would without having to stop and reload.

Sports 63

Sports Florida Retail Sales 63

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Brick-and-mortar retailers have an opportunity to surprise and delight shoppers with digital, connected and omnichannel experiences in the physical store, but many are struggling to make that opportunity pay off. To be fair, reimagining an entire industry is no easy task. Trevor Sumner, CEO of PERCH , said that people aren’t seeing TV ads anymore, and active engagement between brands and their customers on Facebook is dwarfed by the number of shoppers who pass by a store display on any given da

Education 62

Education Retail Sales Start-ups 62

Advertiser: Paycor

HR doesn’t exist in a vacuum. This work impacts everyone: from the C-Suite to your newest hire. It also drives results. Learn how to make it all happen in Paycor’s latest guide.

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2018

This is not a test. Beware the credit card test. There may be no escaping credit card fraud, as it comes in one form or another. Overall, one subset of card fraud is on the rise: Last year, Radial’s eCommerce Fraud Technology Lab said credit card testing was up triple-digit percentage points on an annualized basis. Credit card testing is a way the bad guys use stolen card data to make sure an account is valid.

Technology 62

Technology Healthcare Government Start-ups 62

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Fit Pay , a unit of NXT-ID , announced news on Thursday (Feb. 8) of the launch of Flip TM , a contactless payment device for cryptocurrency holders. According to a press release , Fit Pay said the new device will enable cryptocurrency holders to use their digital coins to pay for goods at retail locations. The device launch follows an announcement in December that the company would expand its platform to include cryptocurrencies.

Retail 61

Retail Sales Technology Account 61

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

Can predicting the future help retailers and other organizations avoid negative outcomes? It’s not just a thought exercise: By analyzing the past, organizations can shape the future they want to see, starting with creating the best possible user experience. Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it, and all that. Customer churn doesn’t have to be a total loss.

Retail 60

Retail Gaming Start-ups Sales 60

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Whether their money is on the Pats or the Eagles, one thing is for sure: Football fans will be spending a lot of it this Sunday (Feb. 4), especially if they’re attending the Super Bowl in person. ATMs in and around U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis will see a spike in activity with the influx of consumers for the big game. That’s to be expected for financial services company Diebold Nixdorf , which partners with U.S.

Gaming 60

Gaming Start-ups Retail Maine 60

Speaker: James Kahler, COO of Full Course

Ever wondered where to splurge and where to safely conserve when it comes to operating and growing your restaurant? 🤔 Join James Kahler, COO of Full Course and industry visionary, in this new webinar where he'll talk all about best practices to invest in your restaurant's success! Whether you're a new business or an established restaurant, a seasoned pro or a rookie, you'll learn the keys to sustainable success in this competitive industry.

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 14, 2018

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have a problem. While SMB owners may be expert bakers, carpenters or designers, managing the back office activities that keep the business on an even keel is typically not their forte. That’s especially true when it comes to getting paid for their work, a process that can drag between getting invoices out and getting payments in.

Technology 59

Technology accounting software accounting system Account 59

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 8, 2018

ALDI , the grocery store operator, is being targeted by scammers who are installing credit card skimmers on top of point-of-sale terminals in plain sight. According to news from TechCrunch on Thursday (Feb. 8), police in Lower Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, have pinpointed a group of thieves as the culprits. They’ve been installing camouflaged skimmers on ALDI credit card terminals right in front of surveillance cameras.

Pennsylvania 58

Pennsylvania Sales 58

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 9, 2018

Corporate T&E company Certify is integrating payment capabilities provided by Western Union to enhance its global reimbursement and supplier payment offering. The companies announced in a press release sent to PYMNTS on Thursday (Feb. 8) that they formed a partnership that allows businesses using Certify to facilitate employee reimbursements and supplier payments across borders, with transactions powered by Western Union.

Expense Management 58

Expense Management Technology B2B 58

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 19, 2018

With the advent of emerging FinTech startups, banks face some competition for payments. When a consumer or a company wants to send a payment, they can now do so instantly from their smartphone with services such as Apple Pay or Venmo. As a result, banks are investing in and engaging with FinTech startups to grow their customer base and their market share.

Virginia 57

Virginia Florida Retail Sales 57

Speaker: Jamie Eagan

As organizations strive for agility and efficiency, it's imperative for finance leaders to embrace innovative technologies and redefine traditional processes. Join us as we explore the pivotal role of digitalization and automation in reshaping what is commonly referred to as the “last mile of reporting”. We’ll deep-dive into why digitalization is no longer a choice, but a necessity for finance departments to stay competitive in a fast-paced environment touching on: 2024 trends for the Office of

Technology

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 19, 2018

India expense management company Happay secured more funding after its Series B round, according to an unnamed source cited by VCCircle on Friday (Feb. 16). The publication said Happay raised about $250,000 from Cupola Venture Opportunities, which placed the funding last December. The investment follows a Series B funding round that raised $10 million, also announced last December; that investment was led by Sequoia Capital, while Singapore’s Axiom Capital, a private equity fund, and AME Cloud V

Expense Management 57

Expense Management Spend Management B2B 57

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 21, 2018

Expense management firm Soldo is accelerating the pace at which companies can send money and receive payment via an API integration with Starling Bank. The companies announced news on Tuesday (Feb. 20) that Soldo is looking to provide real-time management and control of corporate expenses. Integrating with the challenger bank gives Soldo its own sort code and account number, the firms explained, further automating the movement of company cash.

