SpendTrend23 Report by Visa and Discovery Bank Points to Price Inflation Driving Grocery Spend and Loadshedding Influencing Takeout Meal Consumption

Posted on by Initiator | 34553 Views | 9 min read

In a landmark collaborative initiative, Visa and Discovery Bank today announced their Spendtrend23 report, which is aimed at identifying and understanding shifts in consumer spending behaviour during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights include: South Africans’ spending via credit card has bounced back and is more than 20% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Spend on categories

Online Retail Driven by Age, Income, Education

Posted on by Initiator | 53330 Views | 18 min read

A newly released study revealed that South Africans’ online spending patterns and behaviour continued to grow at a rapid pace in 2022. This is despite the country’s ongoing recovery from lockdown restrictions and social distancing. The comprehensive results of the Online Retail in South Africa 2022 study, released today by World Wide Worx with Mastercard,

NRF 2023 Recap: Retail is Changing

Posted on by Initiator | 76617 Views | 15 min read

Tier 1 retailers are leading the way with innovation that will enhance CX with consistency across channels, more self-service options, and less friction It was great to be back at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Retail’s Big Show in 2023. One of the primary reasons is — after a remote-only event in 2021 and lower-than-normal

Akelo Group Poised to Become Emerging Market Fintech and Engagement Powerhouse

Posted on by Initiator | 65073 Views | 22 min read

Global research over more than two decades by institutions such as MasterCard, Visa, The World Bank, commercial banks and mobile network operators (MNOs) affirms that the most powerful tool to drive revenue and impact is to connect consumers, merchants, banks and brands to drive financial inclusion and deep customer engagement, and ultimately maximise value for

CR2 Partners with M2P Fintech to Secure E-commerce Transactions with ACS

Posted on by Initiator | 68000 Views | 9 min read

3D Secure is now available as part of CR2’s platform to prevent fraudulent transactions while delivering a positive customer experience CR2, a world leader in the digital banking and payments platform industry has partnered with M2P Fintech, a global leader in embedded financial infrastructure. This partnership provides banks with an innovative solution to secure e-commerce

NCR Named Number One POS Software Vendor Worldwide

Posted on by Initiator | 47426 Views | 5 min read

NCR Corporation (NYSE: NCR), a leading enterprise technology provider, has been recognized as the number one global point of sale (POS) software vendor in research and consulting firm RBR’s Global POS Software 2022 report. NCR had the highest share of global POS software installations – 15% – ranking first for retailers and restaurant operators. NCR was

Retailers’ Demand for Cash Automation Solutions Surges

Posted on by Initiator | 40506 Views | 12 min read

Despite the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains and cash usage, investment by retailers in devices that count, verify and store banknotes is increasing worldwide Efficiency of cash management is key for retail and hospitality operators RBR’s brand new study, Retail Cash Automation 2023, reveals that the number of cash automation devices installed at retailers

ACI Worldwide Launches ACI Instant Pay for Merchants – In-Store, Online, and Mobile Real-Time Payments

Posted on by Initiator | 70082 Views | 11 min read

ACI Instant Pay provides access to lower-cost payments, instant liquidity, reduced risk of fraud and enhanced shopper experience ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a global leader in mission-critical, real-time payments software, today announced the launch of ACI Instant Pay, a new real-time payments solution that enables merchants in the U.S. to accept online, mobile and in-store payments instantly. The expansion of ACI’s

Ingenico Announces Strategic Partnership with Klarna to Enable its Alternative Payment Solutions at Retailers Using PPaaS

Posted on by Initiator | 39406 Views | 10 min read

Ingenico, a global leader in payments acceptance solutions, and Klarna, the global leader in the generational shift away from credit cards, today announced a global strategic partnership that will facilitate the roll out of Klarna’s flexible payment options at the point of sale using PPaaS, Ingenico’s innovative, cloud Payments Platform as a Service. In-store shopping

Payfast Rebrand Brings PayGate and SiD Under One Roof

Posted on by Initiator | 46380 Views | 10 min read

South Africa’s leading payment gateway provider Payfast has undergone a major rebrand. Having joined forces with PayGate and SiD under Network International, the company has created a new home for its consolidated offering. With a renewed focus on enabling growth – for the brand, its merchants, and the broader ecommerce industry – this milestone represents

