There are few subjects that highlight the chasm of opinions between payments players quite like EMV. That EMV is coming: of that there can be no doubt. In a

Source: www.pymnts.com

panel was positive on EMV’s adoption, which the majority forecasting that by the time of the liability shift deadline, over 50 percent of retailers will have switched over to EMV.

Among EMV’s detractors, the prevailing opinion is that EMV is the best payment security the 1990’s had to offer, which is problematic since it is almost 2015. According to critics, EMV goes to the American market as an anachronism, trying to protect cards when the payments ecosystem is evolving towards mobile.

After accepting Apple Pay at all of its stores on the Apple Pay launch day on Monday (Oct. 20), the $26 billion 4,600-store Rite Aid pharmacy chain apparently changed its mind and yanked support from those stores Wednesday (Oct. 22), with no official explanation.

Source: www.pymnts.com

Speculation – Rite Aid is backer of Walmart-backed MCX’s CurrentC. Rival Walgreens is a major Apple Pay supporter.

After nearly two decades of relying almost exclusively on e-commerce, Amazon said Wednesday it will soon open temporary holiday kiosks at the Westfield Galleria at Roseville and a San Francisco mall. The big Internet retailer said the kiosks will give shoppers a better opportunity to try out and purchase Kindle e-readers and other Amazon electronic devices.

Source: www.sacbee.com

Here comes Amazon (and Google and ….)

The Apple Pay revolution is gaining momentum with Walgreens, Disney Store and Whole Foods are amongst a number of US retailers who have started accepting Apple Pay.

Source: retail-innovation.com

“Customer experience is top of mind for Walgreens, and Apple Pay provides more flexibility for customers to use their payment of choice,” said Alex Gourlay, President, Customer Experience and Daily Living, Walgreens. “Incorporating the latest mobile technology into our business is another way we are offering ultimate convenience for our customers.”

Price, assortment, experience and access is how Wal-Mart execs define what matters most to customers, and they are working to lead in each of these areas by combining physical retail expertise with ongoing innovation from Walmart.com.

Source: www.thecitywire.com

WIth the locker system, he said shoppers go to the kiosk at the locker site in the front of the store. An email or text confirmation is sent to the customer once the order is set for pickup at the store locker. The details for how to access and open the correct locker is included in the confirmation. 

The lockers themselves range in size from (3” X 3”) to (18” X 18”), with six inch and nine inch versions in between. The locker resembles a large billboard display that greets customers entering the store rather than a bank of lockers as there are no handles or numbers of identifying letters. The appropriate door opens for the customer automatically once the code information is entered in the kiosk.

So how will our High Street fare in the next decade and will we still be going there to browse on a Saturday afternoon?

Source: www.bbc.com

Responding to the recent high-profile retail heists of confidential customer data, Intel is offering new technology baked into POS platforms to encrypt consumer and financial information.

Source: thevarguy.com

Intel in collaboration with NCR announces solution combining software and hardware (we knew that was coming…).  Adds another layer of protection to the payment process

Mastercard has partnered with Norwegian firm Zwipe to launch a contactless payment card with a built in fingerprint sensor.

Source: www.paymenteye.com

Eliminates the PIN entry for customers which is nice. 2015 model will eliminate drawing power from payment terminal & be as thin as standard card.

MedAvail Technologies Inc., a Canadian startup that makes an automated kiosk that connects people with pharmacists and then dispenses medications, has raised a $30 million Series C round to commercially launch in Canada, Europe and the U.S., the company said.Attempts to reach Toronto-based MedAvail and several of its investors were not immediately successful.

Source: pevc.dowjones.com

The funding was provided by new investors Pura Vida Investments, Deerfield Management Company and Adage Capital Management , joined by return investors Redmile Group, Walgreens Co. and Alliance Boots GmbH , the company said in a statement.

EMV – October 2015 is when the “liability shift” happens. As it stands now (this could change) – as of October 2015- if you are not accepting EMV – that’s OK, but MasterCard will not accept liability for any fraud that merchants incur. That excludes ATM & fuel, which are …

Source: www.linkedin.com

Includes link to EMV Timeline