With consumers contending with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, rewards offered by the card networks could take on added importance. Blackhawk Network is counting on that, and has introduced a capability for mobile-phone users to add digital rewards to their Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay wallets. Working …
Read More »Google’s Financial-Services Plans May Include a Card Redux
It’s well known that Alphabet Inc.’s Google unit wants to offer consumers checking accounts, though that service has yet to launch. But the search-engine giant also reportedly is developing a debit card that would work in concert with its Google Pay mobile-payments service, according to news reports from Silicon Valley. …
Read More »Airlines Urged To Have Payments Options Ready Once Pandemic Restrictions Ease
Nearly empty commercial airline flights mean a lot less tickets being purchased. This result of efforts to tamp down the Covid-19 infection packs a wallop for the travel industry. But, the time can be put to use taking care of formerly delayed payment projects and preparing for the resumption of …
Read More »FreedomPay Adds Google Pay Support and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 4/17/20
Payments provider FreedomPay has added support for Google Pay, enabling Google Pay users to make e-commerce payments in Android apps and in Web browsers. This can be done on a merchant’s Web site regardless of browser or operating system or within an Android app, with FreedomPay securely integrating to the Google Payments …
Read More »BofA Reports Booming Zelle Numbers as America Copes With Stay-at-Home Policies
If the first quarter of the year is any indication, person-to-person payments might be getting a big lift as stay-at-home consumers look for safe ways to pay in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak. Bank of America Corp. reported Wednesday transactions on its Zelle platform shot up 76% compared to …
Read More »Pandemic Hits U.S. Bancorp’s Merchant Revenues and Raises T&E-Related Expenses
U.S. Bancorp’s big payments operation that includes merchant acquirer Elavon Inc. is usually a reliable revenue generator, but the bank-holding company’s exposure to the big downturn in travel-and-entertainment and business spending because of the Covid-19 pandemic became evident in the first quarter. Merchant payment volume declined 4.8% to $104.7 billion …
Read More »Chase’s Merchant Volume Rose 5% Despite a ‘Tale of Two Cities’ First Quarter
JPMorgan Chase & Co., parent company of the nation’s biggest bank-owned merchant acquirer, managed to pull off a 5% increase in processing volume in the first quarter despite the restrictions on economic activity that took force in many states in the second half of March to control the Covid-19 pandemic. …
Read More »eBay Names Walmart Exec as New CEO and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 4/14/20
EBay Inc. named former Walmart Inc. executive Jamie Iannone chief executive officer, effective April 27. Iannone, who will succeed interim CEO Scott Schenkel, most recently served as chief operating officer of Walmart eCommerce and was at one time chief executive of SamsClub.com. EBay indicated earlier this year it has plans to …
Read More »Groceries Are Up, Fuel Is Down, According to a PSCU Study of Credit And Debit Card Spending
More consumers appear to be keeping their credit cards in their wallets when they shop. Credit union service organization PSCU says its data show that overall credit card spend among consumers who use credit and debit cards issued by credit unions working with PSCU is down 29.3% for the week …
Read More »Kount Releases A Weekly E-Commerce Purchase Tracker and other Digital Transactions News briefs from 4/10/20
Fraud prevention firm Kount Inc. released a weekly tracker of e-commerce purchase trends. In mid-March it showed that U.S. online sales of home office furniture and electronics increased 54%.Installment payments provider Klarna Bank AB said data from consumer use of its shopping app shows that e-commerce purchases are shifting to health and beauty and …
Read More »