Consumers Will Choose Cash to Make Billions of Rand in Festive Season Payments

Posted on by Initiator | 26940 Views | 19 min read

Cash remains one of South African consumers’ favourite ways to pay because it’s convenient, easy, and offers low transaction costs for customers and retailers alike. That means that every small and medium sized retailer should be preparing itself to manage an influx of cash over the festive season as consumers splash out on treats and

Mastercard and PayFast Continue to Support Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) Through Priceless Possibilities

Posted on by Initiator | 26789 Views | 12 min read

Mastercard’s partnership with payment gateway, PayFast, increases Priceless possibilities by supporting SMEs within the PayFast ecosystem Consumers who pay using their Mastercard card, Masterpass or any other Masterpass-enabled banking app at any PayFast online checkout point stand a chance to win R10000  For the second consecutive year, Mastercard and PayFast have partnered to support SMEs,

PayU Shares Black Friday and Cyber Monday Insights

Posted on by Initiator | 35798 Views | 17 min read

Big ticket items and new payment methods deliver surprising data Black Friday and Cyber Monday came and went with a positive bang and a bag full of surprises, despite the concerns of pressure exerted by inflation and loadshedding. Chairperson of the ECommerce Forum of South Africa (EFSA) and PayU CEO, Karen Nadasen, shared, “Following trends from

Tingg by Cellulant Wins Merchants Payment Company of the Year at the 2022 Nigeria BusinessDay Banks and other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards

Posted on by Initiator | 37205 Views | 10 min read

There are more than 400 businesses and outlets using Tingg by Cellulant’s solution across Nigeria  Tingg, Cellulant’s (https://www.Cellulant.io) acclaimed payment platform has been recognized as the ‘Merchants Payment Company of the Year 2022’, award at the BAFI Awards. The recognition was bestowed at the 10th BusinessDay Banks and other Financial Institutions (BAFI) awards event, which was

Peach Payments Partners With Stitch to Launch Instant EFT Checkouts for Merchants Across South Africa

Posted on by Initiator | 40607 Views | 12 min read

Merchants that use Peach Payments to accept digital payments can now leverage Instant EFT by Peach Payments to improve conversion, reach more customers and save on card fees South Africa-based digital payments gateway Peach Payments and API fintech Stitch have partnered to enable online merchants across South Africa to accept secure, low-cost instant EFT payments.

eCommerce Losses to Online Payment Fraud to Exceed $48 Billion Globally in 2023, as Fraud Incursions Evolve

Posted on by Initiator | 33661 Views | 8 min read

16% Growth in eCommerce Fraud Losses in Just 12 Months A new study from Juniper Research has found that the total cost of eCommerce fraud to merchants will exceed $48 billion globally in 2023, from just over $41 billion in 2022. It predicted that this growth will be accelerated by the increasing use of alternative

Pick n Pay and Mr D Take Online Grocery Shopping to the Next Level

Posted on by Initiator | 24771 Views | 13 min read

By working together, Pick n Pay and Mr D have just made online grocery shopping much better, easier, and more exciting for customers. Using the Mr D app, all your favourite Pick n Pay products can now be delivered right to your door. By bringing together the best of Pick n Pay and Mr D,

Meet South Africa’s Lowest Cost Bank Account

Posted on by Initiator | 16130 Views | 8 min read

Shoprite’s Money Market Account is now a full-fledged bank account. It already provides almost two million banked and unbanked customers the best deal on the market. It’s official: Shoprite’s Money Market Account is now a full-fledged, transactional bank account, the first ever offered by a South African retailer – and the lowest cost entry-level bank

Zapper and Stitch Team Up to Offer South Africans Fast, Secure One-Click Payments

Posted on by Initiator | 29668 Views | 16 min read

Zapper users can now link their bank accounts in the Zapper app to pay their favourite merchants securely at POS, in just one click South African independent mobile payments, insights, loyalty, and rewards platform Zapper has teamed up with payments and data API Stitch via its LinkPay product, to bring the latest in payments innovation

Global Retail Brand LC (Les Copains) Waikiki Joins the Tingg by Cellulant Digital Payment Ecosystem in Zambia

