POS News Archives

Welcome to the archives for POS News in Brief prepared and emailed once a month. Following is a list of items and articles from previous issues.

January 2012

Visa Announces Chip Card Plan
Visa has been talking with clients and merchants on this subject - and now more than ever before, they're hearing confirmation that chip is the right direction for the U.S.

Washington Takes a Second Look at Durbin
While Congress clearly intended to exempt these smaller institutions from the cap on interchange fees, it's clear the Durbin Amendment will have unintended costly consequences for constituents and their checking accounts.

NRF Sues Fed Over Durbin Regs
The Federal Reserve's final rule, which went into effect Oct. 1, 2011, limits the debit card interchange fee to 21 cents plus a small allowance for fraud prevention. 

Credit Card Interest Rates Hit Record High
Even as Americans continue to swipe more plastic, credit card companies are still trying to attract greater numbers of users, reportedly hoping to make up for revenue lost in the aftermath of the financial crisis. 

California Lucky's Unfortunate Breach
Self-checkout POS terminals in 23 Northern California Lucky Supermarkets stores were tampered with to allow thieves to collect card and PIN number data and steal thousands of dollars.

Where's the Durbin Discount? 
Research found no evidence of any savings being passed along to consumers in the form of lower prices as a result of the Durbin amendment price controls.

Contactless Payments Questions and Answers 
This document was developed by the Smart Card Alliance to address questions about contactless payment security.

Fraud Trends in 2012
In this age of technology, personal cardholder information such as credit card data is more vulnerable to fraudsters and computer hackers.

SMBs: Security Must Become Serious
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) still need to take action to step up compliance measures.

QR - Codes The New Call to Action
Many POS terminals, printers, card terminals and cash registers now offer the ability to print graphics on every receipt.

Experts Discuss the Future of Mobile Payments
A barrier is most merchants haven't acquired the technology needed to process mobile payments and that consumer demand will pique merchant interest in adopting mobile technology. 

All-In-One Payment Platform
According to the company, it's the first single-source payment capture and management platform of its kind.

Verifone Engages Shoppers in The Aisle 
Systems equipped with credit card readers are being utilized to ensure sales associates are able to quickly engage and satisfy customer purchase needs, rather than asking them to wait in line at the cash register. 

December 2011

Consumers Holiday Spending Study
This holiday season will see the balance of power continue to tip in favor of the consumer.

Earnings Indicate Strong Payments Industry
Reports released by major card brands and payment processors show continued growth in earnings and transaction volume. 

Turbulence Expected For 1099-k Reporting
The reporting requirements set forth under IRS Code Section 6050W have been the source of much consternation for an industry still reeling from the financial sting of Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) compliance.

Summary Judgements Sought in Interchange Case
Interchange fees are in the tens of billions of dollars per year going back to Jan 4, 2004. The law allows for treble damages.

6050w - What Is It?  The IRS said it intends to use the information - submitted using IRS Form 1099-K - to help identify underreporting of income on those businesses' yearly tax filings.

Section 6050w Relief
The IRS realized many organizations were not ready to fully comply for tax year 2011, so it is allowing a good-faith-effort relief on penalties and withholding. 

Seven Trends to Watch and Act On
Understanding and basing business decisions on current and emerging consumer trends is a must to remain relevant to consumers and fend off new competition.

Mobile Banking App Usage Increases 45%
The investments in mobile made by financial services institutions, along with the continued growth in smartphone adoption, have had a truly positive effect on the use of mobile financial services. 

Oh, Duh! Payments' Most Obvious (Yet Overlooked) Best Practice
Sometimes it helps to be reminded of the stunningly obvious. 

Transit Agencies Buy Contactless Systems
These cities promise to put about 50 million contactless bankcards in riders' pockets
and teach them how to tap and pay as well.

Holiday Gift Cards Get Personal
As retailers begin to execute year-end strategies with expectations of ringing up robust sales this holiday season, many are tapping on-demand channels to bolster bottom lines.

Cloud-Based POS Comes in Three Flavors
Developed as a cloud-based, SaaS model, enables merchants to process payments, manage inventory and maintain real-time reporting.

2012: The Year Mobile Payments Go Maintstream
It seems quite possible that 2012 will be the year when mobile payments finally take off in the United States.

The First Google Wallet Customer Seinfeld's George Costanza discovers the Google wallet...VIDEO:)

November 2011

New Visa, MasterCard Rates Take Effect
The new Visa Inc. rate schedule made modifications in 19 prepaid interchange categories. MasterCard now has two new interchange rate programs...

D-Day For Debit Cards?
When the history of the payments industry is updated, Oct. 1, 2011, is apt to stand out as D-Day.

Annual Holiday Survey
Nearly three out of five (59 percent) will put aside economic worries and spend the same or more this holiday season.

Free Checking Plummets 40 Percent
Overdraft charges, meanwhile, reached record levels for a 13th consecutive year. ATM fees also increased for a 7th straight year.

Operation Swiper Succeeds
This is by far the largest - and certainly among the most sophisticated - identity theft/credit card fraud cases that law enforcement has come across.  

Potential Effects of An Increase in Debit Card Fees
If the cost of using debit cards rises, consumers are more likely to substitute credit cards for some of their debit card transactions.

Durbin Impact Insights
Some merchant segments are seeing substantial benefits. But not all card-accepting businesses are faring well.   

Will Merchants Pass On Savings?
Observers have pointed out that merchants themselves may not receive the full benefit of the Fed interchange cap, since some acquirers may not pass on the full amount to their merchant clients.

60 Million Underbanked Generated 45 Billion $ 
Not only is there a substantial need for financial products and services to serve the underbanked population, but a significant revenue opportunity in providing them.

Big Brands Buck Daily Deals
Some merchants complain that daily deals generate losses because consumers rarely return to pay full price.   

Square Versus the Payments World
Recently, Square's vulnerability was demonstrated again, not by VeriFone but by nonpartisan individuals who, once again, hacked the Square reader.

NCR to Help Merchants Drive Consumer Engagement
Integration will provide customers with the ability to grow incremental revenue, enhance cross-selling capabilities and drive consumer engagement.

GoPayment App Available at Verizon Wireless Stores
The card reader simply plugs into the audio jack of a supported smartphone or tablet.

Look Ma, No Hands! 
If both the merchant and customer have this app, the consumer can just say his or her name to complete the purchase.

October 2011

Verifone Completes Acquisition of Hypercom  
The new and improved VeriFone represents tremendous product and services diversification.

Suit Initiated Against Visa and MasterCard 
Claims the two card companies are infringing on its patent by selling contact and contactless credit card systems that use data cards that help to establish a connection to a network.    

Free Checking Plummets 40% in 2 Years 
Only 45% of noninterest checking accounts remain complimentary, as compared to 76% just two years ago. 

Like the Energizer Bunny, They Just Keep Going 
Checks enjoy near universal acceptance, they clear quickly and efficiently, and they're cheap to use from the consumer's perspective.

Mobile Prepaid Builds Bridge for Underbanked 
The upward trend in general purpose reloadable prepaid card usage, and the resulting familiarity of that product among the financially underserved, suggests that GPR cards represent an "important piece" in the mobile payment equation.

