Merchant

Apple's plans to display a bright blue bar on iPhone screens when an application is monitoring the user's location may feel like a threat to location-based marketing. More likely, it is an overdue wake-up call for retailers and banks to improve their communication about the benefits of location data.

Not content to have Amazon and Walmart steal all the thunder, Target has begun a pilot of a grocery delivery service called “Restock,” with terms that are designed specifically to make its rivals look slower and more expensive.

For years, Amazon.com Inc. was the go-to place for online merchants. Increasingly, however, the e-commerce behemoth has competition for the hearts and minds of millions of mom and pops.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. will invest another $1 billion to raise its stake in online mall Lazada Group SA to 83 percent, securing control of a fast-growing startup at the vanguard of its Southeast Asian expansion.

Synchrony Financial and Alliance Data Systems are particularly vulnerable to recent shifts in Americans’ shopping habits, according to new research from Moody’s Investors Service.

Visa said its investment in Klarna will advance online and mobile commerce across Europe, but there are broader implications for other markets and consumer groups.

Users shop and make selections in a catalogue through eye motions via the headset, and use the same approach to pay.

Punchh is betting NFC will be widespread, and it hopes to get an edge with clients with a direct connection to Apple Pay, enabling consumers to simultaneously earn and redeem restaurant loyalty program points.

Banks are making it easier to log in, adding expense trackers and simplifying payments as they try to get corporate clients to use mobile more.

Square is diversifying its services for merchants to stay competitive and hopes its recognizable brand will play a major role.