Posted on by Initiator | 51730 Views | 15 min read

LC Waikiki customers will now be able to make payments seamlessly via mobile money in all their branches in Zambia  Cellulant (www.Cellulant.io) Zambia has signed a partnership agreement with leading fashion retailer LC Waikiki, which will enable customers to make payments from all LC Waikiki stores across Zambia through the Tingg digital payment platform. As

Ecommerce, payments and realising the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area

Posted on by Initiator | 13306 Views | 29 min read

What are the realities facing Africa’s boldest growth opportunity? After six years of planning, strategy and coordination, and now just 16 months since its inception, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has the weight of the continent resting on its shoulders. AfCFTA will cover a market of 1.3 billion people and a gross domestic

Accepting Digital Currency is Increasingly Key to Growing Customer Confidence and Engagement According to Deloitte Merchant Survey

Posted on by Initiator | 20950 Views | 14 min read

The Merchants Getting Ready for Crypto: Merchant Adoption of Digital Currency Payments Survey reflects current projections, priorities and challenges around cryptocurrency payments, according to top U.S. merchants. As consumers progressively purchase a wider spectrum of goods and services via digital currencies, U.S. merchants are reflecting a greater optimism, prioritization and implementation of alternate payments to

ACI Worldwide and NORBr Partner to Help eCommerce Businesses Across the Globe to Drive Revenues

Posted on by Initiator | 13113 Views | 8 min read

ACI Worldwide, the global leader in mission-critical, real-time payments software, and NORBr, the leading global payment services distributor platform for digital merchants, and leading payment services marketplace for digital merchants, have announced a partnership. The collaboration allows merchants to connect to ACI’s merchant solutions, including ACI Secure eCommerce, ACI Omni-Commerce and ACI Fraud Management for

Entersekt Partners with Capitec Bank to boost Security and Reduce Friction for E-commerce Transactions

Posted on by Initiator | 12495 Views | 10 min read

Entersekt integrates NuData Security’s behavioural analytics intelligence into its EMV 3-D Secure solution to provide Capitec customers with real-time risk-based authentication for online purchases Entersekt, a global leader in device identity and authentication solutions, today announced that Capitec Bank has implemented its innovative EMV 3-D Secure solution that boosts the security of e-commerce payments, while

Think Before you Click and Shop Safely Online!

Posted on by Initiator | 11353 Views | 17 min read

If the Tinder Swindler scandal has taught us anything, it’s that scammers are finding increasingly creative ways to take your hard-earned cash. According to 2021 stats from datareportal.com, 57.7% of South African internet users have purchased a product online. With the increase in online purchases – from food and clothing to furniture and appliances –

South Africans Less Exposed to QR Code Fraud, Despite International Worries

Posted on by Initiator | 11287 Views | 20 min read

The war in Ukraine has added concerns to an already tense cybersecurity environment. What’s more, recent international coverage about scammers using QR codes to misdirect funds is fuelling fraud uncertainty. But South African consumers, while wise to remain vigilant, are well protected if they stick to a few simple QR guidelines. Quick Response or QR

PAYM8 | AI and M2M take South African Payments and E-commerce to New Heights

Posted on by Initiator | 11423 Views | 10 min read

While AI and Machine to Machine (M2M) technology are nothing new, they are being deployed with greater speed and efficiency, and in more contexts within the South African payments and e-commerce environment. According to Andrew Springate, CEO of tech and financial gateway service provider PAYM8, the real potential of these technologies is just starting to

Homechoice Invests in SA Buy-now-pay-later Start-up

Posted on by Initiator | 8512 Views | 9 min read

Weaver Fintech, a new division of omni-channel retailer Homechoice International (HiL), has made its first acquisition, buying an 85% stake in Cape Town-based buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) start-up PayJustNow. HiL is an investment holding company, focused on fintech and omni-channel retail through its subsidiaries. It is incorporated in Mauritius and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. According

Addressing Cash Flow Issues in the Traditional Retail Trade

Posted on by Initiator | 8913 Views | 13 min read

Traditional retail trade across Africa is heavily driven by a cash economy and van sales, which involves a significant amount of risk. Cash flow issues can also limit business opportunities, as retailers in this market may not be able to purchase the stock they need when they need it, due to a lack of available

Financial Inclusion on the Agenda as Mukuru Card Customers Can Now Make Online Purchases

