Cash

Cash and digital payments don’t have to be mutually exclusive; this is not a zero-sum game as the two payment options can exist together, says PPRO's Steve Villegas.

The trend toward cashless is inevitable, and could be accelerated by current events. But a gradual transition is key to avoid alienating those people who depend on cash as their primary payment method.

It's still unclear how the coronavirus pandemic will alter payment habits over time — will consumers avoid cash out of fear of germs, or will they favor it as the one payment option that nearly all merchants accept? An impending change in interchange rates may tip the scales in cash's favor.

Targeted marketing efforts must go beyond explaining the functionality and instead educate consumers about all benefits that contactless can offer. Responsible communication should prioritize those who are at the highest risk for infection, says The Futurist Group's Demitry Estrin.

Zimbabwe’s severe cash shortage is providing the impoverished southern African country with some relief in the fight against the coronavirus: One less way of spreading the disease.

The South African Reserve Bank is warning the public of a scam currently underway in the country where fraudsters are collecting banknotes and coins because they claim they may be infected with the coronavirus.

Cash use will suffer because of this outbreak, and there are factors other than germs contributing to this trend. A growing work-from-home workforce will funnel more shoppers into digital channels, including ones they may have never tried before.

Fear of dollars is now palpable in the U.S. epicenter of the coronavirus.

Contactless cards are a potential refuge for consumers who fear plastic and cash are carrying COVID-19.

In announcing plans to export Just Walk Out to other retailers, Amazon rattled the emerging autonomous checkout industry and raised questions about its ability to amass even more data than it already has about consumer consumption patterns.