PYMNTS

AUGUST 6, 2018

It will never be said of Apple that they lacked a flair for the dramatic – and hitting the U.S. public market’s first $1 trillion market cap two decades after it stood on the brink of bankruptcy was a pretty good twist as far as endings go. Not all twist endings are good in payments and commerce, however. The consumers who thought they were buying from a real merchant only to find that it was a fraudster surely don’t like that last-minute reversal.

Forecasting 64

Forecasting Sales Numbers Marketing 64

PYMNTS

AUGUST 6, 2018

Billboards are not going gently into that good night. In fact, the old-fashioned form of outdoor advertising is winning over digital marketing heavyweights and finding ways to thrive in the online world. Examples abound. Amid data sharing and online privacy controversies, Facebook recently promoted on billboards what Bloomberg called the social media operator’s “new approach to user safety and privacy.

Advertising 62

Advertising Numbers Marketing Technology 62

PYMNTS

AUGUST 8, 2018

When it comes to the topic of future proofing, WePay Co-founder Rich Aberman told Karen Webster for this week’s edition of Unscripted Podcast, one should take all claims with an appropriate grain of salt. Depending on how long of a view one takes, the future will eventually find ways to turn left unexpectedly. But, he said, when it comes to the point-of-sale (POS) and future-proofing, an extremely important sea change has taken place.

Retail 60

Retail Sales Forecasting Marketing 60

PYMNTS

AUGUST 6, 2018

Grubhub made news a couple weeks ago when it simultaneously delivered a very strong Q2 2018 earnings report and announced the acquisition of LevelUp. The focus then and the subsequent coverage since has been on the positive impact of the LevelUp acquisition on Grubhub’s ability to diversify its platform offerings. With LevelUp, Grubhub can now offer restaurants that are part of its network order ahead/pickup in-store and new CRM/loyalty initiatives to their mobile wallets using LevelUp’s white l

Economics 50

Economics Sales Marketing CFO 50

Speaker: Michael Veatch, Senior Director, Implementations & Ella Aguirre, Director of Solution Consulting

Embedding payments can be a transformative step for software companies looking to enhance their platform capabilities, boost customer satisfaction, and drive long-term growth. However, the success of payments hinges on a single thing: implementation. Drawing on real-world insights and experiences, payments implementation experts Michael Veatch and Ella Aguirre will explore actionable strategies that can lead to a transparent, friction-free launch and mitigate potential challenges like technical

Investments

PYMNTS

AUGUST 8, 2018

In FinTech ‘s never-ending path to combating friction, B2B solution providers often take one of two approaches: design a holistic solution that allows a company to entirely replace an entire function with a single, streamlined tool, or design a solution that zeroes in on one particular point of friction that can seamlessly integrate into an organization’s existing operations and systems.

Invoicing 48

Invoicing Accounts Payable Communication B2B 48

PYMNTS

AUGUST 6, 2018

Digitally native brands are trying on a new brick-and-mortar model for size: Instead of opening the doors to cavernous stores, they are opting to create smaller-format locations. When Indochino made the transition from a digital-only to an omnichannel retailer, for example, the Canadian fashion brand opted to open smaller stores called showrooms, where customers can shop for made-to-order formalwear.

Retail 47

Retail Planning 47

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2018

Corporate travel platform Concur , owned by SAP , has integrated listings from home-sharing service Airbnb into its platform. A recent announcement from Concur said Concur Travel will now show listings available from Airbnb directly within its platform, making it the only corporate travel solution to do so, the company said. Airbnb listings will now appear alongside traditional hotels within the online travel booking solution operated by SAP Concur.

SAP 47

SAP Numbers Planning B2B 47

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2018

“How about waking up in the morning and asking Google Home or Amazon Alexa, or your mobile phone if you’re on the go, ‘Hey Google, hey Amazon, what are my deals for the day?’” asked Glenn Fodor, SVP and head of Information and Analytics Solutions at First Data. A new generation of retailers are making use of these new forms of customer data, and applying advanced technology like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to anticipate the types of products their customers will want to buy

Retail 46

Retail eCommerce Education Technology 46

PYMNTS

AUGUST 8, 2018

Starbucks brewed up a swirl of cryptocurrency intrigue last week. The coffee chain said it is among the companies that will work with Intercontinental Exchange’s planned digital asset company, Bakkt , “to create an integrated platform that enables consumers and institutions to buy, sell, store and spend digital assets on a seamless global network.”.