Making Use of Receipt Real Estate 
Unlike traditional advertisements, the receipt actually leaves the store and stays with the customer. This means information printed on the receipt will catch the eye of customers and could compel them to action.

ROAM Take Number One Market Position  Announced that it has become the #1 provider of secure mobile phone card readers in the world.

Who Should Win Your mPayments Trust
Making that leap of faith to yet a new world of commerce seems a lot easier to make with a brand that has had our backs, so to speak, for a very long time when it comes to payments and payments security.

Even Great Payments Ideas Crash and Burn
Entrepreneurs with "great ideas" for multi-sided platforms routinely fail because they haven't figured out how to reach critical mass.

Passing Fad or Market Changer?
With one swipe,using a smart phone, a merchant captures encrypted payment information that initiates transaction processing and simultaneously updates inventory.

Peering Into Payments Not So Crystal Ball
The credit concept has been around for centuries. Back in the 1800s, general stores allowed customers to purchase products and services without paying for them in full.   

A Gateway to Profit? The current version processes credit card and check transactions, but future releases will include gift card processing, electronic check conversion, PIN-based debit and recurring billing.

 The World's Swankiest Credit Card  A perfect credit score may not help you "score" one of the most exclusive and elusive credit cards known to be in circulation. 

September 2011

Visa to Lower Fixed and Variable Processing Fees 
Visa Inc. will lower fixed and variable processing fees and reach out to more merchants in an effort to keep its leadership in the U.S. debit card industry. 

MasterCard Reports Second Quater Results 
Net revenue for the second quarter of 2011 was $1.7 billion, a 22.1% increase versus the same period in 2010.   

Visa, MasterCard Settle with Justice Department
They agree to allow merchants to tell customers the estimated or actual costs to the merchant when a customer uses a particular type of card.

Attack Compromised Numerous e-Commerce Websites 
The attackers inserted an iframe that leads to certain URLs in each of these sites, triggering several redirections.  

Starbucks Loyalty Card Has Record Breaking Q3 
Starbucks continues to offer one of the largest mobile payment retailer networks.

Justice Dept. Reaches Settlement with VeriFone and Hypercom 
VeriFone and Hypercom together control more than 60 percent of the U.S. market for the POS terminals used by the largest retailers. They are two of only three substantial sellers of other types of POS terminals.   

IRS Says No Merchant Fees for 1099K Reporting
The Internal Revenue Service indicated charging merchants for production or verification of taxpayer identification numbers (TINs) and business names, or for processing and filing 1099-K forms, is not allowed. 

This Company Exempt from Durbin Regulations 
Regulation has been the elephant in the room as it relates to the company's story for the past few months. But, after reviewing the Durbin rule, Green Dot concluded it would be exempt from it.

TIN Matching: A Problem with Solutions 
Noncompliance can result in backup withholding of up to 28 percent of the noncompliant merchant's gross receipts.     

Gift Card Potential Still Untapped! 
Gift cards offer merchants the opportunity to attract new customers and build better, more sticky relationships.

Regulatory Burdens Become a Competitive Advantage 
For some, this is another example of restrictive bureaucracy that hinders business; for others it's an opportunity to take advantage of a new climate of increased customer service. 

Verizon to Integrate American Express  
Verizon Wireless customers will be able to establish Serve accounts that will enable them to make payments and redeem offers for goods and services directly from their mobile phones and tablets.

RIM to Debut First Blackberry with Built-In NFC Support BlackBerry smartphones to include built-in support for Near Field Communications, a new technology that is enabling many new and exciting capabilities.

Aiming to Change CNP Landscape 
New technology developed by a Mountain View, Calif., is designed to turn online card-not-present (CNP) transactions into online card-present transactions.

Mobile POS with Tableside Manners 
A new mobile POS solution from pcAmerica has joined the ranks of innovators making it possible for wait staff to place orders and process payments tableside.

Bernie Madoffs Clothes Sewn and Sold as iPad Cases 
For $250 to $500, you can now have a piece of Bernie Madoff's lifestyle. Well, former lifestyle. 

August 2011

First Data Releases June 2011 SpendTrend 
Credit surpassed all other payment types for the second consecutive month as consumers increasingly have been purchasing non-discretionary goods on credit.

Credit Card Use is Exploding Again  
Consumers in the U.S. are increasingly using credit cards to pay for basic necessities as income gains fail to keep pace with rising food and fuel prices. 

Fed Sets Debit Interchange at 21 Cents 
Under the new and final rule, issuers will receive about 24 cents from the average $38 debit card transaction. The new transaction fee will go into effect Oct. 1, 2011. 

Women Owned Small Businesses Faring Better 
Sales Report indicates the nation's women-owned small businesses are experiencing less of a decline during this recession than men-owned small businesses.

List of Banks Exempt From New Debit Interchange Standards 
Here's the Federal Reserve Board lists of institutions that are subject to, and exempt from, the debit card interchange fee standards

Social Media: Putting Your Company's Best Face Forward  
While most people have dabbled in social media in their personal lives, using these new tools to your company's best advantage is even more important.   

New Alternative Currencies   
It is reported that there are over four thousand privately issued currencies around the world!  

The Three R's of Text Message Marketing 
Mobile marketing removes the necessity of having to clip and carry paper offers, which adds convenience for consumers that encourages mobile coupon redemption. 

Are You Ready For the NFC Paradigm Shift?  
NFC is an interactive, multi-use technology that makes it possible to integrate contactless payment with intelligence embodied in a smart phone.  

$100 Million for SQUARE Means Change for Low-End Payments 
Its signature card reader attaches to smart phones and iPads to allow consumers to pay for purchases using smart phones. 

Electronic Billing for SMBs 
This web-based invoicing and billing system is ready to roll out to small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) on a much larger scale.   

Is the New AMEX Prepaid Card a Game Changer? 
When it comes to the fees they charge consumers, the new offering from American Express Co. simplifies the fee structure and provides what the card brand believes is an unbeatable value proposition. 

Prepaid Electricity 
For new customers, the cards come preloaded with $30 of energy time that can be immediately inputted onto the meter.

July 2011

Recap: Fed Finalizes New Debit Rules  
The Final Rule sets a cap of 21 cents on transactions that fall within its scope, plus 5 basis points on the transaction value.

Feds Final Debit Rules: Did Anyone Win? 
There's going to be a lot of discussion about who "won" the fierce battle over debit interchange regulation. The answer: NO ONE!

Varied Voices on Final Debit Regs 
From questions to impassioned comments, writers share their thoughts on this pivotal industry ruling. Check out the reactions thus far! 

Highlights from the Debit Debate: A Timeline Retrospective 
As the Federal Reserve announces its final ruling regarding new debit interchange fee regulations, let's take a look back at how we got to where we are today. 

Discover Reports Record Income  
Card sales volume showed strong year-over-year growth of 9% with $25 billion in volume in the 2nd. quarter.  

Dangers of Assuming Invincibility 
Smith Corona was very, very proud of its history of innovation. It was the first typewriter to have uppercase and lowercase letters and the first to miniaturize the machines so that they were portable. But, it was the last to see that computing would put it out of business about a decade later.

The Customer As the Advisor 
Build strong relationships with customers by understanding how to use social media to create a sense of community.   

Growing Need for Alternative Payments 
While credit cards continue to be the top online payment choice, consumers are increasingly demanding multiple payment options...

