Digital Transactions Authoritative, insightful and timely information for payments professionals
New processing technologies for so-called micropayments–transactions carrying a value under $5–have received a lot of attention in recent months as the number of sellers of online digital content expands and as the market for song downloads explodes, but some observers now question how far the market can grow. Startups like …
Read More »Surging Sales Push MusicRebellion to Embrace Micropayments
MusicRebellion.com Inc., which operates a 3-year-old Web site selling song downloads, is getting set to adopt an updated version of a micropayments system to help handle growing volume. The Web merchant, which has been using Peppercoin Inc.'s original processing system, introduced last year, says the micropayment method accounts for between …
Read More »Visa Credits Surge in Web Volume to Its Authentication Program
Visa U.S.A. reported today that the dollar volume of transactions occurring on its cards on the Internet through the first five months of 2004 is running ahead of the gain seen in calendar 2003. Through May 31, Visa's e-commerce volume on credit and debit cards jumped 59% over the year-ago …
Read More »Peppercoin Aims at the POS As Well As Digital Content with Version 2.0
In an ambitious effort to capture a share of the rapidly expanding markets for both digital content and goods at the point of sale, micropayments processor Peppercoin Inc. today is announcing a second generation of the payments model it introduced commercially only last December. Considerably revised, the Waltham, Mass.-based company's …
Read More »Free Service Is Lighting a Fire Under Online Bill Payment
The movement among banks to waive or eliminate consumer fees on electronic bill payment is rapidly pushing the transaction channel into the mainstream of consumer payment products, according to the chief executive of Online Resources Corp. “Free works,” declared Matthew P. Lawlor, who is also chairman of the McLean, Va.-based …
Read More »PayPal Says Its New Pricing Should Cut Costs for Most Sellers
PayPal Inc., the online payment processor owned by Internet auction powerhouse eBay Inc., is set to roll out new transaction fees Aug. 6 that it says will slash payment costs for most of its sellers. Merchants doing very large volumes will see the greatest benefit, while mid-tier sellers will see …
Read More »How the New Anti-Phishing Group Sees Itself As Distinct
A new trade group formed to fight phishing fraud argues it will work on approaches to the problem that will distinguish it from the efforts of another organization that emerged last year to combat the online fraud. The Trusted Electronic Communications Forum, whose formation was announced this week, is aimed …
Read More »Paymentech Scores Major Multi-Year Deal with InterActiveCorp
Paymentech L.P. today won the entire credit and debit card processing business of five operating units of IAC/Interactive Corp., parent company of a number of online businesses. The multi-year deal includes Ticketmaster, Hotels.com, Expedia, HSN, and Match.com. Dallas-based Paymentech, which processed 7 billion electronic transactions in 2003, will not say …
Read More »Survey Shows Many Web Merchants Are Passing up Global Sales
Even though transactions from outside North America account for anywhere from 10% to 20% of sales for Web sites that accept international business, only 59% of large and mid-sized online merchants take orders from international customers. That's the main conclusion of a recent e-commerce payment survey sponsored by CyberSource Corp., …
Read More »First Data Certifies Slim CD Software for High-Speed Transactions
Slim CD Inc., a transaction-software company in Coral Springs, Fla., announced today its product has been certified by First Data Corp., allowing banks and independent sales organizations supported by FDC to offer merchants high-speed card transactions on personal computers through Slim CD's software. The company says its product can process …
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