MAG Insights

Dec 22, 2021, 10:12 by Erica M Forman

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.

Dec 20, 2021, 13:54 by Erica M Forman

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.

Dec 20, 2021, 13:53 by Erica M Forman

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.

Nov 30, 2021, 12:01 by Leah R Collins

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.

Nov 15, 2021, 13:45 by Leah R Collins

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.

Nov 8, 2021, 15:22 by Leah R Collins

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.

Oct 19, 2021, 20:41 by Leah R Collins

Buy now, pay later' is transforming the dynamic between shoppers and merchants by empowering consumers to spend on their terms. Learn how the rapid growth of BNPL globally is driving four major trends in the US retail sector.

Oct 8, 2021, 13:02 by Leah R Collins

In the summer of 2020 I had suggested the major underperformer of magnetic stripe call it a day and retire. As more modern, relevant, and better performing technologies come to market, we need to embrace them and let go of the non-performers.

Sep 16, 2021, 14:37 by Mary M Platz

You can’t open the news without reading a story on cryptocurrencies, but how will it affect the future of payments? While the environment is changing daily, I hope this article will give you an overview of the different types of digital currencies and how they may develop from a payments acceptance perspective.

Sep 9, 2021, 12:29 by Mary M Platz

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.

Aug 19, 2021, 09:00 by Mary M Platz

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.

Aug 13, 2021, 11:45 by Mary M Platz

Fraud losses continue to rise, and account takeover is leading the pack. As criminals become more sophisticated, so too must the methods you use to stop them.

Aug 3, 2021, 16:04 by Mary M Platz

Join MPC from August 17 - 19, 2021 to hear industry experts speak about the latest technology trends and share insights into the future for the digital commerce industry.

Jul 30, 2021, 13:34 by Mary M Platz

Onboarding is important because it acclimates employees to their role, the company's philosophies, and what the company has to offer. It also engages employees, creating workers that are committed to the company's success and helps retain new hires by making them feel like a member of the team.

Jul 21, 2021, 12:16 by Mary M Platz

As merchants payments acceptance evolves, data collection and analysis is becoming more critical than ever. Join the MAG’s efforts to educate merchants on payments data through our newest Community of Practice.

Jul 19, 2021, 15:14 by Mary M Platz

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed our lives, in many ways permanently. One of the profound changes we are seeing is in the way consumers purchase goods and services: increasingly the store is delivered to the customer rather than the other way around.

Jun 30, 2021, 16:24 by Mary M Platz

Digital brings opportunities and challenges for retail. What are those trends and how will retail need to pivot or stay the course?

Jun 21, 2021, 14:14 by Mary M Platz

National Volunteer Week was April 18-24, which led me to reflect on the impact volunteers have made to our industry. While I wish I could cover everyone who has significantly contributed to the MAG and the industry, that would take a full novel. Maybe that could be my passion project once I retire; but for now, I will highlight a few people who have made a big difference in our industry.

Jun 10, 2021, 11:00 by Mary M Platz

MAG Merchant Members and Sponsors join the Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) for many different reasons. Payments education and resources, networking with industry peers, and staying on top of payments developments are among the top of the list for most. The value MAG provides in these areas is likely the reason MAG enjoys high membership and sponsorship retention year after year.

Jun 4, 2021, 10:57 by Mary M Platz

As the world takes steps to return to normal, the MAG is doing its part as well! We are offering our upcoming 2021 MAG Annual Conference and Tech Forum in multiple formats to reach as many payments professionals as possible and allow everyone to attend in the way that is most convenient for them.