According to research by PwC, overall spending will surge this holiday season to an average of $1,638 per shopper, a 7 percent increase from 2023 and a 15 percent increase from 2022. While this is good news for a recovering economy, 34 percent of Americans went into debt over Christmas in 2023, with 67 percent…
Yaacov Martin
In today's competitive retail landscape, providing a seamless customer experience is no longer enough. Consumers and businesses increasingly seek flexible and personalized financial solutions at the point of sale (POS). Since 2018, POS lending products have experienced an annual growth rate of 20 percent, and the number of users of these services is expected to…
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing how retailers and merchants attend to customers and even how they manage inventory, all via technology such as chatbots and facial recognition. And now, AI can potentially transform lending in the sector, too. Banks, lenders and merchants with white-labeled lending offerings could eventually use AI to address credit risk assessment,…
We live in the age of embedded finance, where non-financial organizations are seamlessly integrating financial services into their customer journey. In fact, most major retailers have added a third-party financing service to their checkouts — like Klarna or Afterpay — to offer split payments, point-of-sale (POS) installment loans, and lines of credit. But there are…
Buy now pay later (BNPL) began as an online pay-over-time option, which has surged since the pandemic. The global BNPL market is projected to grow up to $22.86 billion this year. BNPL has extended to brick-and-mortar stores: As economies see in-store shopping returning to normal, consumers demand seamless and convenient payment methods like BNPL. Retailers…
The gift-giving culture is turning personal this year as more shoppers look to create and send one-of-a-kind, intimate presents to their friends, family, colleagues and loved ones. Ranging from photo-tailored gifts to customized cards, the personalized gift market in the U.S is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 9 percent during the next four…