April, 2023

• 1 April

  How Smaller ISOs Can Thrive

  

  The big may get bigger, but there’s plenty of room for smaller ISOs and payments companies to thrive and capitalize. With megaprocessors, fintechs, payfacs, and integrated payments providers abundant in the payments world, smaller independent sales organizations and software sellers may feel some pressure. But the competition does not automatically …

March, 2023

• 1 March

  Doing Transit Payments Right

  

  These days, reaping the benefits of account based ticketing requires knowledge, vision, and planning. Account based ticketing (ABT) is not a new technology in the transportation industry. In fact, smart ticketing—from card-based to account-based—has been around for decades, dating back to the 1980s. The obvious appeal to riders initially was …

February, 2023

• 1 February

  Getting Online Checkout Right

  

  Online sellers are starting to take a closer look at their checkouts. No wonder. The technology plays a key role in whether they can tap into the boom in e-commerce. Checkout is the point at which the consumer either completes her purchase or doesn’t. A checkout process that is slow …

January, 2023

• 1 January

  The CCCA’s Long Shadow

  

  Will Durbin II rise again, bringing joy to merchants but grief to credit card issuers? Potentially, more than $10 billion could be in play if routing choice becomes law. Credit card issuers dodged a bullet in late 2022 with the failure of the Credit Card Competition Act to pass the …

December, 2022

• 1 December

  Contactless: Far From Tapped Out

  

  The Covid-19 pandemic was a strong tailwind for the adoption of contactless payments. Two years later, the momentum is still there but challenges remain. Whether it’s the convenience of not dipping a card into a POS terminal or speedier transactions at the point-of-sale, consumers and merchants continue to embrace contactless …

November, 2022

• 1 November

  The Processor Reaction

  

  Acquirers are trying to disentangle the many implications of the proposed Credit Card Competition Act. Some doubt the bill’s impact would be good. This road has been traveled before. This time, U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) wants to place restrictions on credit card practices, specifically transaction-routing practices. As Digital Transactions …

October, 2022

• 1 October

  The First Impression

  

  The key to reducing merchant attrition is as simple, and as complicated, as making a good first impression. The right tech helps, too. One tactic that may help keep merchant attrition rates in check—especially when large and small businesses have even more choices for their credit and debit card processing …

September, 2022

• 1 September

  Is Everyone Ready for Durbin II?

  

  The U.S. Senator’s bill to regulate credit card costs on behalf of merchants has stirred passions not seen since…the Durbin Amendment. All the major card-issuing banks must be asking themselves by now what Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois has against them. Like some old Hollywood horror-film refugee, the Senator …

July, 2022

• 1 July

  Gaming Is No Gamble

  

  A report on the state of U.S. gaming indicates steady progress made possible by market discipline and some help from some familiar payment methods. The U.S. gaming industry continues to grow exponentially, making it a highly exciting place to be for those within it. Changes in regulation have allowed more …

June, 2022

• 1 June

  Mass Transit’s Next Big Move

  

  First came contactless. Now, transit payments are gaining the account-to-account advantage, and with it more flexibility for riders and insight for operators. Long heralded as a key factor in spurring contactless payment adoption, transit-payment programs are fully embracing the technology. Yes, the Covid-19 pandemic was a key instigator in this …