The Weekender

The Weekender
As Consumers Plan Their Thanksgiving Shopping, AI Stirs the Pot
November 02, 2024

Thanksgiving has come a long way from its pilgrim origins — this year, the robots are taking over. That is, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing how consumers plan their holiday shopping. Increasingly, the technology is impacting how consumers spend, with one study finding that 90%...

The Weekender
Pickleball’s Rapid Expansion Gets Lobbed into the Digital World 
October 12, 2024

Pickleball’s meteoric rise to popularity isn’t a solely physical-world phenomenon anymore. Now, the sport is getting kick-served into cyberspace. QVC — yes, the shopping network — is bringing the sport to streaming with a new partnership with USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the...

The Weekender
Can Pickleball Save Shopping Malls? 
June 24, 2023

Amid the ongoing decline of the shopping mall, a potential savior might come in an unexpected form: pickleball.  Yes, you read that right. The racket sport that is part ping-pong, tennis and badminton, created in 1965 as a backyard game, could be coming to a...

The Weekender
The High Cost of Housesitting
May 27, 2023

Three in five Americans say inflation has affected their summer travel plans. But that doesn’t mean they’ve opted to forego their trips. It just means they need to be more savvy.   To satisfy their travel aspirations while being budget-conscious, some are opting for road trips as...

The Weekender
Shopify Eyes Digital Main Street, Affirm Debuts Adaptive Checkout and Robinhood Exploring Crypto Wallet Top...
September 24, 2021

In this week’s news, we saw healthcare patients push for more clarity on payment options. And Paypal announced its super-app. The Weekender is here to catch you up. News PayPal’s New Super-App Positioned to Deliver Next-Level Connected Experience PayPal announced Tuesday (Sept. 21) it’s launching...

The Weekender
Walmart Joins Ford and Argo AI on Driverless Delivery, Apple Fixes ‘Zero Click’ iMessage Breach...
September 17, 2021

In this week’s news, we saw retail subscriptions at risk when the COVID-19 pandemic ends, while Apple finally closed a longstanding security loophole. The Weekender is here to catch you up.  News  Apple Fixes Flaw That Was Causing Software Breach Since February  Apple this week...

The Weekender
Apple Pay Not Catching On in Stores, Amazon Piloting ‘Just Walk Out’ at Whole Foods...
September 10, 2021

In this week’s news, we saw Amazon top all other retailers in consumer preference. And JPMorgan acquired 75% of VW’s payments unit. The Weekender is here to catch you up. News Amazon Ships Outside Cargo to Compete with UPS, FedEx Amazon is now shipping cargo...

The Weekender
Consumer Desire for Choice in Payments, McDonald’s Shift from Dine-In and BNPL’s Global Growth Top...
September 03, 2021

In this week’s news, we saw PayPal expand its debit Mastercard availability in four new countries, and Twitter unveiled its Super Follows feature on iOS for U.S. and Canada users. The Weekender is here to catch you up. News Apple Watch Production Suspended Over Performance...

The Weekender
Walmart’s GoLocal Delivery, Visa’s Jump Into NFTs And Payments Innovation Top This Week’s News
August 27, 2021

In this week’s news, we saw Robinhood lure new clients with a $100,00 giveaway, and WWE SummerSlam vendors victimized by systemwide outage. The Weekender is here to catch you up. News Robinhood To Give Cash To New Clients Low-cost brokerage company Robinhood has scheduled what...