Amazon

With millions of Alexa and Google Home devices now in use, first-mover banks are rapidly developing services to let customers control their finances using only their voice — even if there are still many kinks to work out.

If CVS acts quickly and truly pushes synergies between its retail and insurance businesses, there is time for the company to establish a unique value proposition in reshaping the pharmacy experience.

In a world where consumers are tuning out TV ads easier than ever before with streaming services like Netflix, the e-commerce giant is giving advertisers a new platform to be in front of millions of people who like to shop, writes Tom Caporaso, CEO of Clarus Commerce.

Voice-based payments are part of the "instant gratification" consumers will expect from payment and financial services companies, writes Hicham Tahiri, a Paris-based fintech entrepreneur.

Merchants’ fates are inextricably linked to what customers want. So, as they continue to embrace frictionless experiences, merchants are under mounting pressure to deliver or risk losing out, writes Joseph Daly, COO of North American Payment Processing for Paysafe.

Only a few banks have so far integrated with Amazon’s personal voice assistant service.

As use of smartphone apps begins to surpass online channels at some institutions, banks are facing pressure to offer clients more robust services.

Because marketplaces are the fastest growing channel in the e-commerce space, many retailers and sellers that have multiple e-commerce channels will see Amazon’s service as a logical next step, writes Victor Rosenman, CEO of Feedvisor.

After 10 years in operation, Amazon Fresh didn’t grow quickly and the company shifted more focus to its fast delivery service Prime Now, which also offers grocery products.

Employees of a small or midsize business can learn customers’ needs and deftly toggle between soft and hard cross-sells at the perfect time, writes Michael Hiskey, chief marketing officer of Semarchy.