E-cigarette processing is getting really competitive and that is great news for merchants. There are more options and better pricing than ever before, which is really keeping us merchant account managers at Instabill on our toes. Instabill used to be one of the few companies in the industry to be able to offer merchant accounts…
Category: Industry News
E-Wallets: Will They Replace Physical Wallets?
E-Wallets, sometimes referred to as digital wallets, are making the items found in a physical wallet – cash and credit cards – disappear. An e-wallet is an application on a smartphone or personal computer that stores virtual versions of those items and allow for monetary transactions. Digital wallets store cash, credit cards and banking information, among…
Bitcoin Exchange Company Answers Questions
One of the leading bitcoin exchange companies, Mt. Gox, posted a notice on their website on March 2nd to let consumers know about their brand new call center. The new feature from Mt. Gox is meant to answer consumer questions about the recent announcement of their bankruptcy filing. About Mt. Gox Based in Japan, Mt.…
Consumers Need to Be Proactive With EMV Chip Technology
Within the next 18 months, the four U.S. credit card giants will introduce EMV chip technology within their credit and debit cards. EMV chip technology , which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa, will replace the magnetic stripe (magstripe) with EMV chip technology on the reverse of credit cards. The conversion marks the long-awaited migration…
Is New Jersey’s Online Gambling Affecting Atlantic City?
Online gambling revenue in New Jersey increased 28 percent in its second month while physical casino gambling fell 9.2 percent from a year earlier, New Jersey’s Department of Gaming Enforcement released on Feb. 12. Those findings could be the precursor to what gambling experts predicted when online casinos in New Jersey was at the proposal…
Are E-Cigarettes Impacting Big Tobacco?
E-Cigarette manufacturer Green Smoke was recently purchased by the Altria Group, adding more evidence to the trend that E-Cigarettes are having an impact on the big tobacco industry. The acquisition by Altria Group, which oversees NuMark, Phillip Morris and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco, Co., is the latest in what appears to be a pattern of tobacco giants…
Credit Card Processing for Marijuana Merchants Could Be Near
Credit card processing for marijuana merchants may be near after U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder publicly supported banking access for such. In a speech at the University of Virginia last week, Holder also said that the U.S. Department of Justice would “soon unveil proposed regulations” regarding the buying and selling of medicinal marijuana in the…
MasterCard Advocates Credit Card Security in US with EMV Chip Cards
MasterCard announced last week that U.S. banks and merchants need to transition to the EMV chip system to enhance credit card security. The announcement came in an open letter from Chris McWilton, President of MasterCard’s North American Markets on Jan. 8, released this week to financial institutions, merchants and other partners in response to the…
E-Commerce Surge the Reason for Fed Ex, UPS Shortcoming
Package shipping giants Fed Ex and United Parcel Service were simply not prepared for the e-commerce surge that accompanied the 2013 holiday season. From Dec. 24-26, virtually every news medium in the U.S. reported how FedEx and United Parcel Service (UPS) experienced significant delays which drew the ire of thousands without presents on Christmas morning.…
Pay with Bitcoin? Buy a Mansion
The digital currency bitcoin continues to enter the mainstream with one Las Vegas commercial developer putting his mansion on the market for $7.85 million. Despite the steep price of the house, the seller has stated that he is willing to accept bitcoins as payment, bringing the currency further into the spotlight as its value skyrockets.…