Merchant Cash Advance Blog

The holiday rush almost always means increased revenue rates for retailers. That may be even more noticeable than usual this year: many Americans are planning to spend more on gifts for the winter holidays in the coming months than they had during 2012. Further, it seems they may be spending that money much earlier than they did in previous years.

Consumers may not be ready to purchase the majority of their products and services from their smartphones - but businesses are quickly preparing for the day when they will. 

Smartphone use is nearly ubiquitous among American shoppers: More than 90 percent of consumers currently use the devices, compared to the 66 percent who reported doing so during 2012, according to the 2014 Mobile Payments State of the Industry Report, published by Mobile Payments Today. Additionally, 93 percent of respondents noted that they've used their smartphones to access the internet, up from the 65 percent who did so during 2012.

Electronic payments made through credit cards and debit cards can improve the efficiency and the convenience of consumer transactions. Shoppers greatly appreciate the ability to make payments through these means - and many service providers are rushing to allow them the ability to do so. 

Approximately half of the parking meters in Scranton, Pennsylvania, for example, have recently been updated so they can accept payments through credit card and debit card processing terminals, according to a report from Nexstar Broadcasting. City leaders explained that the change was necessitated by widespread shopper support for credit card processing as a preferred mode of making payments. 

Business owners are constantly aiming to innovate in the e-commerce sector - determined to offer consumers what they crave before they even ask for it. However, as online shoppers are becoming more savvy, they're also becoming more demanding. 

Online shoppers are asking for more services and features from the online retailers they frequent, according to the results of a recent study conducted by ComScore and UPS Canada. Consumers want much more than low-priced products and efficient online payment processing options - they also want increased transparency and a seamless returns policy, among many other factors.