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Americans Are Borrowing Money Again 

Consumer demand for credit is high. There was a 39% uptick in auto loans, general-use credit cards and personal loans from April 2020 to April 2021, according to credit-reporting firm Equifax.
DCA Insight
When the pandemic first hit, people worried. About getting laid off and/or running out of money. Splurging on a new car, taking a vacation, buying clothes, and eating out was off the table. Many focused not on spending, but saving and paying down debt. Now, with the availability of vaccines, all that’s changed. Pent-up demand for things and experiences missed is accounting for the recent surge in credit demand.

Data Ownership Belongs With The Consumer 

The common practice of third-party sources mining consumers’ data from banks, card issuers, networks and credit bureaus and selling it is changing, according to a recent Forbes Tech Council article. Regulators in the US and EU are embracing the idea that consumers should own their own information.
DCA Insight
Consumers are the ones to decide who accesses their data and how—and they should be the ones who benefit from its use. Screen scraping for data and unauthorized access of bank user names and passwords needs to stop. Consumer opt-in before data is shared; the ability to pause participation any time; and enabling card holders to benefit directly from their own information is the way of the future.

Buy-Now-Pay-Later Tool By Sezzle Backed By Discover

Sezzle’s buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) solution will be integrated on the Discover Global Network. Discover is backing Sezzle with a $30 million investment, and a referral program is being implemented introducing the card company’s credit and debit products to Sezzle’s user base.

DCA Insight

Offering merchant partners and consumers payment options is a smart strategic move. In today’s current economic environment, BNPL drives sales, loyalty, and customer satisfaction. Empowering the increasing number of shoppers whose credit scores don’t accurately reflect their credit risk by integrating non-traditional digital commerce services at check-out is a win-win across the board.

Digital Payments Giants Vie for In-Store Sales

PayPal announced it’s bringing its Zettle product to the US. It will offer point-of-sale hardware and related services such as invoicing to small- and medium-sized merchants—estimated to be a $4 trillion market. Other digital payments players, i.e. Stripe, Square and Fiserv’s Clover are addressing the small business/in-store market as well.

DCA Insight:

As shoppers and merchants emerge from the pandemic, and lines between online and offline shopping blur, look for continued innovation in the payments space. Services associated with payments such as credit, discounts, billing and crypto that bring value to consumers are key to gaining market share.

commerce code jenny lee

EPISODE 71: Consumers Assert Control Over Their Data

This week on Commerce Code we speak with Jenny Lee, Partner at Arent Fox, about the future of companies using consumer data in an unauthorized way and how that will play out.
Digital Commerce Alliance members include the largest and most innovative companies in fintech, payments, retailing, e-commerce and mobile wallets. Members include Microsoft, Samsung, Rakuten, UBS, RBC, Mastercard, Discover, FIS, LVMH-24S, Hilton, Fidel, Augeo, Collinson and many more in 17 countries and 4 continents.
We bring their insights from around the world straight to you in an informative new podcast called Commerce Code. The podcast features insights, interviews and the latest news from DCA members around the world. Stay connected and subscribe to Commerce Code.

We Want to Hear From YOU!

We’d like your feedback on your membership experience; you are important to the success of the Digital Commerce Alliance! This is a chance to be completely candid and share your thoughts with us- we truly want to hear from you!
Complete Survey

CardLinx Forum August Webinar

Payouts Network: The New Age of Disbursements – How Payments are Going Virtual

Wednesday, August 18th | 10:00am – 11:00am PST

What’s the best way to pay employees, suppliers, merchants, and customers? In today’s digital economy, cumbersome and costly methods like checks, gift cards, and ACH are giving way to the issuance, acceptance, and claiming of money in real-time. Learn more about how businesses, financial institutions, and consumers worldwide are benefiting from virtual payment processes.

Speakers | Keith Smith, Chief Executive Officer – Payouts Network

Register Now

CardLinx Forum (a division of DCA) hosts a live, interactive webinar each month featuring speakers from some of the world’s most influential companies. They share insights on important and relevant topics for your business—including the impact of Covid-19 on consumer credit behavior, mobile wallet adoption, card-linking and lending trends. The webinar is always free to members and non-members are invited to attend at $99 per registration. Members and non-members are encouraged to register now as space is limited!

Orion Innovation Joins Digital Commerce Alliance! 

 

Orion Innovation (“Orion”) is a leading digital transformation and product development services firm. Rooted in engineering and design thinking, along with a unique combination of agility, scale and maturity, their team of over 4,750 associates helps Fortune 1000 companies improve efficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and develop new digital offerings. Through their delivery centers in the Americas, Europe, and APAC, Orion serves clients across financial services, professional services, communications and media, automotive, industrial automation, professional sports and entertainment, life sciences, e-commerce, and education.
For more information, visit www.orioninc.com or watch their transformative work here.

Upcoming Conferences

CardLinx West Forum

Tuesday, September 14, 2021 | Via Zoom

Mobile Wallets and CLO in 2021

Register

Financial Data Forum

Tuesday, October 5, 2021 | Via Zoom

Turning Financial Data Regulation into Competitive Advantage

Register

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