A leading payments industry news source for more than 17 years. Glenbrook curates the news and keeps you abreast of the important daily headlines in payments.
Search Payments News
November 8, 2018
On the web
Sam’s Club unveils mobile-first store that showcases the latest payments and retail technologies
NFC World
“Walmart-owned Sam’s Club is opening a new store in Dallas, Texas that will double as both a technology lab and a live retail store, enabling both customers and staff to test and make use of the latest developments in retail and payments technology. The new Sam’s Club Now store “will be a mobile-first shopping experience powered by the new Sam’s Club Now app,” says Jamie Iannone, the retailer’s EVP of membership and technology. “It’s where we will incubate, test and refine technologies to help define the future of retail.””
November 6, 2018
On the web
NatWest launches Mettle business current account
Finextra
“NatWest has launched the Mettle business current account for SMEs. Mettle is specifically designed to provide businesses with a new outlook on how to manage their finances. It combines a current account with invoicing, payment chasing and bookkeeping capabilities.”
November 2, 2018
On the web
Walmart joins the cashless game – but can small merchants afford this?
The Guardian
“Last month, and on the heels of its latest cashier-less grocery store opening in Chicago, Bloomberg reported that the online giant Amazon.com is planning on opening about 3,000 similar outlets by 2021. It’s an obvious direct assault on other grocery and food chains like 7-Eleven, Subway and Panera Bread. But it’s also an attack on the thousands of mom-and-pop pizza, convenience and other similar stores around the country.”
Target rolls out mobile checkout scanning technology amid holiday push
Mobile Payments Today
“Target announced new efforts to boost its omnichannel presence during the holiday season with a new mobile checkout called “Skip the Line.” Target said employees, armed with handheld scanners, will be able to check out credit and debit card purchases inside the shopping cart or basket from anywhere in the store, according to a spokesman. During peak shopping periods like Black Friday, additional store workers will be located in heavily used sections like electronics.”
October 29, 2018
On the web
Survey: Cash rewards outweigh all others
Chain Store Age
“Nearly all (91%) of consumers said they feel little to no reward from tiered reward systems, and 89% feel little to no reward from merchant credit cards. And 83% feel little to no reward from invitations to special events from a brand. What does resonate with shoppers is cash.”
October 24, 2018
On the wires
INDOCHINO Chooses Klarna to Give Consumers the Power to Pay Over Time
“INDOCHINO shoppers can now Slice it at the checkout by using Klarna’s online consumer financing to easily spread the cost of their purchase over 6-36 months. Slice it has a simple 4-step credit application process, real-time decisioning and is offered within the merchant’s own website – no re-directs – for a frictionless and fast purchase experience.”
October 15, 2018
Top Post
How Robots and Drones Will Change Retail Forever
Wall Street Journal (paywall)
“We are in the early days of what might be called the “physical cloud,” an e-commerce ecosystem that functions like the internet itself. Netflix caches the movies you stream at a data center physically close to you; Amazon is building warehouse after warehouse to store goods closer to consumers. And the storage systems at those warehouses are looking more like the data-storage systems in the cloud.”
October 5, 2018
On the web
Secret Amazon brands are quietly taking over Amazon.com
“Amazon’s private label business is booming, on pace to generate $7.5 billion this year and $25 billion by 2022, according to estimates from investment firm SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. To accelerate that growth, the company is inviting manufacturers to create products exclusively for its collection of private brands.”
October 3, 2018
On the web
Why Are Enterprises So Slow?
Zwischenzugs
“In this article I want to explain a few things about enterprises and their software, based on my experiences, and also describe what things need to be in place to make change come about.”
Amazon has failed as a destination for ‘discovery’ shopping — so it built a physical store to try it the old-fashioned way
recode
“Amazon is billing its new retail concept as a curated selection of Amazon’s best and most popular products — including most with ratings on Amazon of four stars or more — but my first impression was that the online retailer is still having trouble shedding its “everything store” DNA.”
