Новости за 03.01.2024

Amazon reportedly could realize nearly $5 billion in yearly revenue from its video advertising efforts. Most of that money would come from the tech giant’s recent decision to add commercials to its Prime Video movies and TV shows, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday (Jan. 5), citing an analysis from Bank of America. Amazon announced last week that it would insert […]

With Frontdesk reportedly laying off its whole staff, it seems that amid ongoing financial challenges, short-term rental models may not present a needed enough solution to push past consumers’ tendency to stick with the familiar. The startup, which managed 1,200 furnished units across 170 buildings for travelers to rent for short periods, laid off all […]

Cloud-native security provider Aqua Security has secured $60 million in funding in an extension of its Series E round, achieving a valuation above $1 billion. With this addition, the company has raised $325 million since its founding in 2015, Aqua Security said in a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release. “Investors continue to appreciate Aqua’s enormous potential, and […]

Relex Solutions has acquired Optimity to add new capabilities to its retail and supply chain platform. With the acquisition of Optimity’s supply chain planning and optimization solutions, Relex will bolster its own platform with daily production planning, optimization and production scheduling capabilities, the companies said in a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release. This combination will […]

Unexpected expenses continue to present a significant financial strain for consumers in an already challenging economic landscape. With dwindling savings and persistent economic difficulties, individuals are turning more frequently to external financing avenues to tackle these unanticipated costs head-on. Among the array of unforeseen expenses, medical emergencies take the lead as the most prevalent, averaging […]

Patient payments provider LQpay has introduced a new payment solution for medical and dental practices. The company’s Zero-Click payment solution is designed to streamline payment experiences for patients and providers, and builds on LQpay’s existing “One-Click” Payment option, per a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release. “By integrating the LQpay POS app with securely stored payment information AND the […]

Roku will launch a new series of TVs in the United States in the spring. The new Roku Pro Series will join the company’s existing Roku Select and Plus Series TVs, Roku said in a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release. “Roku Pro Series’ picture and audio quality, polished design, unique features and ease of use […]

RDE, the owner and operator of digital deals brand Restaurant.com, has closed on its acquisition of secondary gift card marketplace CardCash.com.  This business combination expands RDE’s cross-selling marketing opportunities and provides Restaurant.com’s customers with a broader range of options when choosing discounted gift cards, the companies said in a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release.  “We believe that the […]

Shipping and mailing company Pitney Bowes launched a returns drop-off network with PackageHub. The network allows for no-cost, “no-box and no-label returns” at nearly 1,000 locations, “with hundreds more launching soon across the country,” according to a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release. “eCommerce returns are among the fastest-growing costs for retailers — costs that are […]

The movement to open banking here in the states will prove more marathon than sprint — with twists and turns along the way, with the demise of screen scraping on the horizon. Among the larger questions in the mix: What will be the role of the data aggregators, and how would scraping disappear? As reported […]

Robin AI raised $26 million amid the legal profession’s continued embrace of artificial intelligence. The London and New York-based company announced the Series B funding on its LinkedIn page Wednesday (Jan. 3), noting the round was led by Temasek with participation from Quantum Light, Plural Platform and AFG Partners. “This is a big milestone for […]

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) offers a great opportunity for firms to build better businesses. All they need to do is successfully integrate the technology across their workflows. Easier said than done? Maybe. After all, digital transformations are rarely as simple as flipping a switch. Fortunately, PYMNTS Intelligence spent much of 2023 investigating AI’s enterprise-grade applications, as well […]

When Samsung debuts its new smartphone, artificial intelligence will play a starring role. The company, which makes more smartphones than any other firm, announced Tuesday (Jan. 2) it will introduce its new Galaxy S series phone at its Unpacked event Jan. 17, billing it as a “new era of mobile AI.” It’s the first in […]

As major businesses have laid off staff, added new leadership, and otherwise restructured, Jason’s Deli sees the opportunity to pick up new catering customers when the economy recovers. In an interview with PYMNTS, Gracie Prasanson, vice president of sales at the fast-casual chain, which has 250 locations across 28 states, said the brand’s catering business started last year […]

Intel and DigitalBridge Group have joined forces to establish Articul8, an independent company that provides enterprise customers with a secure and vertically optimized generative artificial intelligence (AI) software platform. This platform enables businesses to harness the power of AI while keeping their data secure, the companies said in a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release. Articul8 […]

Automakers enjoyed a resurgence in sales in 2023, but 2024 might be a different story. With major car companies due to report year-end sales figures this week, analysts are forecasting sales of new cars for the U.S. could reach nearly 15.5 million for 2023, a roughly 13% increase from 2022, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) […]

People make resolutions in the new year and companies, including subscription-based firms, review their prices. Amazon Prime, Disney+ and Netflix, for example, either increased their prices in late 2023 or are about to increase them in early 2024. This will test the loyalty of some members. The same applies at the retail level for lesser-known […]

Account-to-account (A2A) payments typically occur between individuals, when one consumer transfers money from their bank account to another person’s or when they transfer money between two owned bank accounts. Driven by the growing adoption of open banking, A2A payments — also known as pay by bank transactions — are also becoming a common payment method, […]

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) has gone mainstream. So much so that if businesses don’t provide this payment option, they might lose out on sales at checkout. This is especially important as inflation influences whether consumers choose to spend money.  Jacqueline White, president of i2c, emphasized the growing importance of BNPL to Karen Webster saying, “It’s […]

Amid the pandemic, it appears that 1 in 5 American households chose to add a new furry friend to their lives.   As the trend of being pet parents continues, the market for pet care products is booming. Notably, the market for fresh and frozen pet food has grown, with brands like The Farmer’s Dog gaining […]

Regulators in Europe are reportedly probing the ties between banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs). This investigation is borne out of concerns about possible contagion due to stresses in the larger system, European Banking Authority (EBA) Chair José Manuel Campa said in a Financial Times (FT) interview published Wednesday (Jan. 3). “We should be doing more and we are going to […]

Home health company BrightSpring has revived its plans to go public. The Kentucky-based firm on Tuesday (Jan. 2) filed its plans for an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The filing did not include proposed terms for the IPO, though a report by Bloomberg News said the company had said it was aiming to raise […]

Commercial transactions make the world go ‘round, and around the world, B2B transactions are evolving. Treasury automation, virtual card adoption, and the financial advantages of commercial cards are reshaping the way businesses manage their working capital. “One of the biggest topics still [in the B2B space] is the elevated interest rate environment,” Seth Goodman, chief revenue […]

Thanks to inflation’s starring role, 2023 featured major retail plot twists — consumers counted their pennies while brands and retailers did some serious soul-searching. This economic blockbuster forced many players to change up their product lineups and do a complete script rewrite for their overall strategies. The need to adapt became particularly evident as organizations […]

If next week’s Consumer Electronics Show is any indication, artificial intelligence is moving from the world of engineering and technology to the province of consumers, commerce and the connected economy. “We didn’t get the full CES fire hose of AI announcements last year like we’re going to have,” says Anshel Sag, a principal analyst at Moor Insights & […]