Expense Management 57

Expense Management Technology business accounting Account 57

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 9, 2018

In 2017, cryptocurrency startups raised $5.6 billion through ICOs (initial coin offerings, a fundraising strategy by which creators of digital coins and tokens like bitcoin and Ethereum sell their tokens to investors in order to fund the currency’s launch). With so many ICOs underway, one might say the cryptocurrency space has quickly grown oversaturated – or at the very least, overwhelming.

Government 56

Government Technology Retail 56

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 22, 2018

Who says you can’t teach an old criminal new tricks? Hackers who used to amuse themselves stealing credit cards have raised the level of their identity theft game such that 2017 was a record year — 16.7 million Americans were victimized last year, a jump of eight percent from 2016. That fraud run saw $16.8 billion successfully lifted in 2017, the highest amount in four years.

Gaming 56

Gaming Sales Account accountant 56

Advertisement

Technology evolves at lightning speed, and as finance keeps changing, instant payments emerge as a game-changer for small businesses. By 2030, instant payments are projected to surge by 289% and will become the new norm in financial transactions. Our whitepaper reveals seven must-know facts about instant payments, offering to help you navigate this financial revolution effectively.

Finance

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 22, 2018

Big merchants have many strategies, but they often lack an online checkout strategy. As a result, merchants may lose millions a year due to the friction associated with converting shoppers to buyers online. In fact, merchants experience an overall $200 billion in lost sales each year due to friction in the checkout process. Many larger merchants clearly have some ways to go on their checkout conversion efforts.

Gambling 56

Gambling Manufacturing Retail Sales 56

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Creating possible competition for ridesharing companies such as Uber , Nissan and DeNA are planning a test run of a self-driving taxi service — dubbed Easy Ride — in Japan, CNBC reported. Nissan said on Friday (Feb. 23) it will conduct the test on a 4.5 kilometer road in the Minatomirai district of Yokohama in March. To set a destination during the test run, test passengers can request recommended destinations by voice or text through a tablet.

Technology 56

Technology 56

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

A month after security researchers publicized security flaws in Intel ’s microchips, along with those of other manufacturers, the company is facing 32 lawsuits over the vulnerabilities. Intel was not able to estimate how much those lawsuits might cost the company, Reuters reported. The basis of many of the lawsuits is that Intel’s “actions and/or omissions” in relation to the flaws harmed Intel’s customers.

Manufacturing 56

Manufacturing Legal 56

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Every workday, some 135 million Americans get behind the wheel for 15 to 30 minutes of commuting each way. In doing so, they reportedly drive $212 billion in annual commerce. Nearly 54 percent of commuters place an order to pick up food along the way, 40 percent get their fix of morning joe and 39 percent find and pay for gas using their phones, according to The Digital Drive Report.

E-commerce 55

E-commerce Technology Washington Start-ups 55

Advertisement

"Offer payroll and do it yourself,” they said. “It’ll be fun!” Spoiler alert: It was not fun. Most CPA firms know that they need to offer payroll services to their clients or risk losing them to another firm that will. However, many don’t really want to. It is often time-consuming and complex due to changing tax laws and regulations, and with the growing staffing shortages, most just don’t have the resources.

cpa firm

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 6, 2018

Frozen food didn’t kill the restaurant. Telephones didn’t kill human interaction. And eCommerce won’t kill brick-and-mortar retail. That’s L Brands CEO and Chairman Les Wexner’s theory, as reported by The Wall Street Journal , in the face of brick-and-mortar retail’s worst year ever. Around 7,000 stores closed their doors in 2017, among them Abercrombie & Fitch, CVS, Gymboree, J.

Retail 55

Retail Sports E-commerce Technology 55

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 19, 2018

At one point, restaurants were not considered desirable tenants in shopping centers. Times have changed, however, as landlords seek to replace anchor stores in U.S. malls that are closing — particularly as shopping increasingly moves online, CNBC reported. “I remember trying to find leases and people were like, ‘No. We don’t want a restaurant in our building.

Real Estate 54

Real Estate Illinois Retail Sales 54

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 22, 2018

After a weak holiday sales season, Toys R Us is planning to shutter about more 200 stores. The company also plans to lay off many of its corporate staff, the Wall Street Journal reported based on information from people familiar with the situation. The news comes as the retailer’s sales have declined 15 percent from the 2017 holiday shopping season compared to 2016, and as the retailer previously announced it may close 100 stores.

Manufacturing 54

Manufacturing Retail Sales 54

PYMNTS

FEBRUARY 22, 2018

Without a doubt, small businesses (SMBs) have more choice than ever before when adopting new technologies, and many of those new tools, from accounting to customer relationship management (CRM), are streaming in as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). While small firms may be notorious for their inability to invest in newer technologies, software doesn’t seem to be one of them, especially in the U.S.

Technology 54

Technology B2B Spend Management Start-ups 54

Speaker: Robbie Bhathal, Founder & CEO, and Matthew Acalin, Head of Credit Intelligence

In today's volatile financial environment, how confident are you in your company’s financial forecasting? To get the most accurate cash predictions that will lead to long-term financial survival, real-time data is critical. Innovative cash management strategies can lead to better credit opportunities, more sustainable growth, and long-term financial prosperity.

Finance