September 28, 2018
On the wires
Global Payments to Acquire SICOM Systems, a Leading Provider of Enterprise Technology Solutions to Restaurants
“Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading worldwide provider of payment technology and software solutions, announced today an agreement to acquire SICOM Systems, Inc. from LLR Partners. SICOM provides enterprise, cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) solutions and other technologies to quick service and fast casual restaurants, as well as food service management providers, worldwide.”
September 27, 2018
On the web
Introducing Amazon 4-star
Amazon
“We created Amazon 4-star to be a place where customers can discover products they will love. Amazon 4-star’s selection is a direct reflection of our customers—what they’re buying and what they’re loving. We started with some of the most popular categories on Amazon.com including devices, consumer electronics, kitchen, home, toys, books, and games, and chose only the products that customers have rated 4 stars and above, or are top sellers, or are new and trending. “
September 25, 2018
Top Post
Shoppers Love Rewards Credit Cards. Retailers Hate Them.
Wall Street Journal (paywall)
“Large merchants including Amazon.com Inc., Target Corp. and Home Depot Inc.are pushing for the right to reject some rewards credit cards, which typically carry higher fees for merchants.”
September 21, 2018
Top Post
Amazon makes offline retail push in India
TechCrunch
“The U.S. e-commerce giant is buying up 49 percent of More in a deal that sees Amazon partner and PE firm Samara Capital pick up the remaining 51 percent. Amazon and Samara have created an entity called Witzig Advisory Services Private Limited which will hold the ownership stake through the deal, which is reportedly worth around $585 million according to Indian media. Regulation prevents Amazon from owning the business entirely, hence it requires a local partner to take a majority stake.”
On the web
Yesway Drives 44% Redemption Rate Among Rewards Members Who Visit C-Stores
Retail Touch Points
“The 150-store convenience retailer Yesway has ambitious plans to acquire, improve and rebrand as many as 500additional stores over the next few years. Even before this expansion occurs, however, the retailer is solidifying its business with an intense focus on customer loyalty.”
September 20, 2018
Top Post
Amazon Will Consider Opening Up to 3,000 Cashierless Stores by 2021
Bloomberg
“Amazon.com Inc. is considering a plan to open as many as 3,000 new AmazonGo cashierless stores in the next few years, according to people familiar with matter, an aggressive and costly expansion that would threaten convenience chains like 7-Eleven Inc., quick-service sandwich shops like Subway and Panera Bread, and mom-and-pop pizzerias and taco trucks.”
September 18, 2018
On the web
Amazon Go Opens 1st Store Outside Seattle in Chicago
Progressive Grocer
“While there are some products from local Chicago vendors, the product line is little changed from the Seattle stores, according to Gianna Puerini, VP of Amazon Go, in a Chicago Tribune report. Offerings include meal kits for two, grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and snacks as well as other convenience foods. No hot prepared food is available, simply to avoid lines, but the store does have two microwaves to heat food on site.”
Explore the Payments Investment Choices of Merchants Around the Globe
ACI
“This report focuses on merchants, and highlights some of the key findings from the fourth year of this research. It provides an analysis of the views and plans of this part of the value chain, as well as a sense of how these perspectives have changed over time. “
September 14, 2018
On the web
Casey’s Digital Transformation Reaches Several Key Milestones
Convenience Store News
“The digital engagement program will consist of an enhanced website, a redesigned mobile app, a loyalty program, in-store technology, and enhanced enterprise infrastructure.”
September 13, 2018
On the web
Forget Airline Miles. Retailers Pile on Perks for Big Spenders.
Wall Street Journal (paywall)
“Retailers have spent the past few months retooling their plans to fend off competition from online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc., whose Prime membership is one of the more effective loyalty programs, as well as travel and entertainment venues, which are taking a bigger slice of consumer spending.”
September 11, 2018
On the web
Amazon Go Expands into East Coast with 1st NYC Store
Progressive Grocer
“Amazon is planning to open one of its cashierless convenience concepts in New York, evidenced by several listings posted on the ecommerce giant’s jobs page. The Seattle-based company is seeking at least three positions for a planned Amazon Go store in the Big Apple: store manager, assistant store manager and training lead associate. The new store will mark the format’s entrance into the East Coast.”