Wising Up About Smart Phone Security 
It seems inevitable that mobile smart phone payments will become commonplace. But smart phones come with inherent security vulnerabilities since they are not specifically designed to make or accept payments.

New Addition to Merchant Resource Center 
We have added a link to the Merchant Resource Center that takes you right to the Android Marketplace, includes the new transaction processing apps.

How Terminals Have Evolved
The market for countertop terminals remains strong, and the units themselves have evolved in parallel with changing consumer behavior. Many new offerings in the countertop terminal family require little to no training and come with factory-loaded applications and overnight replacement guarantees.

Gift Card Services on Facebook Platform 
provides retailers and partners with a vehicle for purchasing and delivering digital gift cards and offering loyalty and marketing programs on the popular Facebook Platform, which provides access to more than 500 million members and an unparalleled consumer brand interaction.

Intuit Introduces Mobile Banking App for Android Devices 
They've introduced a mobile banking application that makes it easier for Android™ smartphone users to run credit card transactions from their mobile devices. 

The Hybrid Card as An Asset Builder
One strategy for helping unbanked and underbanked individuals build credit histories without requiring access to credit cards or bank accounts is to employ hybrid prepaid cards.

June 2011

Bernanke: Debit Interchange Proposal may Cause Banks to Fail 
The Fed's proposed debit interchange regulation caps swipe fees at 12 cents for transaction except for issuers with assets under $10 billion.

Financial Official Sees Dodd-Frank Rollback 
The head of a financial industry group said he's optimistic that Congress will soon roll back a provision that curbs the fees banks charge for debit-card transactions.

Lawsuit to Stop Verifone from Buying Hypercom 
Assistant Attorney General says, "The combination of VeriFone and Hypercom would likely lead to retailers paying higher prices for POS terminals,"

Indictment Halts the Action for Poker Sites  
Three of the largest online poker companies, their associates and payment processors were indicted on charges of fraud, illegal gambling and money laundering.

Florida Investigates Prepaid Card Industry 
The attorney general issued subpoenas to force the companies to divulge information about hidden fees they possibly charge on prepaid debit cards.

Four Approaches to Mobile Payments 
Consumers expect to have all information readily available at their fingertips. This usually comes in some way, shape, or form on a mobile device.

Integrated Systems Create a New POS Paradigm 
This whole phenomenon of weaving together in real time, no matter where we happen to be physically on the planet, has given us the greatest opportunity that we've ever had in the electronic transactions space.

Dialed Back or No Dial Tone 
Is there something else in it for merchants that merchants are going to invest in new point-of-sale equipment, in retraining their clerks and in disrupting the flow at the checkout counter?

Technology Game Changers 
Emerging technologies, social media and mobility are changing every aspect of work and play, including how we communicate, transact, and share information and services. These technologies are also widening the playing field for electronic transactions.

Separating Fantasy from Reality 
There are a few simple rules for sorting out the plausible from the implausible.

Texting for Redemption 
For instance, a merchant could key in a message to send customers a message saying, "We miss you. We've added $2 into your account. Thanks for being a great customer."  

Google NFC Mobile Wallet at Center Stage  
Google Wallet uses near field communication (NFC) to make secure payments fast and convenient by simply tapping the phone on any PayPass-enabled terminal at checkout.

PayPal, Discover Launch Money Messenger 
A free application that allows card customers to transfer money on Discover.com or by using a smart phone. 

Tapping the Government and Education Markets   
While card company rules vary, a provision exists whereby public agencies and educational institutions can charge a convenience fee to cardholders who have chosen to opt in. 

 

May 2011

Latest Interchange Increases - Waving a Red Flag? 
This increase could have a noticeable impact on a retailer's monthly processing costs.

Bipartisan Effort to Change Durbin 
The Fed's two suggestions in response to Durbin both have a limit of 12 cents per transaction for signature and PIN.

Durbin Amendment Regs Delayed Temporarily 
After being inundated with more than 11,000 letters, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said in a recent letter to Congress that staffers need more time to review and consider issues raised.

Hip To Be Square? Why Visa Thinks So 
Square was a lot more than a small, white dongle that plugged into the top of the phone.

Gift Cards are Going Digital 
Here are a few predictions for how the Digital Age will affect gifting...

Adopting Mobile - When, Where and How 
Electronics payment processors like MasterCard Inc. and Visa Inc. are trying to adapt to new technologies for making purchases.

Payment Fraud - Rising to the Challenge 
The indirect costs like customer churn can have a huge impact on a breached company's bottom line.

Here's What a Card Skimmer Looks Like on a ATM
Skimming is one of the oldest types of fraud involving credit and debit cards. Here's amazing photos of an actual device.

The Convergence of Traditional and Alternative Payments 
A number of trends are driving the use of alternative payment methods and the proliferation of companies that offer them.

The Disruption Leader
Transactions that were traditionally done by cash or check can be done in many other ways, including online and via mobile phones.

MasterCard Launches ATM Hunter for Android Smart Phones   
The app lets users quickly and easily find the nearest ATM no matter where they are in the world.

GoPayment App for iPad Now Available
New iPad app can help just about anyone who needs an easy and affordable way to process credit cards while on the go.

Mobile Payment Debuts Nationally at Starbucks  
Starbucks anticipates mobile payment will be a draw for customers looking to experience the speed, ease and convenience of paying with their mobile phone.

Treasury Moves to Electronic Payments
Those already receiving checks must switch to direct deposit by March 1, 2013. 

April 2011

Congress Pressured to Reconsider Interchange Caps 
As the clock ticks down to the start of interchange regulation, pressure is mounting on Congress and the Federal Reserve Board staff to put the brakes on a plan to cap debit card interchange.

Merchant Coalition Backs Interchange Overhaul  
We've seen those fees triple in the past 10 years, even though the cost of actually processing those transactions has gone down.   

IRS Charges a Processing Fee for Paying Taxes With a Credit Card  
Americans are unaware that the IRS charges a processing fee for people who pay their taxes with a credit card.   

New Card Fee Rules Could Swell Ranks of Americas Unbanked  
As reality sets in, there's a growing sense that the so-called Durbin Amendment to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, does anything but protect consumers.

The Economy in Recovery   
With more than 18 months of slow-paced, but fairly consistent growth in many areas behind us, it seems safe to say the economy is clearly in recovery mode.  

MasterCard Reports Financial Results  
MasterCard today announced financial results for the fourth quarter 2010. The company reported net income of $415 million, up 41.2%, and earnings per diluted share of $3.16, up 41.1%, in each case versus the year-ago period.

Credit Card Spending Increases  
Consumer credit card activity was up during December 2010 and January 2011. And some industry experts feel this may indicate consumer confidence is on the rise.

Square vs. Verifone 
Verifone calls on Square to recall its products because they are insecure and pose a great threat to the payment industry.

New IRS Reporting Requirements  
As of Jan. 1, 2011, providers of credit and debit card settlement services must keep track of gross transaction totals, by individual merchant, for annual reports to the IRS.

Are You Missing The Mobile Payment Train  
The ability to accept credit card payments while on the go is essential today, and merchants are losing sales if they aren't taking advantage of mobile payment opportunities.   

