by Dean Sheaffer | Oct 2, 2025 | 2025 Q3, Cost Optimization
In today’s cash-light economy, accepting credit and debit cards is essential for most merchants. But with every card swipe comes a cost, and if you’re not tracking it closely, you might be paying more than you think. Here’s a breakdown of how to accurately...
by Dean Sheaffer | Oct 2, 2025 | 2025 Q3, Cost Optimization, Legal
The caps on debit interchange implemented in 2011 benefited merchants to different degrees, largely dependent on merchant size. Large merchants generally benefited; smaller merchants, much less so. This article, based on a study by Fumiko Hayashi of the...
by Dean Sheaffer | Oct 2, 2025 | 2025 Q3, Cost Optimization, Operations
In this article we will explore Payments Steering – a set of levers any merchant can pull to help reduce (and even eliminate) their cost of payment acceptance and drive top-line revenue. Payment Steering – What is it? In short, payment steering involves providing...
by Dean Sheaffer | Oct 2, 2025 | 2025 Q3, Operations, Opinion
My most rewarding work experiences have centered on collaboration among banks and among merchants. These experiences have been associated with payments, an area where banks and merchants have worked together to build platforms and services for their common good as...
by Dean Sheaffer | Oct 2, 2025 | 2025 Q3, Legal, Operations
Starting April 1, 2025, Visa consolidated its dispute and fraud monitoring programs (VDMP and VFMP) into the enhanced Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). This update aims to strengthen acquirer risk controls, improve the safety of the Visa payment network, and...
