Loyalty and rewards

Premium loyalty is about brands and customers committing to each other from the start. It’s about brands aligning with their customers and giving upfront, according to Tom Caporaso, CEO of Clarus Commerce.

A period of churn in Canadian airline loyalty is nearing an end as Air Canada moves ahead with a deal to take over its old loyalty program, Aeroplan, and keep its partner banks on board.

More innovative thinking will be needed to achieve competitive advantage and differentiation without breaking the bank, an gaming is an emerging option, according to Simon-Kucher & Partners’ Wei Ke and Wenbo Li.

Chase is planning to enable users of the Chase Pay app to receive and redeem custom offers from merchants, in addition to the ability to find offers from more than 150 merchants through the Chase Mobile app.

Capital One is banking on a tool to help online shoppers find better prices to bring more holiday shopping transactions their way.

Across all age groups, many consumers still prefer shopping in stores for various reasons. But even when going into a brick-and-mortar store, these consumers don't leave their digital habits behind; many still prefer to pay by mobile or wearable when the option presents itself.

As issuers make rewards more personalized and proactive, a balance between savvy and privacy must be maintained, according to Kevin Grieve, North America payments lead for Accenture.

Two German companies, Wirecard and the startup givve, are expanding their partnership to develop more programs for companies to deliver employee benefits via prepaid cards.

Amazon is rightfully thought of as an e-commerce juggernaut, but the company's latest move — opening additional headquarters in the New York and Washington, D.C. areas — has drawn attention to how its presence changes the physical world.

Amazon Go’s cashierless checkout model has made its impact felt across the board, motivating large chains like Walmart and Kroger's to respond. But the biggest threat it poses is to convenience and fast-food brands like 7-Eleven.