News

Retail
Pickle CEO Says They’re the DoorDash for Fashion Rentals
November 03, 2023

The demand for rental clothing, accessories and even footwear is gaining momentum. Inflationary pressures are not the only factor driving this trend, as consumers discover an alternate way to keep up with the latest fashion trends without breaking the bank. In an interview with PYMNTS, Brian...

IPO
Report: Ibotta Prepares for $2 Billion IPO
November 02, 2023

Ibotta, the digital marketing software firm, is reportedly gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO) that could value the company at $2 billion or more. To assist with the IPO, Ibotta has enlisted the help of Goldman Sachs Group and Citigroup as advisers, Bloomberg reported Thursday (Nov. 2), citing unnamed...

Retail
NRF Expects Holiday Spending to Return to Pre-Pandemic Growth Rate
November 02, 2023

The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts record spending during the upcoming holiday season. Holiday spending during November and December will grow between 3% and 4% over 2022, reaching a spending range of $957.3 billion to $966.6 billion, the retail industry advocate said in a Thursday (Nov. 2) press...

Retail
Target CEO: Stressed Consumers Trim Grocery Budgets
November 02, 2023

Target CEO Brian Cornell said the strain consumers are feeling has finally begun to impact grocery sales. Cornell said in an interview with CNBC Thursday (Nov. 2) that his company has seen sales drop for several quarters for discretionary goods like clothing and toys. “But...

Artificial Intelligence
US Tackles AI Frontier Models While UK Spearheads Supranational Safety
November 02, 2023

As artificial intelligence (AI) advances, fears that it will catastrophically end humanity in a “catastrophic” way are growing. However, that’s only if humanity doesn’t end AI first. The White House’s “Executive Order on the Safe, Secure and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence,” announced...

Payment Methods
Installment Plans Ease Holiday Financial Stress of Inflation
November 02, 2023

As consumers struggle with tight finances, particularly during the holiday season, access to installment plans like buy now, pay later (BNPL) has become a popular financial management tool. This trend is observed in countries like the U.K., where financial regulator Financial Conduct Authority reported a 10%...

eCommerce
Mondelēz Sees Online Grocery Growth Provide Competitive Edge
November 02, 2023

Mondelēz International is seeing its growing eCommerce business lead to share gains against competitors. The confectionary, snack and food giant, which owns a range of popular brands including Oreo, Clif, Ritz and many others, shared on a call with analysts Wednesday (Nov. 1) discussing its...

Payment Methods
Amex Picks Nuvei to Promote Bank Transfer Payments
November 02, 2023

Nuvei has become the first acquirer to sell American Express’ open banking payment method. The collaboration, announced Thursday (Nov. 2), will see Nuvei promote Pay with Bank transfer (PwBt), which lets consumers carry out transactions from their bank accounts without needing to enter card details...

Regulation
PayPal Subpoenaed by SEC Over Stablecoins
November 02, 2023

PayPal’s new stablecoin offering has caught the attention of regulators. The payments giant said in a regulatory filing Thursday (Nov. 2) that it had received a subpoena from the Security and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Enforcement that was related to its stablecoin. “The subpoena...