Loyalty and rewards

The demise of PerkStreet, a startup that offered generous cash back on debit card purchases, illustrates how the business is changing. Interchange-funded rewards are out; merchant-funded perks are in.

MasterCard Inc. has launched its first debit card in Latin America for high-income customers.

Google reportedly plans to discontinue allowing consumers to use its mobile wallet for contactless loyalty and gift card redemption, the latest in a series of changes since Google Wallet's launch.

Honey, which obtains coupon codes for consumers who shop online, plans to use its data management and analytic tools to enable merchants to offer coupons directly to Honey users in real time.

To create effective mobile payments products, developers must treat merchants and consumers as separate customer segments that have of inextricably-linked needs.

Despite the warnings, cell phones are safe to use at gas pumps — and ExxonMobil Corp. aims to prove this in testing a mobile payment app for smartphone users in Nashville, Tenn.

The Dunkin' Donuts mobile payment app is "a continuing driver of sales" for the company, as more than 3 million customers have downloaded the app through the second quarter of 2013.

American Express Co. will be discontinuing its Deals and Offers program on the Serve digital wallet on August 12.

Cardlytics, which provides card-linked marketing technology, has hired Jim Morgan to be its chief financial officer, a new position.

Shopkick now allows consumers to make purchases directly from its mobile app, which rewards consumers for visiting its merchant clients in-person.

C-Sam Inc., Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd. and HyperSoft Co. Ltd. have jointly developed "Salon de Wallet," a mobile wallet for beauty salons in Japan.

Cloud payment processor i2c Inc. and Heartland Payment Systems have teamed to provide prepaid card processing services. Their first collaboration is to add features to the National Restaurant Association’s Edge prepaid card program.

Developers should consider incorporating rewards and other tools such as receipt tracking in new mobile payment applications to promote broad adoption.

With the summer driving season in full swing, Shell Oil Products U.S. is attempting to boost the appeal of its branded payment cards.

SimpleTuition's SmarterBucks has launched a blog that's designed to add expert commentary to a program in which card payments contribute to student loan repayment.

Tango Card is pitching its online gift card platform as a way to let big companies provide small-dollar awards to their employees.

Wolfe LLC is changing the name of its Wolfe Rewards and Loyalty business to OmniCard, a move designed to reflect the operation's range of offerings.

CO-OP Financial Services is offering a card-based local merchant rewards program that encourages credit union members to shop within a small area.

Pulse, a Discover Financial Services debit and ATM network, is partnering with fisoc Inc. to roll out the Buzz Points loyalty program to financial institutions.

PXT Payments, which operates the mobile payments and rewards app "looped in," is partnering with Boston College-based startup Jebbit for a student-focused marketing program that combines mobile payments and gaming.