Our Next Alternative Currency?  
With the fusion of online shopping and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, we are moving away from tangible currency at a blinding speed. When will the day come when cash and credit cards are actually the alternative options?

Square Gaining Momentum Despite Security Concerns
Platform for credit and debit card acceptance uses a mini square-shaped credit card reader that plugs into the headphone jack of a smart phone or electronic tablet.

Mobile Payment Apps Developed for Android 
GoPayment makes it easier and quicker for people and businesses selling products or services to process credit card payments no matter where they are.  

HP Prepaid Card Services  
Silicon Valley pioneer recently it added prepaid card programs to its product portfolio.

#1 MasterCard and Visa Go Public 
Concluding the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade

Girl Scout Cookie Sales Go Mobile  
For the first time, two Girl Scout councils are now prepared to accept credit card payments via smart phones to help enhance their cookie sales.

March 2011

Something Anyone Who Takes Credit Cards Should Worry About 
California Supreme Court decision addresses whether Credit Card Act prohibits businesses from requesting and recording a customer's ZIP code during a credit card transaction.

Will the GOP Attempt to Repeal the Dodd-Frank Bill? 
Many wonder if the power change might impact the recently signed Dodd-Frank financial overhaul legislation.

Repeal Unlikely, Interchange Changes Possible 
Otto von Bismark once said, "Laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made." So you might want to skip this. 

Feds Proposed Interchange Cap Dings Amex 
American Express Co. was the latest card issuer to take a hit in the aftermath of the proposal to regulate debit interchange fees.

Chip and Pin Versus Magstripe Debated 
The question is whether chip and PIN technology will ever supplant magnetic stripe technology in the United State.  

Merchant Sues US Bank   
The complaint against U.S. Bank asserts that the bank allowed compromised card accounts to remain active and didn't notify affected cardholders.

Discovers Zip Cards Ready For Prime Time 
The payment device is a plastic card or a sticker that can be applied to a mobile phone or any personal item.

Checks Give Way to Debit Cards 
Study show the continued move from checks to electronic means of making payments, and extraordinary progress made in electronifying the clearing process.  

Will Mobile Marketing Drive Mobile Payments 
Multiple mobile marketing approaches range from barcodes, numbered coupons, text messages, sticker-based loyalty programs, to NFC-wallets.  

Payment Prognostications for 2011  
Rampant confusion and misinformation exist out there regarding the "next big thing" in in payments.  

Fraud: What to Expect in 2011  
Every year, losses grow as cybercrimes become more sophisticated. The key for is to know the top fraud trends and how to respond to them.

Reading the Tea Leaves on Apple and NFC 
Rumors that Apple Inc. will introduce contactless payment enabling near field communication (NFC) technology in its new versions of the iPad and iPhone are more than speculation.

VeriFone Announces Payware Mobile 
In addition to in-store mobile applications, the solution is supported for remote payment acceptance outside of store environments.

Under the Hood of Hybrid Cards  
A variation is a card with "multipurse" wallet functionality - the ability to have more than one account or "purse" on the card.

Payments On the Fly  
Application allows merchants to set up subaccounts where field agents can log in to run transactions, which are automatically sent to the merchant's master account through a secure gateway.

The Marriage of Mobile and Payments  
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade.

 

Best of Innovations Winner  
Card will feature two buttons on the front of the card that allows customers a new way to redeem reward points with the push ofa button at the time of checkout.

February 2011

Fed Puts a Smile On the Faces of Merchants 
The Fed proposal last Thursday, if it or anything close to it becomes the rule of the land, will lead to radical changes in how the payment card industry does business.

Proposal Overlooks Consumer Interests
The Fed regulation  has some obvious appeal in its administrative simplicity. But this simplicity masks the main problem with the Proposal: it fails to account for the realities of debit card payments and seemingly ignores the interests of consumers.  

Fed Reserve Releases 2010 Payments Study
The organization this month published its fourth report in a series of triennial examinations regarding trends in noncash payments in the United States. Here are some of the highlights...

Has Gift Card Industry Reached Turning Point
Consumers are adding value to reloadable, merchant-branded gift cards more often, but are not adding more money per card. It may be one indication that it is time for gift card providers and merchants to rethink how they market gift card programs.

Prepaid Cards November 2010 Analysis
Tracks U.S. same-merchant activations, redemptions and reloads of merchant-branded prepaid cards, including spending, gift, incentive and promotional cards.

Feds Debit Proposal Your Questions Answered
What are the impacts of the fact that 7-12 cents per trans doesn't consider/include risk? And other issues.

Innovation in Prepaid
Innovation in the marketplace occurs from deep understanding by innovators of their customers - their problems and needs, expressed or not. 

The Patent Quest
Getting a patent has never been easy, no matter what field the inventor belongs to. To be approved for patenting, an invention must pass four basic requirements...

Automated But Not Ignored Billing  
Using a vast bed of data culled from the transaction information of the millions of merchants it serves, First Data Corp. has developed a three-pronged reporting suite called Information & Analytics Services.

P2P Goes National
Thanks to a national rollout, cash payments may be transferred digitally between two users for a flat rate of 25 cents per transaction.

Debit Takes the Plastic Throne in the US
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade.

New Credit Card Generates Passwords
It's helping move the industry off the dumb, mag stripe, flat form to something that's more secure, more intelligent and offers more services.

January 2011

Holiday Momentum Holds Steady in Retail Sales
SpendingPulse, a macroeconomic report tracking national retail and services sales, provided summary results for the holiday shopping season.

Debit Card Interchange Fees Plummet
Twelve cents per transaction is the most banks will collect from merchants under the rules suggested by the Federal Reserve Board staff.

Twelve Cents per Transaction Tops
Would set a maximum of 12 cents per transaction for debit cards with no apparent distinction between signature and PIN.

Lawsuit Challenges Durbin Amendment
Complaint alleges that the Durbin Amendment drastically limits the types and amount of costs that a bank may recover from retailers for debit transactions.

Credit Cards Slammed, Plunge More Than 12%
Visa, MasterCard plunged more than 12% in New York trading after the Federal Reserve Board proposed rules that may slash debit-card interchange fees by 90%.

Fraud Trends in 2010
The number of fraudsters has grown exponentially within the last five years, and they have become more sophisticated in how they steal and sell credit card information.

Will Smart Phones Drive Out Plastic Cards?
You can look at smart phones as finally having delivered a level of technology that works with NFC and that consumers have confidence will work.

Cash Still Standing Its Ground
Despite decades of innovation and public relations campaigns promoting electronic payments, cash is still the most popular way to transfer monetary value in most parts of the world.

Keeping Merchants In The Know
Merchant University is a website designed to educate merchants about the various facets of the complex and often confusing payments industry.

Have NFC Payments Reached Tipping Point?
It shows that NFC is becoming real, and that it is finally going to go commercial very soon - in months.

Visa Mobile Contacless Certified for Use
The compliance testing process for mobile devices includes extensive technical, security and usability testing with respect to the Visa mobile payment functionality.

iPhone Terminal With Gateways Galore
With the first keystroke the program begins the authentication process, so the merchant knows if a card number is valid even before submitting the transaction.

The New Kid on the Block: PayPal
Continuing the Series: Great Develpments in Payments During the Last Decade.

Prepaid Part of New Fare System
System will allow mass transit users to use traditional, network-branded credit and debit cards to purchase fares.

