October, 2016

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How To ‘Moneyball’ Restaurants

PYMNTS

National treasure Kim Kardashian has taught us all a series of invaluable lessons over the years: how to break the internet, that there is no such thing as too much eyeliner and that, if you are on the phone with Taylor Swift, the smart money is on hitting the record button. But of all the lessons we have learned from Kim — and later, Kimye — the most crucial, deepest and most fundamental is that, if one can get themselves behind the velvet rope, one should do so because life in the VIP suite is

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How Visa And Intel Are Creating A Security Standard For The IoT

PYMNTS

While hacks have been nearly endemic over the last several years, they have, at this point, mostly faded to the level of background noise for the average consumer. Sure, the aftermath of having a card compromised is often annoying and involves changing cards stored in digital wallets and with subscription sites, but consumers know that their bank has their back.

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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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Got Gigs?

PYMNTS

Toasting new employment? Odds are increasingly good that you may be clinking your glass over your latest gig. The number of Americans working gig jobs — or short-term, ad hoc positions — grew at a rate of 50 percent from 2005 to 2010, while the gig economy gained 9.4 million new workers, outpacing the U.S. economy as a whole. But there is still much not known about this rapidly expanding portion of the economy, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics stopped collecting data on gigs in 2005 and won’t b

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Automation, Evolved: Your New Playbook For Smarter Knowledge Work

Speaker: Frank Taliano

Document-heavy workflows slow down productivity, bury institutional knowledge, and drain resources. But with the right AI implementation, these inefficiencies become opportunities for transformation. So how do you identify where to start and how to succeed? Learn how to develop a clear, practical roadmap for leveraging AI to streamline processes, automate knowledge work, and unlock real operational gains.

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Is Being Closed On Thanksgiving The New Trend?

PYMNTS

Is closing on Thanksgiving day becoming the new being open on Thanksgiving day? This week, Mall of America, the nation’s largest shopping mall, announced it was bucking the recent trend of opening stores to shoppers on Thanksgiving. Instead, Mall of America said it would close on Thanksgiving so its 14,000 or so employees could have the day off to spend time with their family, although the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the more than 520 stores inside Mall of America will have the option

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Payments Takes The (NFL Football) Field

PYMNTS

Payments take the football field, but consumers call the plays. That’s how Dan Charron , EVP and Head of Global Business Solutions for First Data , sees it and how he describes the latest rollout of its commerce technology solution at CenturyLink Field Event Center and CenturyLink Field, home of the Seattle Seahawks , aimed at taking the fan experience to the next level.

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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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Weird Commerce: MUFON, Investigating UFOs Since 1969

PYMNTS

Ever seen a UFO? Could it have really been a bird, plane or you-know-who? That’s where 47-year-old nonprofit MUFON comes in to debunk or detail what you saw. “Sometimes, people say they saw a UFO, and immediately, people think they said, ‘I saw a flying saucer,’” said Rodger Roeser, spokesperson for MUFON, which literally investigates unidentified flying objects.

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Weird Commerce: Skulls Unlimited, A Living Company From Animal Remains

PYMNTS

Coyote, bobcat, armadillo and … human skulls. Perhaps counterintuitively, Skulls Unlimited , a company that sells skulls — yes, animal and human skulls — sees its biggest uptick in purchases closer to Christmas, rather than before Halloween. “This time of year, we start getting in more orders. Halloween, not as much, but most people looking for Halloween decorations quickly realize that we’re not offering skulls for that purpose,” said Josh Villemarette , co-owner and son of the fou

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Data Talks, CFOs Listen: Why Analytics Is The Key To Better Spend Management

Speaker: Claire Grosjean

Finance teams are drowning in data—but is it actually helping them spend smarter? Without the right approach, excess spending, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities continue to drain profitability. While analytics offers powerful insights, financial intelligence requires more than just numbers—it takes the right blend of automation, strategy, and human expertise.

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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

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Can Optimove Change The Apathetic CRM Space?

PYMNTS

Small and medium-sized businesses eager to attract and retain loyal customers are even more eager to harness the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Software based on these technologies can make predictions on customers’ behavior, assess their potential as repeat purchasers and automate communications that will stimulate buying behavior, or even do it for them.

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Ask The Doctor To Start Accepting Bitcoin As Payment

PYMNTS

Canadian startup Ask The Doctor announced Ask The Doctor To Start Accepting Bitcoin As Payment on Wednesday (Oct. 12) it is now accepting bitcoin as a new way to further help protect its patients’ privacy. In a press release , the company said that users can choose to pay for advice from a physician by bitcoin on Ask The Doctor’s desktop platform.

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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.

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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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Ringing In The eCommerce Christmas Season

PYMNTS

American consumers have big plans for the holiday season when it comes to their shopping, according to a report. A new survey by Deloitte revealed that 50 percent of shoppers plan to shop online for their holiday gifts, spending roughly half (47 percent) of their budget online. More than 5,000 consumers in the U.S. were surveyed, and the research showed that physical stores are not likely to see a surge in traffic. “Retailers must cater to that digital mindset long before someone walks int

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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.