On the wires
7-Eleven Gets ‘Smart’ with New Digital Payment Offerings
“For many smartphone users, shopping at 7-Eleven stores will just got even faster and more convenient with the touch of their smartphone or smartwatch. 7-Eleven, Inc. – the largest chain in the convenience retailing industry – now accepts Apple Pay, which is transforming mobile payments with an easy, secure and private way to pay, and Google Pay for contactless payments at participating U.S. stores.”
September 7, 2018
On the wires
Dude Solutions and SchoolPay Announce Seamless K12 Facility Rental Payment Integration
“Dude Solutions, the leading provider of operations management services to education, and SchoolPay, the most advanced enterprise payment solution in the K12 market, today announced an agreement for SchoolPay to power payments in various Dude Solutions systems.”
September 5, 2018
On the web
Amazon opens its largest Amazon Go convenience store yet
TechCrunch
“The latest location is its third overall and third in Seattle, where it’s headquartered. The 2,100 square feet store sits on the corner of Boren Ave. and Thomas St. and is its largest yet. The first iteration of the Amazon Go store was 1,800 square feet; it opened its doors to the public in a surprise opening in December 2016. The second, measuring 1,450 square feet, began doing business last Monday.”
September 4, 2018
On the web
Hard Lessons (Thanks, Amazon) Breathe New Life Into Retail Stores
NY Times (paywall)
“Many successful stores are now a cross between a fast-food drive-through and a hotel concierge. Target’s shoppers can order sunscreen or a Tokidoki Unicorno T-shirt on their phone, pull up to the parking lot and have the items brought to their car. Nordstrom lets customers in some stores make returns by dropping their items into a box and walking out — no human interaction required. Walmart is employing 25,000 “personal shoppers” to select and package groceries for curbside pickup.”
August 30, 2018
On the web
India’s Paytm Mall Looks to Deepen Partnerships in Fight with Flipkart, Amazon
Business of Fashion
“Paytm Mall, the e-commerce venture backed by China’s Alibaba Group, is looking to deepen ties with regional retailers as well as partner with top online grocer BigBasket to compete with Walmart-controlled Flipkart and Amazon’s local unit, a company executive said.”
Introducing New Ways to Take Payments on Your Apple Devices and Chromebook
Square blog
“Now you can take payments in person from your Apple computer or Chromebook using Square Reader for magstripe. It’s a quick way to integrate payments into your existing workflow by turning your computer into a checkout station with Virtual Terminal.”
August 27, 2018
On the web
2017 Shrink Cost U.S. Retailers $42.49 Billion, 1.85% Of Sales
Retail Touch Points
“Global retail shrink led to losses of $99.56 billion in calendar 2017, according to the Sensormatic Global Shrink Index compiled by Tyco Retail Solutions and PlanetRetail RNG. U.S. shrink generated losses of $42.49 billion, accounting for 1.85% of retail sales, slightly above the global average of 1.82%.”
August 24, 2018
On the web
Your Complete A-Z Guide to Merchant Accounts
PaySimple blog
“Merchant accounts can seem scary, complex and full of indecipherable words at times. Cut through the jargon and confusion with our A-Z Guide to Merchant Accounts. With this handy, alphabetized guide you’ll be a confident, informed merchant account holder before you know it.”
August 23, 2018
On the web
Four Tech Trends Transforming the Retail Industry
Chain Store Age
“There is a fundamental paradigm shift underway in retail. We have already seen the pivot from merchandising focus to customer. Yet, in this age of mega-platforms where large integrated marketplaces offered by Alibaba, Amazon and Walmart exert a kind of gravitational pull, the, battle is shifting. It’s shifting because the cost of customer acquisitions keep going up and the ability to retain is going down.”
Take us with you
Payments on Fire is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and other podcast apps and services. Or just say “Alexa, play Payments on Fire podcast.”
