Amazon

Machine learning, Siri and Alexa are taking off quickly, particularly among younger consumers. Banks and payment companies need to get in the game now.

Amazon.com Inc. has agreed to buy Dubai-based online retailer Souq.com, betting that e-commerce in the Middle East is poised to take off.

With AmazonFresh Pickup, a brick-and-mortar extension of its grocery delivery services, Amazon is edging further into the crowded grocery market with a model that downplays the process of wandering the aisles of a physical store. But unlike some of Amazon's other retail efforts, this one is not as big a departure as it first seems.

Amazon's Go concept store has caused concern among payment companies and retailers, though there are mobile-driven options that can replicate the experience.

BigCommerce is adding Amazon Pay support to its checkout, providing businesses with the opportunity to offer the payment option to Amazon customers worldwide.

Problems with Amazon's cloud computing services caused major disruption across the Web on Tuesday, but Capital One says it cloud strategy kept things smooth there.

Amazon.com's cloud-computing service, used by Capital One and other large companies, was beset by "high error rates" on parts of its S3 data-storage system, disrupting many sites and mobile apps.

Traditional brick & mortar stores must upgrade and innovate their experiences to again become destinations in their own right in order to lure back spoiled online shoppers.

The technology complements Starbucks successful mobile technology, which includes a widely used payments app as well as rewards and order-ahead.

Amazon.com Inc. and PayPal Holdings Inc. have discussed letting shoppers pay for Amazon purchases using their PayPal accounts, highlighting how PayPal can attract new partners since its 2015 split from Amazon rival EBay Inc.

Add package pickup to the growing list of things banks are doing with branches as foot traffic declines.

Credit card issuers usually reserve their richest rewards for customers at the higher end who are willing to pay steep annual fees. But a recent surge in credit card rewards deals targeting mainstream consumers signals a key strategy shift for issuers.

Guest host Sam Maule chats with American Banker reporter Lalita Clozel and others about the OCC fintech charter, smart home devices, virtual assistants, the security and compliance issues posed by Alexa, and more.

The e-commerce company is expanding the buy buttons from one-off buttons used in the home to order items like soap or toilet paper.

As consumers use digital channels more, merchants are under pressure to not only make payments seamless, but tie transactions to broader customer-facing and internal functions.

Amazon is revamping its cobranded rewards card, adding a higher tier of rewards for people who pay a $99 annual fee — as 65 million people already do — for Amazon Prime membership.

Chatbots, virtual assistants and the like may mean fewer direct interactions between banks and consumers, fintech leaders say. But branches will become self-service destinations.

Amazon's checkout-free shopping model, currently in testing with employees, is a clear threat to the status quo for retailers. But does it also pose a risk for banks?

Amazon.com has set the standard for e-commerce with fast delivery, invisible payments and many other perks that keep consumers coming back to its site. Increasingly, the e-tailer has been experimenting with ways to streamline the payment process outside of the trappings of its website.

Both major brands are accelerating a move away from traditional checkout, and all retailers need to make adjustments for the future.