Sat.Oct 01, 2016 - Fri.Oct 07, 2016

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Diwali Lights Up Bitcoin

PYMNTS

It’s not yet the holidays, but it’s almost Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, a fitting theme for today’s bitcoin news. Diwali lasts for five days beginning Oct. 20, and bright lights, colorful decorations and fireworks mark the occasion. The Indian people celebrate by lighting diyas and candles around the home, seeking divine blessings from the goddess of wealth and exchanging gifts, such as gold coins.

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The Uber Of Fitness Trainers: Handstand

PYMNTS

Did you know that physical trainers and fitness instructors only get paid a very small fraction of the cost you pay the gym per hour? After they’ve pushed you to do a hundred burpees or gotten you to achieve that perfect yoga Crow Pose, they may end up with only $20. When your endorphins wear off, you’ll also notice that your wallet could be a $150 per hour lighter.

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MasterCard Rolls Out Pay By Selfie In Europe

PYMNTS

While the emerging world of mobile payments has allowed us to collectively envision a world where payments goes far outside good old fashioned plastic, it is likely the case that very few people ever imagined that they would literally be able to use their face to pay. Or, more accurately, to verify their identity such that a payment can be completed.

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More Retailers Just Saying No To Opening On Thanksgiving

PYMNTS

Though for a few years there it really looked like it might simply become retail standard, it seems that starting the Thanksgiving weekend sales crush on Thanksgiving may fizzle out after all. According to reporting over the weekend, an increasing number of big retailers are actually taking the national day of thanksgiving off. So far, the known opt-outs include Home Depot, Nordstrom , Costco, BJ’s, Fred’s Pharmacy, GameStop, Harbor Freight, Lowe’s, Pier 1 Imports, Petco, PetSmart, Sam’s C

Retail 87
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How to Build the Ideal HR Team

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.

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Oberthur Supports Mobile Payments Future In The Nordics

PYMNTS

Oberthur Technologies (OT) is partnering with payments service provider Nets to deliver support for mobile payments to Scandinavian banks. The collaboration, announced on Thursday (Oct. 6), is aimed at helping to service banks in the Nordics with a financial platform that supports future international mobile payment methods. Nets and OT will combine their capabilities to offer an end-to-end mobile payment solution, which will include Host Card Emulation (HCE) and tokenization to secure payments

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When It Comes To Paid Social Media, Facebook Leads The Way

PYMNTS

Retailers continue to rely on paid search and email marketing channels, but mobile marketing and social media are continuing to increase in popularity as a way for businesses to grow their customer acquisition, according to a new study. The study, entitled “ The State of Retailing Online 2016: Marketing and Merchandising ,” by the National Retail Federation and Forrester, a research and advisory firm for the retail industry, polled 240 companies from June through July.

Retail 82

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How Manchester Became A Top FinTech Relocation Destination

PYMNTS

It appears Manchester may be giving London a run for its money as the next great FinTech sector in the U.K. In recent years, Manchester has been a go-to location for people looking to leave London — and it’s not just because of the city’s cheap housing or attractive work/life balance culture. It’s also the region’s thriving tech environment. In this edition of PYMNTS’ Weekly Tech Center Roundup , we head back to England to check out what unique characteristics are driving tech success in Manches

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Will The Blockchain Revolutionize Faster Payments?

PYMNTS

Blockchain technology has allowed businesses to eliminate unnecessary, not to mention costly, intermediaries and significantly reduce international cross-border payment processing time from weeks to a day. With these benefits in mind, blockchain has recently captured the attention of several players from around the faster payments space. From a social messaging platform getting a payments enhancement to a major credit card company testing a yet-to-be-released payment system, plenty of faster pay

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Are Shopping Carts And Wishlists Keys To Omnichannel Success?

PYMNTS

According to research in Q3’s PYMNTS.com OmniReadi Index , wishlists, purchase histories and other similar features are some of the most important ingredients in retailers’ omnicommerce strategies. The index shows that the vast majority of leading merchants offer purchase histories and wishlists, while only a minority of the middle and lower tiers of retailers offer similar features.

Retail 79
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For Wearable Tech, Moving Beyond the Fitness Zone

PYMNTS

[link]. The wearable revolution is here. Or not. Depends on your perspective. Not long ago, research firm International Data Corp. said in the worldwide wearable tech device industry will have grown by 38 percent year over year in 2016, with 110 million units in the field by the end of the year. Lest you think that number is impressive, the search firm stated that the wearables uptake should increase to about 237 million by 2020.

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Planning Your Restaurant's Path to Profitability

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.

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Why RegTech, Why Now?

PYMNTS

Look no further than the recent Wells Fargo scandal or even the monumental Brexit decision to see how the regulatory space is heating up. Companies both big and small are looking across their regulatory frameworks to anticipate the impacts of these massive industry events. Stephen Ufford , founder and CEO of Trulioo , said businesses are focused on creating efficiencies in order to have room in their roadmap for the unknown, which also means they are consuming the tools available in the market t

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Big Lenders Need Help With Big Data, Too

PYMNTS

Traditional banks now realize the value in working with FinTech startups, augmenting their own service offerings by integrating the innovations of others. Lending has become one of the largest benefactors of this trend, with alternative lenders once viewed as competitors to the banks now working with them to strengthen financing options for SME borrowers.

