Retailers

Companies must be more prepared to defend user data from malicious outsiders, or suffer the consequences of lawsuits, sanctions from data privacy laws, decreased user trust, tarnished brand reputation, damaged investor relations and more, writes Ben Goodman, vice president of global strategy and innovation at ForgeRock.

Digital consumers and merchants are born as well as made. Payments play a key role in driving simpler, smarter and more customized experiences, writes Stefan Merz, COO of PPRO.

ChargeAfter, a startup that matches retail customers with financing options at the point of sale from various lenders, has raised $8 million in its first major funding round.

Purpose Financial has agreed to purchase CreditGenie Inc. as payment companies face pressure to offer point of sale financing.

Elavon is partnering with online store software company ePages to meld online and in-store technology for small to mid-size retailers in the U.K. and Ireland with other markets to follow.

Many kiosk manufacturers focus on cost and manufacturing efficiencies, placing little to no emphasis on experience architecture — where the physical meets the digital in design and engagement, writes Scott Reese, chief technology officer at Harbor Retail.

Large U.S. financial institutions converting their credit and debit portfolios to contactless technology this summer are betting that transit agencies like New York shifting to open-loop NFC will help drive mass adoption.

Insecure software development and insufficient use of security best practices creates significant risk for both consumers and commercial organizations alike, writes Carl Wright, CCO of AttackIQ.

If cryptocurrency is on its way to becoming a mainstream payment method in the U.K., it will be due to an increased appetite from major card networks for forming alliances with leading cryptocurrency providers.

Mastercard is making a niche play in the hot point of sale financing market, teaming with Dividio and lastminute.com to offer installment loans at checkout.