Digital Transactions Authoritative, insightful and timely information for payments professionals
Since its launch last April, PayPal Inc.'s m-commerce service, PayPal Mobile, has built an attractive portfolio of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and brands that want to sell direct to consumers. The list includes Fox Home Entertainment (DVDs), Sony BMG (CDs), NBC/Bravo (television-show merchandise), and the National Basketball Association (team- and …
Read More »Suddenly, Mobile-Banking Race Heats up As More Entrants Elbow in
The race to bring online banking and bill-payment services to users' handsets is getting more intense. Most recently, Chantilly, Va.-based Online Resources Corp. said it is entering mobile banking by partnering with Access Softek Inc., a Berkeley, Calif.-based developer of financial services software. The application uses Access Softek's OFX (open …
Read More »Hypercom Aims at PC-Based Payments With Its TPI Software Deal
Payment-terminal manufacturer Hypercom Corp. on Thursday announced that it has bought the assets and technology of TPI Software LLC, a move that positions Hypercom to be a major player in the growing personal computer-based point-of-sale payments market. Founded in 2001, TPI Software specializes in applications that integrate payment functions with …
Read More »New Phishing Tool Lets Fraudsters Harvest Data From Legitimate Sites
RSA Security Inc. on Wednesday announced its analysts had discovered a powerful new phishing tool fraudsters are selling via online forums and using to hoodwink consumers. The tool, which RSA calls a “universal man-in-the-middle phishing kit,” allows phishers to set up a URL that can interact in real time with …
Read More »Early Success at TigerDirect Could Boost SECURE-eBill’s Prospects
It's early yet, but both daily transactions and average order value have been rising for payments accepted by TigerDirect Inc.'s Web site through online payment system SECURE-eBill, says Marwan Forzley, the chief executive of Ottawa-based MODASolutions, which markets the system to online merchants. TigerDirect, a Miami-based merchant that sells electronics …
Read More »Merchants Look to Lure Gift Card Recipients As 2006 Wanes
Disappointed by holiday sales, some retailers are turning to advertising to induce gift card recipients to use their cards before New Year's Day, according to press accounts. Chains are using both TV and newspaper ads in the effort. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Sears Holdings Corp. have turned to TV to …
Read More »A Suddenly Revived POP Posts Highest E-Check Growth Rate
The formerly somnolent point-of-purchase (POP) electronic-check code continued on its newfound burst of energy in the third quarter, according to the latest automated clearing house volume report from NACHA?The Electronic Payments Association. NACHA reports POP volume hit 80.5 million transactions, up 92.8% from 41.8 million in the year-earlier quarter. POP's …
Read More »Wall Street Discovers a New Darling: Payment Card Networks
Less than a year ago, the only publicly traded payment card network stock was that of American Express Co. With Tuesday's announcement by investment-banking giant Morgan Stanley that it will spin off its Discover Financial Services LLC unit, the No. 4 network, there could be four. MasterCard Inc.'s May initial …
Read More »How ECHO Fits Into Intuit’s ‘Single Payments Portal’ Strategy
Mutual need brought Electronic Clearing House Inc. (ECHO) and Intuit Inc. together in the $142 million deal, announced last week, that will make Camarillo, Calif-based processor ECHO part of Intuit, Mountain View, Calif., some time in the first quarter (Digital Transactions News, Dec. 15). Intuit, marketer of the popular QuickBooks …
Read More »SMS Aside, Consumers Pan M-Commerce Data Plans on Price
Digital content like video, games, and music delivered as part of cell-phone subscriber plans may be getting plenty of attention these days, but it's turning out to be a harder sell than many mobile-commerce enthusiasts had thought. Some 72.5% of respondents in a survey of more than 2,500 U.S. wireless …
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