Retailers

Visa and Mastercard's "single button" for online payments seems like it would most directly threaten PayPal, but the card networks' campaign puts just as much pressure on Amazon's omnichannel push.

Amazon is offering to pass its discount along to at least some smaller merchants if they agree to embrace its Amazon Pay service.

Amazon is trying to acquire Indian e-commerce giant Flipkart, in part to gain control over that country's e-commerce market and in part to make sure Walmart doesn't get hold of the company.

Cloud-based software has replaced bulky, expensive and almost obsolete servers, which allows SMBs to keep costs lower while getting access to more functionality, writes Rush Taggart, Chief Technology Officer for CardConnect.

If Amazon Go and other omnichannel concepts are redefining self-service commerce, does the humble vending machine lose its relevance?

The growth and popularity of debit payments has been driving monumental change in the U.S. and Domestic Debit Networks have been at the forefront of this wave of innovation, adapting their products and services to meet these changing market needs, writes Paul Tomasofsky, executive director of the Debit Network Alliance.

The rise of digital options is evolving payments from infrequent large transactions to a constantly flow of smaller payments, and companies that don't adjust risk being left behind, according to Luis Valdich, managing director of venture investing at Citi Ventures.

Younger consumers are more willing to shop around compared to previous generations, and the on-demand economy means there is an expectation of instant gratification, writes Julian Wallis, retail director at Rambus.

Lacy Morris would seem to be in a tough spot as the main techie for a smaller coffee chain that's deploying mobile technology years after Starbucks dominated the market. But Starbucks has made missteps, he contends, leaving room for rivals to learn from those mistakes.

AI is about maximizing technology to drive greater business insights, making brands more efficient and more connected to their customers, our jobs more fulfilling and meaningful and giving us a more personalized experience in our daily lives, writes Anant Kale, CEO and founder of AppZen.