Finance 78
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Blockchain Tracker: Economic Revolution, Editing Controversy & Health Care

PYMNTS

Each week it seems blockchain just gets another endorsement. This week? Richard Branson. The billionaire and Virgin Group founder said blockchain will create an “ economic revolution ,” especially in developing countries. His reasoning revolves around the issue of proving ownership of certain assets and access to capital. Pointing to economist Hernando de Soto’s work and a partnership with bitcoin and blockchain company Bitfury and the Republic of Georgia’s National Agency of

Georgia 77
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In Digital Banking Age, Personal Touch Still Matters

PYMNTS

Technology has brought transparency and speed to financial interactions, including those between banks and their customers. But must everything be at arm’s length, a technology-enabled hit-and-run where banking is ruled by apps and apps alone? Hardly. Human interaction still matters and, for some smaller players in the banking realm, can make all the difference in providing a positive experience that will keep customers in the fold.

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How Automation is Driving Efficiency Through the Last Mile of Reporting

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

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Point-Of-Sale Terminal Market To Be More Than $103 Billion By 2023

PYMNTS

The volume of the global point-of-sale terminal market was more than $43 billion in 2015 and is set to grow to $100 billion by the end of 2023. The retail POS market is expected to grow to more than $30 billion by that time, according to new research from Global Market Insights. According to the research firm, the global industry is expected to register CAGR of more than 18 percent during the timeframe.

Sales 76
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Why Professional Soccer Cares About Digital Fraud

PYMNTS

No one is immune from digital fraud. There’s always a fraudster waiting in the wings to spoil the party. Including professional sports. Ticketing, it turns out, is one of the areas that fraudsters seem to like a lot — fraudsters that want to make a quick buck and ticket brokers (AKA scalpers) who want to make quick and big bucks. In a recent live digital discussion hosted by Karen Webster , ThreatMetrix Chief Marketing Officer Armen Najarian and Chief Products Officer Alisdair Faulkner were joi

Sports 76
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Capital One Buys Price Match Startup Paribus

PYMNTS

Capital One has reportedly inked a deal to acquire Paribus, a price tracking service, as the credit card company makes another acquisition in the FinTech space. According to a report , Paribus aids online shoppers in getting automatic refunds when the price drops on items they purchased. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, the report noted the acquisition includes bringing the team of Paribus and its technology under the Capital One umbrella.

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Google Taps Accenture In Enterprise App Push

PYMNTS

Google recently announced a new effort to increase its presence in the enterprise, rebranding its B2B units as Google Cloud and G Suite last week. On Friday (Sept. 30), Accenture announced that it formed an alliance with Google to take advantage of Google’s renewed focus on the space. The professional services company said it will use Google technology to provide industry-specific cloud, mobile and data analytics solutions for its clients that are built on Google infrastructure. “The

B2B 76
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No-Code Technology: The Key to Unlock the Future of Your Business

Global economies are reeling from recent upheavals—pandemic aftershocks, geopolitical conflicts, and a tech sector crunch. Mark Zuckerberg's 2023 "Year of Efficiency" ethos extends into 2024, with leaders seeking cost reductions without stunting growth. No-code technology emerges as a beacon of hope, fostering resilience and adaptability. Platforms like Make.com and Zapier empower even non-technical staff to automate and innovate, freeing IT for strategic tasks.

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The Metal Shopping Cart’s High Tech Makeover

PYMNTS

Groundbreaking, innovative, trailblazing — these aren’t the type of adjectives you would think of to describe the typical shopping cart that gets pushed around physical stores. In fact, most of them look pretty similar from store to store. But, then again, you probably haven’t seen what a few enterprising retailers are up to when it comes to giving these awkward, shin-bruising staples of the brick-and-mortar retail world a new, high tech lease on life.

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Peach Payments Takes On FinTech Expansion In Africa

PYMNTS

South African FinTech Peach Payments announced on Wednesday (Oct. 5) plans to expand its business to Kenya and Nigeria. The three-year-old startup, which facilitates online and mobile payments in emerging markets, confirmed it is processing more than R1-billion in transactions per year. Peach Payments recently launched a new service aimed at helping businesses collect invoices and payments globally, called PaySafe.