Currencies 46

Currencies Retail Planning 46

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

Accounting

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2018

Alternative lending player Skippr has landed new funding, a sign that investors are still supportive of the industry after concerns were raised over alternative finance’s high interest rates. Reports in the Australian Financial Review Monday (Aug. 6) said Skippr raised $11.8 million in debt and equity financing from SocietyOne and Andy Taylor, co-founder of Douugh.

Cash Flow Forecasting 46

Cash Flow Forecasting Invoicing Finance Forecasting 46

PYMNTS

AUGUST 6, 2018

China has ordered a lockdown of Beijing’s financial district Monday (August 6) to prevent individuals from protesting a crisis in the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending marketplace. According to a report in the Financial Times , hundreds of police officers and security guards gathered near the offices of banking and securities regulators, as well as the entrance to the underground train stop for the financial district.

Securities 46

Securities Finance Economics Banking 46

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2018

Visa announced Tuesday (August 7) that it has made an investment in and inked a partnership with Behalf, an Israeli startup. In a press release, Visa said the investment and partnership is aimed at supporting small business growth via easy-to-access capital and financing. Behalf provides working capital solutions for small businesses and flexible financing for business purchases.

Startups 45

Startups Investments Finance B2B 45

PYMNTS

AUGUST 9, 2018

U.S. Bank is reportedly looking to sell Elan, its card processing business, reported Fintech Futures. According to the report, Finastra, FIS and Fiserv are in the running to acquire the unit from U.S. Bank. Elan processes credit cards for 1,800 banks in the U.S., providing payment services, credit card issuing, prepaid card and ATM services as well as debit card processing.

Banking 45

Banking Communication Technology 45

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

Accounting

PYMNTS

AUGUST 10, 2018

As the digital economy expands, notions of ownership and loyalty change. The so-called sharing and gig economies enable consumers and workers to use products and take jobs without full commitment. Now a young company in Germany called Grover hopes to use a fresh investment worth about $47 million to expand its business of offering rentals of phones, consumer electronics, drones, gaming gear and other products to consumers and startups.

Retail 44

Retail Startups Credit Risk Education 44

PYMNTS

AUGUST 9, 2018

Businesses, get ready: The phishers are paying more attention to you. No company has ever been completely safe from criminals, whether it’s the type that steals in person or the hackers who do it digitally. But there is mounting evidence that phishers are turning more attention to enterprises and away from individuals — and at a time when pretty much every industry is moving away from a reliance on analog processes and toward more digitalization.

B2B 44

B2B Invoicing Education Securities 44

PYMNTS

AUGUST 8, 2018

Warnings from the Federal Bureau of Investigation have enterprises worried about cybersecurity — specifically, concerns about ransomware attacks. Business Email Compromise scams continue to grow and steal more corporate money than ever before. Phishing emails — 93 percent of which include ransomware, according to ITProPortal — should by no means be ignored.

Banking 44

Banking Securities Accounting B2B 44

PYMNTS

AUGUST 10, 2018

Positive Technologies researchers Leigh-Anne Galloway and Tim Yunusov are warning that new lower-cost payment systems could hurt companies because of security flaws that could enable hackers to steal credit card data or change the value of what people are purchasing. CNET reported the researchers released their findings during the Black Hat security conference being held this week in Las Vegas, saying hackers are targeting cheap card readers, which have gained in popularity because they are easy

Securities 44

Securities Sales Technology Planning 44

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Join us in this webinar, where we share best practices on how to think about the reconciliation work each month, when best to do reconciliations, how they should be prepared, and some common pitfalls to avoid. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how to properly prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and its impact on the financial statements.

Reconciliations

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2018

It can happen at the office. It can happen on Facebook and Pinterest. It can happen on a well-crafted blog designed to appeal to particular hobbyists, or an event and ticketing website, or an online platform devoted to travel. It can happen pretty much anywhere, given the right tools. And the people who try it seem to really, really like it — which signals good news for merchants and payments providers in the coming years.