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The True Face Of A Fraudster Mastermind

PYMNTS

Versatility is an attribute that many value — that kind of all-around utility player who can substitute for a key player or employee in a pinch. That’s also the skill set of the “Arch Fraudster,” which makes them efficient as a fraudster and a dangerous nemesis to the online retailer. In the most recent installment of the Meet The Fraudsters series, Gilit Saporta , senior fraud analyst at Forter , sheds light on this somewhat mysterious but dangerous fraudster profile.

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Forecasting Failures Are Costly: Heres How To Fix Them

Speaker: Dave Sackett

Traditional budgeting and forecasting methods can no longer keep pace with today’s rapidly evolving business environment. Static budgets, rigid annual forecasts, and outdated financial models limit an organization’s ability to adapt to market shifts and economic uncertainty. To stay ahead, finance leaders must leverage a future-forward approach—one that leverages real-time data, predictive analytics, and continuous planning to drive smarter financial decisions.

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Apple Pay, Masterpass Make It Into New York MTA’s Ticket App

PYMNTS

Apple Pay and Masterpass digital wallet technology are making their way to New York, with Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announcing the addition of the two payment methods to MTA eTix, the mobile ticketing app that enables Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road customers to buy tickets whenever they want. According to a report, starting Thursday (Oct. 6), customers will be able to use both services to buy one-way, round-trip, 10-trip, weekly and monthly passes and CityTickets on MTA eTix.

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Why Emburse Opened Its vCard Solution To Developers

PYMNTS

When expense management firm Emburse launched only a year ago, the company entered the market with a commercial card service, issuing virtual and physical prepaid debit cards for specific purchases in an effort to help companies more closely manage employee spend. But as the company has grown, so have its clients, said Cofounder Roger Gu in a recent interview with PYMNTS.

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Are Connected Devices Threatening Payment Security?

PYMNTS

When one door closes, another (connected) one opens. At least that may be the mindset for the cybercriminals reportedly flocking to connected devices as an entry point into the networks and systems of businesses. From Wi-Fi hotspots to printers, unsecured routers to digital video recorders — connected devices can be vulnerable to hacks and, when compromised, are being used by hackers to launch significant distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.

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Why Retailers Should Look For More From Their Vendors

PYMNTS

Out of the ever-growing list of things retailers have as priorities, stopping fraud — not selling more goods and services — has now claimed the online retailer’s top spot. That’s the finding of Forrester’s 2016 “State of Retail Payments 2016” report. Michael Reitblat , CEO of Forter , isn’t at all surprised. The mere increase in the number of fraud attempts year over year and quarter over quarter is enough to shake even the most hardened eTailer to her knees.

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Are Robots Replacing You? Keeping Humans in the Loop in Automated Environments

Speaker: Erroll Amacker

As businesses increasingly adopt automation, finance leaders must navigate the delicate balance between technology and human expertise. This webinar explores the critical role of human oversight in accounts payable (AP) automation and how a people-centric approach can drive better financial performance. Join us for an insightful discussion on how integrating human expertise into automated workflows enhances decision-making, reduces fraud risks, strengthens vendor relationships, and accelerates R

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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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RBS’ Small Business Scandal: What You Need To Know

PYMNTS

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) became the new face of scandal on Monday (Oct. 10) when leaked documents surfaced that seem to show new evidence the bank profited from the demise of small and medium-sized businesses. It’s a riveting saga involving allegations of an internal project codenamed “Dash For Cash,” emerging from internal documents obtained and outlined by BuzzFeed News and BBC “Newsnight.” But the story of claims that RBS gained from SME failures dates back t

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Etsy Partners With Adyen For Better Payment Processing

PYMNTS

Etsy buyers and sellers are about to get a boost in enhanced payment experience. Payments company Adyen announced crafting a global partnership with online marketplace Etsy, covering both the U.S. and European markets, as well as other key markets where Etsy maintains a presence. Peer-to-peer eCommerce site Etsy includes a marketplace of 1.7 million sellers offering unique, vintage and handmade items.

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Identifying What’s Next In Digital Identity

PYMNTS

If you’re playing the slots in Vegas this week, there’s a good chance they’re coming up: Biometrics; EMV chip cards; Mobile security. Again. And if you’ve been following the Digital Identity Tracker™ (or just the industry itself) in the 12 months since last year’s Money20/20 conference in Las Vegas, these three topics have been constant newsmakers, as security providers and businesses alike look to offer top-notch protections in an age of rising fraud and cybercrime.

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Book of Secrets on the Month-End Close

Based off SkyStem's popular e-Book, the book of secrets to the month-end close will be revealed in this one-hour webinar. Learn leading practices when it comes to building a strong and sustainable month-end close that has room to grow and evolve. Learn about the power of precise estimates, why reconciliations are critical to closing the books, how and when to automate, and how the chart of accounts play into your close process.