Posted on by Initiator | 8637 Views | 11 min read

Mukuru, one of the largest remittance companies in Africa and a leading next generation financial services platform, has announced that its Mukuru Card has been activated for online purchases in South Africa, allowing holders of the card to take part in the eCommerce revolution even if they don’t hold traditional bank accounts. Mukuru CEO Andy

Standard Bank Black Friday Contactless Payments Increase by 100%

Posted on by Initiator | 8542 Views | 9 min read

According to data released by Standard Bank, utilisation of contactless card payments increased by more than 100% compared to 2020. “It’s great to see that our customers have embraced innovation and have adopted contactless payments to transact seamlessly. This feature is increasingly popular simply because it makes the process of paying with your card much

2021: The Year of the Online Payment

Posted on by Initiator | 8325 Views | 14 min read

As the world moved indoors two years ago, the online payment space flourished. These are the biggest developments in 2021, and a brief look ahead. This year, South Africans embraced e-commerce, mobile commerce and digital payments like never before – all four major banks have seen massive increases in these payment methods since the start

Standard Bank UCount Rewards Expands its Retail Partners

Posted on by Initiator | 18650 Views | 10 min read

As we near the festive season, Standard Bank is excited to announce that UCount Rewards members can now earn and redeem Rewards Points from more Rewards Retailers. This expansion of the Rewards Retailers is part of the bank’s key objective to give customers an array of retail choices aligned to their needs.  The Standard Bank

Payment Solutions Essential for Navigating the Ecommerce Explosion

Posted on by Initiator | 9877 Views | 12 min read

As Black Friday approaches, businesses worldwide are preparing for the busiest consumer period of the year. In South Africa alone, Black Friday sales have grown by an astounding 9900% over the past six years. One of the biggest drivers of this is the upsurge in online retail which has exploded by 66% since the onset

SA’s Number 1 Fuel and Convenience Retailer Leads the Way in Payment Technology

Posted on by Initiator | 8536 Views | 31 min read

Recognising the key role that digitisation is playing in the financial lives of more and more of its customers, South Africa’s leading fuel and convenience retailer Engen is prioritising electronic payment solutions at the core of its customer offering. With over 3.4 billion litres of fuel pumped from Engen forecourts in 2020, or approximately 25%

iVeri Integrates Halo Dot, Driving Innovation in the Mobile Point of Sale

Posted on by Initiator | 18433 Views | 8 min read

iVeri has announced that it has completed integration with software and consulting company Synthesis Software Technologies to increase the opportunities available to businesses using software-based Point of Sale (SoftPOS) across Africa and the Middle East. Synthesis became the first Tap on Phone solution provider in Africa when it launched Halo Dot with Nedbank in June 2020. This launch was

Xtra Savings Members can Now Transact with Rewards Cards

Posted on by Initiator | 18012 Views | 10 min read

Xtra Savings members can now transact using their Xtra Savings cards following a significant update to the Shoprite Group’s Money Market Account. The Money Market Account, which has attracted 530 000 users since it launched just over a year ago, now provides customers with transactional banking functionalities, including sending money and making withdrawals. “The development

Innovation and Partnership Opens Up New Banking Facilities for Shoprite Group Customers

Posted on by Initiator | 19983 Views | 10 min read

The Shoprite Group’s Money Market Account, which previously only enabled customers to deposit funds to pay for utilities and buy groceries, now provides customers with new transactional banking options including sending money and making withdrawals. Money Market Accounts offer banked and unbanked consumers, many of whom are regular customers at the Group’s stores, access to basic transactional banking activities that are specifically aimed at their needs.

Clickatell Announces Chat Commerce Platform with New Payment Capabilities

Posted on by Initiator | 26418 Views | 13 min read

Brands can now deliver immediate value to consumers through chat Clickatell (https://bit.ly/3vcSvd7), a leader in mobile communications and chat commerce, has announced it will unveil new payment capabilities via its Chat Commerce Platform at Money 20/20 Las Vegas, Oct. 24-27. Clickatell helps businesses easily deploy payments in chat channels with low to no execution risk