December 2010

Verifone to Buy Rival Hypercom
VeriFone Group, the San Jose provider of electronic payment systems, intends to buy Phoenix rival Hypercom in a deal worth...

Criminals Submitting False Credits to Debit Cards
Fraudulent credit transactions make it look like a credit for returned merchandise has been applied to a customer's debit card. In reality, no merchandise was ever sold and the funds go to the criminals' own debit cards...

Amex, the DOJ Settlement Holdout
For the time being, merchants who accept Visa and MasterCard can implement the new settlement rules right away, but merchants who take AmEx along with the other brands cannot.

Processor Argues Against Video Game Regulation
As a provider of on-demand strategic billing for marketing and sales that manages subscriptions and on-time payments for online merchants, Vindicia has a vested interest in the outcome of the case.

Major Jump in US Fraud Predicted
A new study from payment security firm Retail Decisions Inc. indicates card-not-present fraud levels are rising in the United States but are declining in the United Kingdom - trends that might be correlated.

2010 Chase Pulse Index
The Pulse Index is an annual tracking of shopping activity during the holiday season. From November through January, Chase Paymentech monitors the daily settlement activity of 50 of the largest 250 Internet retailers.

The Low-Fee Future for Prepaid
According to a Consumers Union report, demand and market competition will force issuers and program managers to reduce the amount and cost of fees.

Going to That Process in The Sky
While the concept might not be lofty, hosted payment services are becoming increasingly popular with merchants.

Insights On Payment Innovation
Here are some of the more memorable takeaways from a panel on Innovation in Payments as part of Harvard Business School's 16th annual Cyberposium.

Proximity Payments a Big Issue
We face many pressing issues these days, and one of them has to do with how to conduct payments in mobile and card-not-present environments.

Automated But Not Ignored Billing
Using a vast bed of data culled from the transaction information of the millions of merchants it serves, First Data Corp. has developed a three-pronged reporting suite.

Innovation Driven by Prepaid Cards
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade.

Electronic Wallets Coming to a Phone Near You
For years, industry pundits have talked about the day when the ubiquitous mobile phone would function as an electronic wallet for any payment cards consumers or business travelers would want to use...

November 2010

Financial Reform Bill Passes - What Now?
Key component gives the Federal Reserve the power to cap interchange rates on debit card purchases at a level commensurate with the costs of processing those transactions.

Debit Surcharges Targeted by California Lawmakers
On one side stand proponents of a California State Senate bill designed to prevent merchants from applying fees to debit and prepaid card purchases.

Coupons.com Surpasses 1 Million Downloads
App allows users to access, browse and select offers from Coupons.com, including coupons they can print for redemption.

Bad Apple Security Defect Discovered
Citigroup Inc. is urging U.S. customers to switch to its new mobile banking application for Apple Inc.'s iPhone due to a security glitch in the first release.

Targeted Strategies to Drive Debit Growth
Debit makes up 73% of total card spend for subprime users, but only 28% for superprime...not surprising, given the greater difficulty consumers with lower credit ratings have gaining access to credit.

Do Credit Cards Take a Swipe at Low Income Households?
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston released a study recently that is sure to generate a lot of debate among credit card holders, issuers, networks and consumer activists.

Is Behavioral Economics In-Control?
MasterCard's new In-Control Card (the name speaks for itself but more details in their Product Profile)--illustrates the good side of behavioral economics.

Capturing the Spend of Affluent Consumers
Consumers whose income and investable assets fall in the top 20 percent in the country (both over $100,000) report having made an average of 21.6 online purchases in the second half of 2009-67 percent more than other consumers.

Think Technology and Loyalty for The Holidays
Technology has changed the context of commerce and the new landscape offers rewarding opportunities for merchants to connect with consumers on a personal level.

Electronic Wallets Coming To a Phone Near You
A number of potential game-changers are surfacing that could finally provide sufficient impetus for market acceptance.

Voicecash Brings More Business to Mobile Merchants
Service enables mobile users to share money with family members or friends abroad.

What Has A Bigger Head and Longer Tail?
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade.

The United States of Microfinance
A Bangladeshi bank is growing in the U.S. making tiny loans to groups of poor women with entrepreneurial dreams.

October 2010

Swipe Fee Fix Important First Step
A dramatic first step in the fight to control rising credit and debit card fees and has tremendous potential forsavings.

What's Next With Card Regulation?
Here are the two big ones to watch for.

Mobile Payment Forecast: 2010-2014
Expect mainstream take-up of mobile payments to happen in the 2011 - 2013 time frame.

New Interchange Reform
Ushering in sweeping reforms of the banking industry including reforms of interchange fees.

Prepaid Opportunity Will More Than Triple by 2017
Increases in the public sector and corporate payroll segments, healthcare and general use branded prepaid segments will continue to see steady expansion.

Cards Touted for Redeeming Mobile Coupons 
Merchants have been eager to capitalize on the growing popularity of smart phones by sending discount offers to on-the-go consumers.

Is It a Dud or Not?
Here's five screening rules for identifying successful payment start-ups and recognizing the ones that are left better off in our dreams.

Separating Fantasy From Reality  
There are a few simple rules for sorting out the plausible from the implausible.

The Contactless Sticker Revolution
To pay, the cardholder simply needs to place the device with the Sticker attached in front of the contactless reader.

Intelligent Payment Solution 
Merchants will gain access to millions of local and international shoppers.

Encouraging Electronic Payments Innovation
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade

What's Next in Gifting?
A new technology to help retailers drive more traffic into stores, increase spending, and surprise and delight customers.

September 2010

Congress Approves Interchange Regulation
An amendment  to regulate feeslevied on merchants for card transactions appears to have secured itsplace.

Prepaid Spared in Durbin Amendment
Only open-loop, network-branded, nonreloadable gift cards, as well assimilarly open-loop, nonreloadable rebate and loyalty cards, will besubject to the amendment.

Security Standards Lifecycle Extended
The PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC) lengthened the evaluationand update process of its data security standards from two years tothree.

Phil Tomlinson Doubts Durbin
The language in the amendment attempts to make small issuers exemptfrom the rule that sets debit interchange fees. Thislanguage is likely to be nearly meaningless for several reasons.

Perspective on the Gift Economy
During the less prosperous 2009 holiday season, merchants under-stockedmerchandise, and yet gift cards still brought customers back.

Automated Fuel Dispensers Susceptible to Skimming
To help merchants reduce the threat of data compromise, Visa hasidentified these common vulnerabilities and has provided strategies to help secure merchant paymentsystems

Gift Cards: Value Multiplier for Merchants
The potential is great that a single gift card sale can bring multiple new customers to a business.

The ACH is Staking New Channel Claims
Tworecent events indicate that the ACH's primary oversight body is pushingharder than ever before to make the ACH a more mainstream paymentplayer.

Remote Deposit Capture Overview
RemoteDeposit Capture is a must-have product solution most banks are racingto develop and get to market, and a service every merchant shouldconsider.

Cordless Retrofit For Dial-Up
Effectively turns a wired terminal into a wireless one for merchantswary of the tangles, trip hazards or unsightliness of plug-in cords.

RDC On The Fly
Wherever they may be, merchants using a mobile phone,  can accept a check payment and send it off to the bank forprocessing on the spot.

