Pandemic fueled 32.4% e-commerce surge in 2020

The biggest jump in online sales occurred shortly after states issued stay-at-home orders. E-commerce sales jumped 44.4% in the second quarter compared to the same quarter in 2019, Census data shows. 

By Robert Freedman • March 1, 2021

Amazon acquires small digital commerce platform to challenge Shopify

Australian startup Selz is a bit player, but the takeover signals the e-commerce behemoth's intentions to reenter a space it abandoned years ago.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 17, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Payments Dive

The digital evolution of payments is roiling the industry, forcing companies to rethink pricing schemes and revamp corporate strategies. Embedded payments, earned wage access, real-time systems and other innovations will transform the business.

By Payments Dive staff

Food Lion starts accepting online orders from SNAP customers in NC

The grocer also plans to expand to eight more states in the coming weeks, including Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. 

By Sam Silverstein • Updated Feb. 16, 2021

Shopify adds Shop Pay to Facebook, Instagram

It's the first expansion of the service outside of Shopify's own platform, and seeks to offer a smoother buying process.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Feb. 10, 2021

Peapod founders re-enter grocery e-commerce with custom shopping tool

Brothers Andrew and Thomas Parkinson's new service, Sifter.shop, lets customers filter groceries based on health-related criteria and then transmit their orders to selected grocers.

By Sam Silverstein • Feb. 10, 2021

Q&A: What retailers and shoppers want from their grocery apps

Atomic Robot CEO Alex Robinson, who was a founding member of Kroger's mobile development team, and UX/UI designer Leah Blandford talk app usage during the pandemic and what lies ahead for retailers.

By Jeff Wells • Feb. 9, 2021

Sam's Club teams up with Synchrony, Mastercard for rewards program

The club retailer, like others in the retail space, is also simplifying the application process as consumers continue to struggle financially.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Feb. 8, 2021

Walmart to add Western Union services to stores

The deal signals the retailer's growing interest in the financial services space. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Jan. 21, 2021

Mastercard pilot turns smartphones into a point-of-sale device

Expansion into the contactless tech space has accelerated due to the pandemic and is expected to continue. 

By Kaarin Moore • Jan. 14, 2021

Visa terminates $5.3B acquisition of Plaid after DOJ antitrust suit

The abandonment of the deal won't keep Visa from pursuing partnerships with Plaid or other fintechs, CEO Al Kelly said Tuesday during a call with analysts.

By Anna Hrushka • Jan. 13, 2021

Affirm IPO hits $1.2B

The buy now, pay later tech company announced an initial public offering stock price of $49, but opened at nearly $100 on its first day of trading.

By Daphne Howland , Kaarin Moore • Updated Jan. 19, 2021

American Express expands small business perks as it reportedly falls under federal investigation

As the credit card issuer caters to merchants migrating online, multiple agencies are scrutinizing its sales practices.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Jan. 8, 2021

Afterpay basket size jumps 30% over the holidays

The installment payments firm benefited from pandemic-induced behaviors in favor of contactless buying.

By Kaarin Moore • Jan. 5, 2021

7-Eleven unveils mobile wallet to enable contactless payments

The retailer aims to bring cash users into the digital wallet space and make its rewards program more accessible.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 8, 2020

Capital One halts buy-now-pay-later credit card transactions

The move stands in contrast to fellow credit-card issuers Citi and JPMorgan Chase, which last year launched fixed-payoff options. PayPal and Ally Financial this year announced they were rolling out installment loans.

By Dan Ennis • Dec. 7, 2020

Teen-aimed banking app Step gets celebrity boost

The platform said it raised $50 million in a Series B funding round that included investment from singer Justin Timberlake, music group The Chainsmokers and retired athlete Eli Manning.

By Anna Hrushka • Dec. 3, 2020

How COVID-19 could disrupt store credit cards

Despite a pandemic-induced recession and uncertainty over another federal stimulus bill, store cards remain a channel for customer engagement.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 2, 2020

Is cashierless tech ready for prime time?

The pandemic has juiced demand for automated checkout systems, and retailers are having positive experiences with them, but the technology still has to prove itself over the long term.

By Sam Silverstein • Nov. 30, 2020

Google revamps Google Pay, adds 3 new partner banks

With a redesigned app and an expanded network of banks that have signed on to offer co-branded accounts, the tech giant continues its push into the consumer financial services space.

By Anna Hrushka • Nov. 19, 2020

GameStop, Klarna team up on installment payments

The partnership is part of the gaming retailer's ongoing efforts to modernize its digital operations.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 3, 2020

PayPal launches crypto payment platform

The payments company will convert consumers' Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash and Litecoin holdings into fiat currencies when they check out. That cuts the risk merchants assume from any volatility in cryptos' value.

By Dan Ennis • Updated March 30, 2021

Afterpay partners with retailers for in-store payments

Shoppers nationwide can use a virtual, contactless card stored in their digital wallet to pay for in-store purchases in installments. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 19, 2020

Bank of America enters the small-dollar loan fray

Balance Assist, which will launch in January, will offer loans of up to $500 — to be repaid in three installments over 90 days — for a flat $5 fee to customers who have held Bank of America checking accounts for a year or more.

By Dan Ennis • Oct. 9, 2020

Venmo launches its first credit card

After teasing it last October, the payment platform this week unveiled the card, which is integrated with the existing Venmo app.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 6, 2020

PayPal introduces 'Pay in 4' installment payment service

The payments behemoth joins a growing list of pay-over-time competitors.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 3, 2020