News

Retail
Barbie’s Wardrobe and Zales’ Jewelry Are Available to Rent  
July 21, 2023

Resale and rental have become hot initiatives among retailers. The intention is to cater to consumers’ changing preferences and values, while also mitigating the effects of inflation. But are these initiatives panning out? We’ll find out at the next earnings call for some of the...

Social Commerce
TikTok Shop Partners With Atome to Offer Installment Payments in Malaysia
July 21, 2023

TikTok Shop has partnered with buy now, pay later (BNPL) service Atome to offer installment payments in Malaysia. “Today we announce our partnership with Atome, providing our customers easy payment options at checkout,” Jonathan Low, eCommerce lead of strategy and special projects at TikTok Shop, said in a Friday...

Payments Innovation
Rather Than Build In-House Most US and UK Convenience Stores Outsource Payment Innovation
July 21, 2023

What payment methods are being explored by retailers in the grocery, pharmacy and convenience store arenas? It depends, as these retailers have different needs that digital payments must play to. Analyzing this question in “The Instant Payments Transformation Guide: Grocery, Pharmacy and Convenience Retailers,” a...

IPO
Toast’s 15.5% Plunge Helps Lead FinTech IPO Index Lower for the Week
July 21, 2023

Toast shares got scorched in a week that saw the FinTech IPO Index give up 0.3%. And earnings season has yet to begin in earnest — at least for the FinTechs. Beyond the banks, beyond the details on deposit flight and whether consumers are spending...

Payment Methods
AMC Theatres Ends Seat-Based Pricing After Pilot Program
July 20, 2023

AMC Theatres will wind down its seat-based pricing initiative after testing it in three markets. The Sightline at AMC initiative, which charged higher or lower prices based on the location of the seat within the movie theater, will come to an end within weeks and will...

Retail
Finio Launches Credit Aggregation Platform for Powersports Industry
July 20, 2023

Finio has launched a credit aggregation platform for leisure marine, powersports, motorcycle, recreational vehicle (RV), truck and other industries. The platform aims to simplify and accelerate the financing process between dealerships, manufacturers, lenders and customers, improving the digital sales and finance experience, the company said in...

Retail
Walmart Offers Customers on Government Assistance Walmart+ Discounts
July 20, 2023

Walmart is continuing its efforts to court customers who receive government assistance. The retail giant on Thursday (July 20) announced the debut of its Walmart+ Assist program, which offers customers on government assistance half off a monthly or yearly Walmart+ paid membership plan. “Walmart+ Assist was designed to...

CFPB
CFPB: American Workers Saddled by Employer-Driven Debt
July 20, 2023

America’s consumer watchdog says too many workers are falling into TRAPs. That stands for “training repayment agreement provisions,” a form of employer-driven debt the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) says is impeding worker mobility. “Employer-driven debt poses the risk of suppressing wages and forcing workers to stay...

Security & Fraud
Hackers Using ‘Supply Chain Attacks’ to Access Multiple Targets
July 20, 2023

Hackers are increasingly employing “supply chain attacks” that give them access to multiple targets. In these hacks, cybercriminals compromise software or service providers to steal data or money from users downstream, Tom Hegel, senior threat researcher at computer network and security firm SentinelOne, told Reuters in a report published...