The Mag Stripe Lives On
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade

Solution For Ice Cream Lovers
Now you don't have to wait for special occasions to share ice cream;you can send Cold Stone gifts instantly, any day, just because...

August 2010

Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Requires rules to ensure that fees charged to merchants by credit card companies for credit or debit card transactions are reasonable and proportional to the cost of processing those transactions.

Is Facebook Currency a Ripoff?
The merchant is paying more than 10 times the sort of fees they would pay their processor including interchange fees and everything else.

Fraud Trends in 2010: Top Threats
Online fraud forums through which individuals and organizations exchange information and buy and sell stolen wares, such as card numbers.

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire
Some say that it is 'back to the future' and the start of a trend that will end up bifurcating the card market: general purpose payment and store-branded cards with little in between.

ACH Grows, B2B Payments Plod Along
Not bad for a down economy, especially since large numbers of ACH transactions are payroll and bill payments.

Visa Prepaid Processing Service
Using this flexible prepaid platform, you will be able to select the functions you need to differentiate your card products, seize new opportunites and stay competitive.

Guiding Merchants Toward Honest Processing Partners
Businesses can sink or swim on the strength of their processing agreements and partnerships.

How The Credit Card Interchange Process Works
When you use a credit card to make a purchase, a large network of companies comes together to make it all happen.

All You Need To Know About The Discount Rate
If you want to make the highest possible profit on every transaction, you need a merchant account and credit card processing system with the lowest discount rates and fees.

Igniting Innovation in Payments
Around the globe, these "invisible engines" are ushering in a new era of technological change.

Global Anti Fraud Tool On The Horizon
Banks using this technology turn a 90 percent failure into a 95-plus percent success.

Memory Card Based NFC
The near universal application of this technology is essential to fostering NFC's (Near Field Communication) emergence as a serious payment product.

Check Guarantee On The Go
Mobile merchants can use this service to verify the authenticity of a check and secure a guarantee of payment.

Shanghai Surprise
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade

Cards, Coupons, Cell-Phones - Oh My
As efficient as the development environment has become, there are still two problems: consumer enrollment and merchant acceptance.

Digital Currency "The Future of Government Payments"
Switching from inefficient paper processes to digital currency can have a sizable long-term impact in terms of real dollars and cents.

July 2010

Americans Reject Anti-Consumer Debit Amendment
An overwhelming majority of American reject theanti-consumer debit amendment hidden in the Wall Street Reform Bill.

The Good, the Bad on the Financial Reform Legislation
The angels, as well as the devils, are sometimes found in last minutewords changed and clauses added or subtracted. But here are some highlevel comments.

Hypercom Enters Smartphone Card-Reader Market
The products are designed for merchantsthat want to accept card payments but cannot be tied to an officelocation because of the nature of their business.

Mobile Tops Targets for New MasterCard CEO
Plans to devote "a higher level of effort" to payments, e-commerceand mobile technology, without investing significant amounts of newmoney.

Verifone Takes Payments to The Next Level
The VX Evolution series represents a complete line of powerful newpayments solutions on one architectural platform that supports variedmerchant environments.

Worldwide Fraud Web Exposed
Attacks were generally made possible by lazy programming and genericcodes easily guessed at or broken by computer-savvy invaders.

Less Than Three Quarters of Employees Receive Pay via Direct Deposit
Employees spend between 8.5 and 24 hours per year going to the bank orcredit union to cash or deposit their paychecks, which results in loss of productivity.

Cloud Computing Security
Who can argue with "cheaper and better"? The problem is that all theissues have not been fully explored and one issue is security.

5 Things to Remember About Mobile Processing
Here are five reasons mobile credit card processing might not be beneficial for your company.

What Does a Merchant Get for that PCI Fee?
It's unclear what the PCI non-compliance fee covers. What does it really include and exclude?

Interchange Rate Program Defined
Interchange fees are one component of the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), which is paid for card acceptance services. Plus latest list of fees.

Why You Need Social Products...Like Now!
On-line social networks afford you so much more than the old-and-tired advertising. See where these opportunities are.

Consumers in The Prepaid Drivers Seat
In a very short period of time, the open-loop gift card has certainly driven significant market share.

The Security Conundrum: The Puzzle
Maintaining trust in the payment system has become an ever more complexexercise of guerilla war between payment service providers andcriminals.

NFC And The Trough of Disillusionment
AnotherNFC demonstration pilot highlights how Near Field Communication iscaught in the "trough of disillusionment." Commerce innovatorsshouldn't dispair, the future is bright.

The iphone As a Driver of Payments Innovation
Apple's success has shaken up the mobile phone industry, unleashed tens of thousands ofentrepreneurs and created a multi-billion dollar industryfor mobile payment devices.

ACH is Next Frontier for Mobile Phones
Mobile phones may soon be able to initiate automated clearing housetransactions from checks, and could hasten adoption ofwireless devices for business-to-business payments.

Collateral Damage from the Financial Crisis - Consolidation and Regulation
Continuing the Series: Great Developments in Payments During the Last Decade

The Future of Money: It's Flexible, Frictionless, and (almost) Free
What if people could transfer money over Twitter and other "social networks" for next tonothing, simply by typing a username and a dollar amount? Well, now youcan!

Self-Service Jail System
Service will allow Florida jail to stop writing checks to released inmates upon release.

June 2010

Durbin Wins Battle to Pass Interchange Fee Legislation
The legislation requires theFederal Reserve to issue rules on swipe fees for debit cards to ensurefees are "responsible and proportional" to processing costs.

Visa Statement on Durbin Legislation
Visa has released the following statement on the approval of the Durbin Amendment to the Legislation affecting Debit Card fees.

MasterCard Urges Conferees to Reject Amendment
MasterCard urges House and Senate conferees to reject the amendment which will hurt the people andbusinesses it is supposed to protect.

Visa Rattles Payments with Cybersource Acquisition
Opens up so many potential sources of revenue that it is unlikelyinterchange will continue to rule the day as a profit stream and mayeven go down as a result.

MasterCard On Target With First Quarter Gains
According to MasterCard, a 4.6 percent surge in transactions processedis an early indicator of positive developments in economic data trends...

Legislation Would Allow Minimum Purchase Requirement
New law would allow Vermont retailers to set a minimum creditcard purchase of up to $10 without interference from Visa Inc. andMasterCard, whose rules bar minimum purchase amounts.

New Interchange Rates from MasterCard
MasterCard typically sets new interchange rates each April, and 2010was no exception. Here's latest rateschedule plus an excellent primer about how credit card transaction fees (discount rates) are determined.

GAO Report on Rising Interchange Fees
Rising Interchange Fees have increased costs for merchants, but options for reducing fees pose challenges...

Creating a Place for Checks at the Electronic Payments Table
We don't need to get rid of checks, the payment method that ismuch maligned by payment professionals but nonetheless used in billionsof transactions every year, we just need to shed theinefficient aspects.

Gift Card Regs Unraveled
Rules apply to prepaid cards designed or marketed as gift cards -both open-loop, network-branded cards as well as closed-loop,retailer-specific cards.

PCI-SSC Steps Up Data Security Education
A new program for the training and certification of personnel at large-scaleorganizations. The program covers the fundamentals and intricacies ofthe Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS).

