Loyalty and rewards

Since the introduction of Bluetooth beacons as enablers of in-store location-based marketing, many have seen a clear connection between beacons and mobile payments. As the technology evolves, the connection is not quite as clear.

Most mobile wallet providers and retailers have been hunting for the magic formula that would seamlessly blend loyalty and mobile payments, in the hopes that one would inevitably fuel the other. But it's a delicate recipe, and very easy to get wrong.

Verifone and its beacon technology provider Footmarks are partnering with Allrecipes.com and grocery retailer Marc’s in Ohio to deliver meal recommendations to shoppers.

As the Costco-Citibank credit card partnership hits full stride this month following the retailer’s painful split with longtime credit card partner American Express, Bank of America is making a change to its own credit card rewards program to win the business of warehouse club shoppers.

E-commerce is eroding the appeal of shopping malls, so the operators of some of the largest shopping centers are starting to dish out their own share of digital disruption.

While the benefits of coupon 'extreme stacking' are traditionally geared to consumers, it can also help retailers understand consumer behavior and better plan their marketing initiatives.

Google is helping developers cut steps out of the path to accepting digital payments with several key moves unveiled around the Google I/O developers conference taking place this week.

Citigroup is testing Bluetooth beacon technology in a pilot that gives customers cardless access to branch ATMs after business hours, among other services.

Department store chain Kohl’s has stitched together two of the most frustrating elements of checking out: adding loyalty points at the same time the payment goes through.

Pressure is building on financial services providers to develop more merchant-centric loyalty programs to fight declining interchange revenue, and U.S. Bank is testing one approach in Lawrence, Kan.