Retail 44

Retail Securities Technology eCommerce 44

PYMNTS

AUGUST 8, 2018

Successful innovation is all about operationalization. The good news is that the path to operationalizing innovation looks remarkably similar for all financial institutions (FIs). Whether FIs are big or small, operationalizing innovation comes down to executing on the same four key tenets , starting with making innovation a mindset. FIs must take this mindset and bring it into every aspect of their processes, operationalizing it to align with a tangible business agenda and inform the other thre

Technology 43

Technology Accounting Planning Banking 43

PYMNTS

AUGUST 10, 2018

A new report has found that over 33 billion records will be stolen by cybercriminals in 2023 alone. The new findings gathered by Juniper Research and published in its report, “The Future of Cybercrime & Security: Threat Analysis, Impact Assessment & Leading Vendors 2018-2023,” shows that there will be a staggering increase of 175 percent in cybercrime in 2023.

Financial Data 43

Financial Data Securities Numbers Marketing 43

PYMNTS

AUGUST 10, 2018

Singapore’s FinTech scene is booming: Funding for the burgeoning sector in the island country topped nearly a billion dollars in 2017, reaching $983.6 million that year. Hong Kong, by comparison, saw $596.8 million in funding for FinTechs at the time. Singapore overtook Hong Kong in FinTech funding in 2016. In that year, Singapore pulled ahead of Hong Kong with $310.5 million in funding compared to Hong Kong’s $191.2 million.

Marketing 42

Marketing Startups Education Banking 42

Speaker: David Warren and Kevin O’Neill Stoll

Transitioning to a usage-based business model offers powerful growth opportunities but comes with unique challenges. How do you validate strategies, reduce risks, and ensure alignment with customer value? Join us for a deep dive into designing effective pilots that test the waters and drive success in usage-based revenue. Discover how to develop a pilot that captures real customer feedback, aligns internal teams with usage metrics, and rethinks sales incentives to prioritize lasting customer eng

Sales

PYMNTS

AUGUST 8, 2018

There are brands that claim to take the customer experience to the max — and then there are brands that redefine what exactly the max means. Chubbies is among the latter. Chubbies takes its customer community seriously, and it makes it very clear that this is well beyond a marketing ploy. When one teenaged customer wrote to the brand to complain about his beloved Chubbies shorts, which had been pilfered from his locker by a local bully, Chubbies sprang into action.

Education 42

Education Retail Marketing Finance 42

PYMNTS

AUGUST 7, 2018

It was once the (stereotypical) realm of ambitious teenagers and refuse-to-grow-up rockers and stoners who either needed extra bucks or found it too … uh … challenging to land better jobs. These days, however, food delivery means digital technology, entrepreneurship and global acquisition activity — and reasonable questions about how this will all shake out in the coming few years.

Sales 42

Sales Entertainment Startups Investments 42

PYMNTS

AUGUST 10, 2018

To help drive customers to its online ordering system, McDonald’s is rolling out a free food “for life” promotion. The winner will score a McGold Card that gives two free meals a week over a 50-year period, USA Today reported. According to the contest’s website , the prize is worth $52,350. The contest kicks off on Friday (August 10) and concludes later in the month.

Currencies 42

Currencies Retail 42

PYMNTS

AUGUST 10, 2018

Brick-and-mortar retailers have sought to reduce their retail footprint in hard times, and Mattress Firm, Inc. is no exception. The brand could close between 600 to 1,000 of its 3,000 locations this year, according to some predictions – and is reportedly considering bankruptcy, people familiar with the matter have told Reuters. Steinhoff International Holdings NV, which acquired the company in 2016, has reportedly sought to restructure some of its subsidiaries’ debt.

Retail 42

Retail Planning Restructuring eCommerce 42

Speaker: Mark Stovel

When it comes to automating, many firms focus on finding the latest tech, believing that efficiency is something achieved through new tools. Yet true efficiency is achieved by delivering real value to clients, not merely by upgraded systems. Without a clear approach, no level of automation can overcome the complexities of serving every client’s needs.

Marketing