US Retail Sales Jump In June (But It Could Be the Last Increase for Some Time) Retail sales were up in May and June as economies reopened. A better-than-expected 7.5% jump in June, following a record-breaking 18.2% increase in sales in May, surpassed economists’ predictions. The rebound occurred after businesses reopened and pent-up demand for retail goods and services came...

Figg Uses CLO to Help Consumers Brave Recession Augeo, a St. Paul digital engagement company and card-linked technology provider to banks, announced it has acquired Empyr, the San Diego-based company that powers the Yelp card-linked offer program, among other leading publisher platforms. The two Cardlinx members will do business as Figg, with more than 60 million linked cards and $300...

New Clean Way to Pay: Mobile Wallets Surge on Covid 19 Fears Requiring no physical contact with merchant point-of-sale terminals, mobile wallets are increasingly viewed as a safer way to pay by consumers around the world. Fears that payment cards, cash and coins may be tainted with the coronavirus, and that touching in-store terminals might make shoppers sick, the use...

Augeo announced today that it will acquire fellow CardLinx member Empyr. The deal terms were not disclosed. Augeo is a leading digital engagement company and card-linked technology provider to banks. Empyr powers the Yelp card-linked offer program, among other leading publisher platforms. The new company will be called Figg and will have more than 60 million linked cards and $300...

2020’s Silver Bullet for Bank Digital Engagement: Card-Linked Offers If you are a bank serving consumers or a payment card issuer considering ways to drive mobile and digital engagement while adding value for merchants, you are likely considering card-linked offers (CLO). Linking your customer’s mobile app to a payment card or mobile wallet saves consumers money, boosts retailer revenue–and drives...

Card-linked offers are no longer limited to banks and card issuers. General purpose mobile apps and websites are using the technology to get consumers to log in often, purchase more, and stay loyal. Free card linking programs are capitalizing on consumers’ desires to save money every day. The CardLinx Association is a non-profit trade group with members in 17 countries...

BY SILVIO TAVARES, PRESIDENT AND CEO, THE CARDLINX ASSOCIATION Reading tea leaves and gazing into crystal balls are two ways some say they can predict the future. I prefer a more grounded, fact based approach. Observation, conversation and data analysis are my tools of choice for forecasting what’s ahead in our industry. As CEO of a trade association with members...

Fidel Raises $18 M CardLinx member Fidel announced a fundraising of $18 mln including several A List fin-tech venture capital investors in the US. The London UK based card-linking API platform is a leading provider to loyalty programs in Europe and is expanding into North America and Asia. CardLinx Insight Fidel’s successful fundraising demonstrates the continued momentum of transaction data...

The Wall Street Journal reported that CardLinx member Groupon may be near a deal to acquire local listing app Yelp. According to the report, “A combination would create an online marketplace in which merchants could offer deals and customers could read reviews, make reservations or purchase goods or services.” CardLinx Insight Groupon and Yelp are two of the largest US...