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MoneyGram CEO Talks MobilePass

PYMNTS

“One and done?” Or “sure to be more?”. Payments firms want the latter, to move beyond fleeting relationships with customers, and the same is true within the money transfer arena. The process of sending money around the world can be a laborious one, with forms to be filled out and data to be authenticated. The Tuesday (Oct. 4) debut of MoneyGram ’s digital money transfer service, MoneyGram MobilePass, is the the latest news focused on making transactions a bit more seamless, but also

Sales 75
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Entryless Integrates With Sage Live To Help SMBs

PYMNTS

Entryless, a cloud-based financial network that allows small and medium-sized businesses to react more quickly to the needs of their buyers and suppliers, announced an integration with accountancy platform Sage Live. This integration will improve companies’ ability to pay bills and complete accounts seamlessly. In a press release, Entryless said businesses using this integration will be able to send bills and purchase invoices in any format to Entryless, which will then be captured in image form

B2C 75
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Register Now: Sneak Peek Into Close Automation SkyStem Web Demo

Technology is rapidly changing the way accountants perform and manage month-end activities. Spreadsheets, email, and shared drives no longer have to slow us down. Join us as we present a "sneak peek" recorded demo of SkyStem's month-end close solution – ART. In under four weeks, your team can start reaping the benefits of month-end close automation by vastly reducing spreadsheets, cut down on reconciliation work, speed up the month-end close, and better manage your remote team.

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The Final CFPB Prepaid Card Rule Is Here (Expect Controversy)

PYMNTS

The use of prepaid cards has exploded over the last decade or so — in 2003 consumers put less than $1 billion on prepaid cards annually, but by 2012 that figure had grown to $65 billion and by 2018 that figure is projected to reach as much as $121 billion. The user base of prepaid cards has grown significantly as well. The cards are largely associated with the 10 million or so unbanked families in the U.S. as one of their primary tools of financial management — since prepaid cards can be used i

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Yahoo Data Breach Could Result In Lawsuits

PYMNTS

Yahoo, which is reeling from a massive data breach , is reportedly facing a class-action lawsuit over it. According to a report , the company is facing two lawsuits, both filed in the U.S. District Court, since the massive breach was announced. “For Yahoo to lay the blame on state-sponsored entities for this data breach seems like nothing more than a PR stunt crafted to help the company avoid additional embarrassment and reputational damage,” said Danny Maher, CTO from U.K.

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SWIFT Stands Behind Its Global Payments Innovation Initiative

PYMNTS

SWIFT’s year has been filled with controversy, the apex of which occurred when reports surfaced that cyberthieves infiltrated Bangladesh Bank via the SWIFT messaging system in February, resulting in $81 million stolen from the bank’s account at the New York Federal Reserve. Since, SWIFT has reported three new cyberbreaches that occurred over the summer.

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Companies Are Shaking In Their Boots Over Digital Startups

PYMNTS

The majority of traditional businesses are worried about digital startups posing a threat to their organization, according to new research from Dell Technologies. According to Dell Technologies, 78 percent of businesses are threatened by digital startups , which is propelling innovative companies ahead and accelerating the demise of others. Close to half of companies surveyed by Dell, or 45 percent, fear they could become obsolete in the next three to five years because of competition from digit

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Recruit and Retain New Blue-Collar Talent

Blue-collar jobs have a branding problem. One company, GEON, partnered with Paycor to find the solution. Learn how to attract, engage, and retain blue-collar employees, helping them build meaningful careers – and support your company’s goals.

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Why Consumers Stay Loyal To Hacked Brands

PYMNTS

It looks like the conventional wisdom of the last few years — that big hacks lead to big waves of customer defections — is turning out to be less right that one might assume. According to new data released by RAND researchers, consumers whose personal data has been compromised generally don’t feel much in the way of dissatisfaction over it — 77 percent of notified victims reported being content with how the company handled the breach and its follow-up notification.

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How Etsy Is Leveraging Google Shopping

PYMNTS

Going forward, Etsy marketplace sellers will be able to run Google Shopping campaigns , care of a new advertising dashboard the handcrafted marketplace is rolling out. The new service is intended to give artisans an edge by giving them clear access to digital marketing services — without having to necessarily allocate a major digital marketing budget and staff commitment that usually goes along with ramping up services.

Account 74
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As The OmniReadi Gap Widens (And Stagnates)

PYMNTS

There’s a growing gap when it comes to being OmniReadi. According to the Q3 2016 PYMNTS OmniReadi Index™ , the top 10 percent of merchants improved their omnichannel scores by 16 percent over the last quarter, while the bottom 10 percent saw theirs drop by more than 40 percent. And it isn’t just a gap between merchants that’s widening. Scores in industries with strong records of omnichannel success, such as sporting goods retailers, continue to improve, while low-scoring businesses, like grocer

Sports 74
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Yahoo’s Breach Epitaph

PYMNTS

SEC data breach disclosure rules are vague to say the least. The recent announcement by Yahoo that it was hacked and 500 million accounts were exposed in 2014 and the fact that Yahoo did not state when it became aware of the attack has highlighted inadequate disclosure rules for public companies. Because the Yahoo case was so large in scale and whether Yahoo executives acted responsibly is uncertain, it may become a test case for the SEC in shaping new guidelines.

Account 74
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Join the Instant Payment Revolution: Read 7 Must-Know Facts for Small Businesses

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.