POS and Retail

The payment terminal maker Poynt, a rival to Square and other hardware providers with customized software applications for merchants, has raised $100 million in a Series C funding round with strategic partners Elavon and National Australia Bank.

Six months ago, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, took effect, threatening companies worldwide with massive fines if they didn’t look after customer data properly. Fresh research suggests it’s making a difference in Europe -- but not so much for U.S. web users.

The Norway company is introducing a service in Finland and Sweden giving consumers an instant-credit option enabling them to opt to pay later for purchases.

Adapting to Chinese consumers’ expectations of mobile pay options can help international retailers remain relevant and competitive by offering an easy, smooth, and interactive customer experience, writes Franklin Chu, managing director for Azoya USA.

U.S. restaurants for years have been experimenting with novel EMV payment approaches ranging from tablets to apps, but two major U.S. restaurant chains are opting for basic hand-held terminals from Ingenico.

As companies mature out of their startup phase, their sales growth curves begin to flatten and costs start to rise — unless, of course, they change their business model. And that’s exactly what Square is doing to maintain its startup-style growth.

Instead of focusing on static rewards, card issuers should focus on more proactive and data-driven “rewarding.” This is a profound shift from a transactional strategy to a relational one, writes Kevin Grieve, North America Payments Lead for Accenture.

Amazon’s dominance is in no danger, but the e-commerce giant is looking over its shoulder as Walmart and other retail powerhouses close in. The fourth quarter could be a tipping point for Amazon, which recently lowered its holiday sales growth forecast.

Square gave an earnings forecast in the current quarter that missed analysts’ estimates, amid increasing spending on new products beyond its central payments processing business. The profit projection outweighed a strong sales outlook, sending shares down in extended trading.

After the retail giant filed an $800 million lawsuit against its former credit card partner, shares in Synchrony plunged. Now analysts fear its relationship with Sam’s Club may be in jeopardy.