GPR Cards To Bridge Plastic Gap
As a provision of the new consumer protection law, individuals under the age of 21 will have toeither demonstrate the ability to repay balances in order to...

 Starbucks, Target Buck NFC in Mobile Payments
Starbucks is using a system that generates a blocky two-dimensional barcode-like image that is displayed on phones' screens. Users wave theimage under a scanner at the point of sale to access funds stored on agift card.

Cloud Based Terminal and Cash Register
This rolls the components of a multifaceted POS system into oneintegrated software piece that includes both payment terminal andelectronic cash register.

Payments 2010: The Revolution Has Arrived
Hundreds of software developers and entrepreneurs are attacking thepayment ecosystem, seeking out ways to tear down the stronghold thebanks and credit card companies have built.

New NFC Mobile Payment Device
Shows the feasibility of an option that facilitates NFC contactlesspayment transactions while providing full NFC functionality for otherapplications as well.

 How the World War on Interchange Fees Transformed the Card Industry
A global war on interchange fees raged during most of the last decade. We'll have to wait tofind out who wins the war. But it's already led tomassive ramifications for the card business around the globe.

Government Streamlines Payments with Plastic
The government benefits sector of the prepaid card industry is experiencing massive growth.

May 2010

New Mastercard and Discover Processing Requirements
MasterCard and Discover are modifying their rules concerning the processing of debit, prepaid and gift cards.

Verifone Announces...
...Chase Paymentech as Preferred Processing Partner for retail distribution of iPhone card payment solution.

Retailers Push for Interchange Reform - Again!
Some argue that the consumer protection bill is not complete withoutaddressing the rising costs of interchange for merchants and, by proxy,consumers.

FBI Arrests Eight in Credit Card Fraud Scheme
From his jail cell, he would take orders for merchandise such as plasma TVs, lawn tractors and construction materials...

Consumers Paid $16 million in J.K. Publications Fraud
They placed charges on consumers' credit and debit cardsfor Internet entertainment services they had not ordered and did notwant.

Credit Logos and Images
Simply copy and paste the image into your advertising artwork.

The Crux of Cash Back on Gift Cards
Retailers may have to returncash back to customers with closed-loop gift cards that containedbalances of $20 and under.

Looking Back...Amex Goes Global
Remember, American Express was the gorilla back when the bank associations started...

What's in The Cloud for Payments?
Whenwe speak of "payments in the cloud" we are using the term in a broadersense than it is usually used in the information technology world.

Next in Payments: Invisible Engines
What these magical invisible engines are, and why they are going to transform the payments industry...

A Look At Mobile Payment Adoption
This Chart shows growth may be faster than expected!

Five Burning Questions on What's Next with Mobile Payment
Its not a matter of if but when NFC and contactless will becomemainstream, putting an end to the "petty plastic" of today's payments.

Perhaps it's Time to Mothball the Mighty Mag Stripe
Imagine a Martian's intergalactic horror at discovering that Americaconducts many of its financial transactions using undisguised plasticcards...

First Data Embraces Secure Digital Memory Cards
The micro SD cards, which can fit into the slots found in more than 60% of mobile- phone shipments, bypass the need for...

Tiny Mobile Phone Mag Stripe Reader
Square's On-the-Go iPhone credit card scanner will cost $1. with video

No More Cash Payments at Airport Parking Lots
Travelers simply tap their contactless cards or devices at exit lanes, rather than fumble for cash!

The Fun-Money Company
Online gaming is two sides of the same coin.

April 2010

The Specter of Interchange Legislation
The debate over interchange has resurfaced amid rumors that at leastone ranking Democrat in the U.S. Congress is considering newlegislation.

New ID Theft Law
With identity fraud reaching unprecedented levels, lawmakers appear to be taking a cue from payment companies...

Gift Card Regs Put Pressure on Prepaid Industry
The rules cover gift certificates, closed-loop gift cardsand open-loop, network-branded, general-purpose prepaid cards...

Police Warn of New Skimming Device
Smaller than cell phones, they can be placed onATMs or used by untrustworthy employees to steal sensitive data.

Statistical Analysis of Prepaid Cards
The prepaid card business serves large retail chains and groups andneeds a way to track in real-time what's selling, where and when it'sselling, and who's selling it.

PCI Compliance: To Whom Are You Compliant?
One of the points of confusionaround PCI compliance is to whom merchants are actually compliant. Andwhile the answer is simple, the process can feel quite complex. 

Glossary of Common Data Security Terms
Here are 19 terms pertaining to payments industry data security.

Attempting the Big Idea at the Wrong Time
Replacing the Rubberband: How Payments Innovations that once failed can resurface and thrive.

The Search for an NFC Alternative
Why there is nor real progress in Near Field Communications.

Ripples On The Mobile Web
Rising popularity and falling prices are helping mobile payments go mainstream.

San Diego Bus Dumps Cash and Tokens
Illustrates the hurdles agencies must surmount, where cash and tokens reigned supreme for more than a century.

Credit Crunch Bank Robberies
A sumo wrestler yanked out an ATM cash machine that weighed 200 pounds, put it on his shoulders and took off.

March 2010

 Card Sales Decline No Longer Accelerating 
Indicates that a two-year trend of accelerating sales volume declines may be reversing.

Card Brand Financials Remain Positive
Results are in for the card brands: transaction volume and net income continue to increase!

California Officials Examine Credit Card Interchange Fees
At issue is the fact that these credit card processing fees have increased disproportionately to other bank fees.

Survey of Consumer Payment Choice
Highlights interesting trends in transition from paper to electronic payments.

Checkless By 2018?
Policymakers and bankers in the United Kingdom have decided enough is enough.

Diners Club: New Brand, New Voice
Includes a refreshed logo, redesigned card art and Web site. 

How Visa, Using Card Fees, Dominates a Market
Every day, millions of Americans stand at store checkout counters and make a seemingly random decision...

 A PIN For All Reasons
Those words might be as effective an economic stimulus as anything else we have tried over the past year or so.

Is Online PIN Debit more secure?
Consumers given the option of using PIN debit when they make online purchases.

From Plastic to Virtual: Evolution of Stored-Value
Prepaid as a category has room for growth and innovation, and consumers will want payment alternatives to cash.

Going Out Made Easy
A patron can close out the night's tab from his or her table - or even on the cab ride home.

Separation of Powers
Terminal providers and manufacturers are integrating the various functions of personal digital assistants (PDAs) with payment acceptance software in increasingly creative ways.

Prepaid Cards Help in Disaster Relief
A card program that allows for efficient distribution of financial assistance to disaster victims.

Help For Haiti Continues
Following the earthquake in Haiti, the payments industry continues to provide support.

February 2010

Top Trends Affecting Payments in 2010
The first trend that blankets the entire financial services industry is...

Small Businesses Show Decline in Card Sales
However, the report also shows that the rate of year-over-year decline in card sales decreased from Q3 2009...

2009 LexisNexis True Cost of Fraud Study 
In any given fraudulent transaction, there are three primary victims: the consumer, the bank/card issuer, and the merchant!

New Year, New Merchant Account?
Reevaluating this part of your business will ensure that you aren't paying too much money in order to make money.