Crop Insurance Helps Farmers Mitigate the Threat of Climate Change

Posted on by Initiator | 8093 Views | 15 min read

By Louis van Ravesteyn, Head: Agribusiness, Business and Commercial Client Segments, at Standard Bank Group Agriculture is a highly climate-sensitive industry, and as climate change intensifies causing changes in climate patterns and more severe climate events, like floods or extended periods of dry spells during critical growth phases of crop production, farmers must contend with

Standard Bank Launches EasyScan for Pick n Pay – Fast, Easy Payments for Groceries

Posted on by Initiator | 8448 Views | 8 min read

Standard Bank and Pick n Pay customers’ shopping experience has just become even more convenient, easy, and safe, with the launch of Standard Bank’s EasyScan – a new service that enables customers to pay for their shopping using the Standard Bank Mobile Banking app.   Standard Bank customers registered on the Banking App can scan

Yoco Partners with Retail Stores Across South Africa to Increase Financial Inclusion

Posted on by Initiator | 8716 Views | 11 min read

Allowing more entrepreneurs  to transact via in-person card payments, simply and securely Payments and software company, Yoco, has partnered with over 700 retail stores nationwide, to allow more merchants access to affordable and efficient electronic card machines and financial tools to start and run their businesses. Entrepreneurs are seeing a growing tapes surrounding product structures

Finserve Africa Bags 2021 Best in E-Commerce Category at the 3rd Edition of the Kenya ECommerce Awards

Posted on by Initiator | 21653 Views | 11 min read

The award recognises Finserve’s commitment to innovation and customer centricity Equity Group’s fintech subsidiary, Finserve Africa, has been named the best in E-commerce – Banking/Financial and Insurance Services Gold Category at the 3rd Edition of the Kenya E-Commerce Awards 2021 held in Nairobi. The award recognises Finserve’s continued commitment to innovation and customer-centricity in Kenya

Clickatell and Visa’s Cybersource Deliver “Chat 2 Pay” Contactless Checkout in Store and in Chat to Businesses Worldwide

Posted on by Initiator | 29121 Views | 9 min read

New partnership accelerates the move towards contactless digital engagements for ecommerce Clickatell, a leader in mobile communications and chat commerce, and Visa’s global payment and fraud management platform, Cybersource, have announced a partnership to make it easier for businesses to deliver chat commerce and contact-free checkouts with Clickatell’s newly announced Chat 2 Pay solution. Chat

Tipping Point – Engen Makes it Easy to Say “Thank You” for Great Service

Posted on by Initiator | 14289 Views | 15 min read

Excellent Engen service. No cash in your pocket. No stress. Engen’s innovative 1app now features a ‘Tip an Attendant’ function, which allows motorists and shoppers across South Africa to tip deserving Engen staff for the warm and friendly service that they have long been renowned for. In partnership with Telkom Financial Services, this new value

Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index: 76% of SMEs in Food, Beverage, Entertainment across Middle East and Africa Optimistic About Future Growth

Posted on by Initiator | 7708 Views | 23 min read

76% of the region’s small and medium businesses in food, beverage, and entertainment are optimistic about the next 12 months, according to Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index SME confidence levels in the region were highest among businesses in retail, closely followed by food, beverage, and entertainment sector Research identified key areas with the greatest potential

Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index: 78% of SMEs in Retail Across Middle East and Africa Optimistic About Future Growth

Posted on by Initiator | 17426 Views | 22 min read

78% of SMEs in region’s retail sector are optimistic about the next 12 months, according to Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index SME confidence levels were highest among businesses in retail, ahead of other sectors, like food and beverage, entertainment, construction, and manufacturing Research identified key areas with the greatest potential for growth with half of

Shoprite’s Money Market Account Launches Instant EFT Payments

Posted on by Initiator | 8207 Views | 10 min read

Shoprite is the first South African retailer to launch an instant electronic funds transfer (EFT) service. The EFT service enables customers to instantly send vouchers to another person in just three simple steps. Senders only need to enter the recipient’s mobile number and the amount they wish to pay. There is no need to download an app

Woolworths Launches “Tap and Go” Shopping in Store, a First for SA Retail

Posted on by Initiator | 8475 Views | 13 min read

With customers increasingly doing their shopping from their mobile phones, Woolworths is once again set to transform its customer experience with the launch of its Near Field Communication (NFC) enabled stores. This latest addition, another first for South African retail, extends the retailer’s digital shopping capability by allowing customers to enjoy a seamless omni-channel shopping