Progress in payments, like most things in life, does not come all at once. Or at all evenly distributed for that matter — a situation made starkly noticeable by the different pace of change in consumer and business payments. If you were to whip out...
It’s hard to get really excited about shopping online. Which is not to say that there’s not a lot to speak for the experience – the $1.5 trillion Forrester forecasts Americans will spend online this year (an amount pegged to swell to $2.1 trillion by...
Alternative lending – as has been well covered – offers a sort of dual-edged benefit/risk to its potential customer base, especially when those potential customers are subprime borrowers. The upside is access to funds, and the need for that access is almost completely inarguable. A recent...
Starting with the American Revolution in 1776, the British have made a habit of successfully invading the United States. The outcomes have varied over time. In 1812 the British Invasion resulted in the White House being burned, and Andrew Jackson being elected President in the...
There are many mental images one could associate with Canada and Canadians. Scenic vistas, moose, skiing, and maple syrup, for example. But monikers like “digitally savvy” or “mobile enthusiasts” maybe not so much, though in recent weeks the Canadian mobile market has gotten a bit...
Jack Ma came to the U.S. this week and had one thing on his mind: to increase the flow of commerce into China – and Alibaba, of course. If Ma has his way, 50 percent of Alibaba’s revenues will come from outside of China, up from...
Airbnb For One-Percenters? Lifestyles of the rich and famous – now a mouse click away. Meet Luxury Retreats, an Airbnb like service except for very wealthy people looking for very luxurious — and highly specialized — travel experiences. Founded by a 17-year-old high school student...
The wave of alternative lending options for small businesses has, without question, filled a hole in the credit markets left in the wake of the Great Recession. The old problem was that small business owners simply weren’t able to gain access to credit – and...
This week PayPal accomplished a minor miracle, insofar as it managed to partially break the Internet without officially joining the Kardashian/Jenner family. However, for those of us who are not Kardashian-Jenners, all publicity is not good publicity, and this week’s collection of headlines likely had...