Gift Card and Loyalty Card Programs
Is now the time for you, the small to medium sized retailer and independently owned restaurateur to grasp the opportunity and start your own program?

Unredeemed Gift Cards Are a Present to the Store
In the industry, this is known as breakage, and here's what it means...

Brush up on Terminology for 2010 
If you're new to the prepaid card industry or you need a refresher on the terminology in this ever-changing industry, this will set you in the right direction.

VeriFone's PAYware Mobile Now Available on iPhone App Store
Secure credit card encryption sleeve for iPhone and complementary PAYware Mobile app is now available on the App Store.(photo)

An ATM For All Types of Weather 
Photos emerged during the New Orleans Hurricane Katrina storm in 2005 of these ATMs standing upright and intact amid scenes of demolished buildings in the ravaged city.

Coke-bottle-shaped Prepaid Cards for Olympic Athletes
The card, shaped like an iconic Coca-Cola contour bottle, uses Visa payWave technology and is the first contactless...

 January 2010

 The Payments Sphere 2009: Looking Back, Looking Up
Historians may someday reflect upon 2009 and say it was the beginningofthe decline of an ingrained American mindset: buy now, pay later...

Chase Paymentech Pulse Index
Track the heartbeat of  shopping trends, day by day, year over year...

Merchant Cash Advances 
Tax debts for small businesses is the leading driver for merchant cash advances during this credit crunch...

What Is A Virtual Merchant Account? 
All your business needs to operate a virtual merchant account is an Internet connection...

Tiny Terminal Plugs Into iPhone Jack 
He revolutionized online socializing by co-founding Twitter, now he wants to transform the way people exchange money...

New Technology Cusp? 
Each new technology reaches a "cusp" where it changes from being a fun technology into something that most people will...

Friendly Parking Meters 
And, they'll even call you to warn that the meter is running low...

December 2009

U.S. Merchant Fees Higher
Even though America is known as a country where capitalism is king andthe cost to do business is low, our merchant fees are among the highestin the...

Will Congress Curb Merchant Fees?
Currently, several initiatives to curb the impact of interchange fees on merchants are being discussed in Congress...

Fed Proposes Rules on Gift Cards
Rules "would restrict the fees and expiration dates that may apply to gift cards...

Credit Crunch Forces Firms to Look Elsewhere for Funding
With bank lending standards not loosening any time soon, merchant cash advance providers are filling the void...

Steering Customers to Lowest Fee Transaction As the cost of customers paying with credit cards and debit cards increases, merchants are encouraging consumers to pay...

Going Global With A Merchant Account
Don't worry about how you will get paid for an international sale; your merchant account will handle it for you...

Versatility in Payment Systems 
Will that be cash, credit, mobile phone or finger?

Salvation Army Kettles Can Now Accept Credit Cards
Not having cash won't be an excuse to pass by the Salvation Army red kettles this holiday season...

Safeway Launches Electronic Coupon Service
A free, paperless electronic coupon service that applies coupons directly to the grocery store's savings cards...

November 2009

Visa Quarterly Report
Could this be the light at the end of the tunnel? "Transactionsprocessed over Visa's networks, which are reported on a real-timebasis, totaled $10.5 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter, an increaseof 9%..."

MasterCard Quarterly Report
Overall, results once again underscore the global trend toward electronic payments...

Some Merchants Don't Play by the Rules
What consumers might do when 'minimum purchase' card rules are bent...

More Merchant Credit Card Abuses
What is the cardholder required to do and what can they rightfully refuse to do?...

States That Prohibit Certain  Merchant Activities
These states have laws against certain activities merchant engage in...

Ten Ways To Enhance Your Anti-Fraud Tactics
Within these ten steps are approaches that will cut some fraud from your business...

Online Payment Gateways
Transactions taking too long? IP-based handling accelerates authorization...

M-Commerce: Next Big Thing
You can hear the thunder in the distance, and the storm is calledm-commerce, packing a potential revenue stream that has retailers,e-tailers and vendors scrambling to prepare for the deluge...

BlackBerry Credit Card Processing
One of the first developers of credit card processing for the iPhonehas expanded its software line with a mobile credit card processingapplication for the BlackBerry...

U.S. Magnetic Stripe Cards on Brink of Extinction? 
Looming ban on mag stripe cards may spell trouble for...

A Loyalty Card Program For Shopping Bags
The bag barcode loyalty cards aren't even being givenaway...

October 2009

PCI Compliance, Should You Be Concerned?
If you've seen an unusual charge on this month's merchant accountstatement, or "Processor Fee" on your checking account, you need to beconcerned...

FAQ's Regarding PCI Compliance
Here's the most frequently asked questions about PCI compliance

Validation Details
Merchant compliance validation has been prioritized based on the volumeof transactions, the potential risk, and exposure introduced into thepayment system...

Key Compliance Dates
Here's a table of key dates including data security mandates and PCI reporting deadlines...

Who Regulates Your Merchant Account
Unfortunately, there are many regulations that govern your merchantaccount for which your payment processor is largely responsible. Nowit's time that you learn about the key government players that regulateyour payment processor and merchant account...

Card Skimming Identity Theft
Skimming can occur in a few different ways. The most common is when astore clerk takes your card and runs it through a device that copies...

Credit Card Processing: What Should It Cost?
Before you sign a credit card processing contract, be sure you have athorough understanding of all the fees and charges that will beassociated with your...

Steps to Hold Down Processing Costs
Monitoring a merchant account and the fees charged for transactionspaid with credit cards is crucial to the continued success of anybusiness...

Merchants Eye Mobile Phone Processing
Merchants on the go have more options today when it comes to processingcredit card transactions, with smart-phone credit card processingapplications offering the potential for higher sales, fastercollections and fewer bad debts...

Accepting Contactless Payment Cards
Contactless payments have grown significantly in popularity over thelast few years and are expected to continue growing. Merchants shouldbe aware of the best practices for implementing contactless payments in

a place of business...

September 2009

Copy Requests 
Fulfilling copy requests is very important, as is copy legibility. Whencopy requests are not fulfilled, or not fulfilled in a timely manner,or the copies are illegible, they almost always result in a chargeback.

5 Steps to Safer Key-Entered Transactions 
Manually entered transaction can be high risk if these steps are not followed!

The Chargeback Cycle 
Most chargebacks begin when a cardholder reports a problem to theircard issuer. Here is a quick snapshot of the streamlined ChargebackLife Cycle in a customer-initiated dispute situation.

Preventing Chargebacks 
Most chargeback situations arise at the point of transaction-at thetime the transaction is completed-and most can be prevented with alittle training.

Transaction Security, Evolved 
As fraud becomes more sophisticated, inspiring confidence without overly complex processes becomes a greater challenge.

August 2009

When The Stripe Won't Swipe 
5 steps to safer key-entered transactions

July 2009

UNAVAILABLE

June 2009

Credit Card Bill of Rights 
The so-called "credit card bill of rights" passed by the U.S. House of Representatives...

Interchange Legislation 
Legislation would help level the playing field for retailers by giving them...

PCI Data Security Standard
Requires processing banks to ensure that their merchants maintain compliance with the...

Protecting Data is Good Business
Criminals are seeking more than what's physically inside your business!

PCI Standards
A set of comprehensive requirements developed by the payment brands...

PCI Resources
Additional help in dealing with this important issue...