MAG Insights

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  • What's up in Washington

    Payments Policy: A look back at 2021 and high expectations for 2022
    Beth Provenzano

    Payments Policy: A look back at 2021 and high expectations for 2022

    Jan 11, 2022

    Arguably the most exciting thing to happen in payments policy in 2021 was the Federal Reserve’s proposed rulemaking to clarify the debit routing provision of Regulation II to apply to all online transactions. Merchants have said for years that ALL debit transactions should have routing choice; however, they have faced many hurdles routing debit transactions in the ten years since the law was enacted.

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  • Evolution in Payments

    The Joy of Gifts. A Gift of Joy?
    Laura Townsend

    The Joy of Gifts. A Gift of Joy?

    Dec 30, 2021

    Holidays bring joy to many – including sellers as ‘tis the season’ for sales – traditionally a LOT of sales. One always popular gift is gift cards. Who hasn’t bought or received one during the holiday season, or throughout the year for that matter, to recognize other celebratory occasions? While many have joy in receiving these gifts, shouldn’t we all share that joy by selling those gifts? Let’s hear more.

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  • Board Chair Update

    Payments…the “Pandemic Effect”
    Kathy Hanna

    Payments…the “Pandemic Effect”

    Dec 27, 2021

    Rewind twelve months and some aspects of life and business look very similar to the end of 2020, while other aspects have changed. We hear the continued urge to wear a mask, get vaccinated, and be aware of in-person and indoor gatherings. The Covid-19 virus, and its variations, created what I call the “pandemic effect.”

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  • CEO Update

    Creating a Payments Strategy
    John Drechny

    Creating a Payments Strategy

    Dec 22, 2021

    Today, merchants are faced with a plethora of choices on not only how consumers pay but how to ensure the payment is valid. Developing a strategy will help you both prioritize initiatives and gain alignment within the organization. The end of the year is a great time to either revise or create a new payments strategy document.

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  • Conference Update

    Join Us at the MAG 2022 Mid-Year Conference and Tech Forum
    Andrea Rouse

    Join Us at the MAG 2022 Mid-Year Conference and Tech Forum

    Dec 20, 2021

    Plans are well underway for MAG’s upcoming 2022 Mid-Year Conference and Tech Forum that will take place February 14-17, 2022, in Atlanta, GA. We look forward to welcoming both Mid-Year Conference and Tech Forum attendees back in-person at the Hyatt Regency.

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  • Membership Update

    MAG Announces New Digital Access Membership
    Kari Hartley

    MAG Announces New Digital Access Membership

    Dec 20, 2021

    The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) recently added a Digital Access Membership option for merchants with under $1B in revenue. This new opportunity gives more merchants access to MAG’s networking, education, live and recorded webinars, and best practice resources.

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  • Education

    Coming Soon - Merchants Payments 201: Managing Your Payments Program
    Leah Collins

    Coming Soon - Merchants Payments 201: Managing Your Payments Program

    Nov 30, 2021

    Earlier this year, the MAG launched its first eLearning course, Merchants Payments 101. We will also release Merchants Payments 201: Managing Your Payments in 2021. Merchant Payments 201 is the first in a series of five 200-level courses that will dive deep into topics like card products, fraud and chargebacks, touchless payments, and debit routing.

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  • Innovate Now

    BNPL: Adding Another Acronym To Our Payments Vocabulary
    Eric O’Brien

    BNPL: Adding Another Acronym To Our Payments Vocabulary

    Nov 15, 2021

    Buy Now, Pay Later, or BNPL, is a service offered by providers that allows consumers to purchase goods or services and to pay them off over an extended period of time, the length of which can vary from a few weeks to much longer. A short-term loan, consumers typically can pay off their purchases interest-free and with relative ease. Third-party companies offer these ‘pay over time’ arrangements to consumers, and services can be directly integrated with merchants or not. Many of the providers claim that BNPL services extend a line of credit to consumers who may be hesitant or otherwise unable to make a purchase and, as a result of access to the credit, may ultimately spend more and more frequently with the retailer.

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  • International Perspective

    MAG Brings APAC Merchants Together
    Yash Yadav

    MAG Brings APAC Merchants Together

    Nov 8, 2021

    The Asia Pacific region is undergoing a payments transformation. MAG Asia-Pacific (APAC) Executive Director Yash Yadav shares her insight into what she believes are the top three challenges and tips for merchants on how to handle them.

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  • Payments Technology

    MAG Tech Forum Provides Unique Opportunity for Payments IT Professionals to Learn and Network
    Robert Savage

    MAG Tech Forum Provides Unique Opportunity for Payments IT Professionals to Learn and Network

    Aug 19, 2021

    As a new Director of Tech Engagement at MAG, I am excited to bring my learnings, knowledge and experience to our merchant members and sponsors. We will expand our Tech Forum offerings, digging deeper into best practices for infrastructure, product integration, security, vendor selection, and many other areas of payments technology. Expanding the scope of analysis and information, as well as finding more opportunities to engage with product development, will further merchants’ ability to evolve and adapt, and I look forward to our journey together.

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  • Board Member Corner

    Engage with the MAG to Drive Positive Change in Payments This Year!
    John Aglialoro

    Engage with the MAG to Drive Positive Change in Payments This Year!

    Mar 5, 2021

    I am honored to write to you today as one of the newest MAG board members. As we move into 2021, we have reason to be hopeful for a brighter tomorrow, as well as excited to be part of a payments industry that is advancing at an even faster pace into the 21st century.

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MAG MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

Stronger Together

Stronger Together

The MAG holds so many key purposes and opportunities for our members: education, advocacy, networking, collaboration, and the list goes on. All of these are important to ensure the merchant community understands the issues facing us in the industry as well as the implications behind industry changes that can otherwise seem benign.

MAG SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

Shopping has changed forever. Here’s why

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. —  Shopping has changed forever. Here’s why

Corporate treasury and payments teams are building agile and modern payments infrastructure to help grow their businesses and remain competitive. In the process, the future of shopping—and the way we think about payments—are becoming real time, contextual, data-driven, global and experiential.
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The Merchant Advisory Group

Driving positive change and innovation in the payments industry that serves the merchants interest through collaboration, education, and advocacy.