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This bracelet lets you flick your wrist to pay with Bitcoin
Sometimes, there's such a thing as being too forward-thinking. Take MEVU and its prototype payment bracelet as an example: the wrist-worn Bluetooth wallet lets you pay with Bitcoin using only air gestures. Sounds cool, right? In many ways, it is. As the company shows in its demo video, you can flick your wrist to cover parking or donate to charity without ever reaching for your wallet (or your phone, for that matter).
Amazon delivery lockers now also accept returns (updated)
You're not the only one who's ever bought silly things from Amazon while drunk. Good thing Amazon has several return methods, the newest of which lets you send back that banana slicer through the company's strategically placed delivery lockers. According to The Wall Street Journal, the e-commerce giant will now let you return duds that way, so long as you get a drop-off code from its Online Returns Center first. You'll need that code to open a cabinet on the locker, where you can stick in a box (up to12x12x12 inches in size) that holds and conceals your embarrassing purchase. The WSJ says this move could save Amazon some serious cash, as up to a third of online purchases are usually returned and shipping's one of the company's biggest expenses. After all, carriers can retrieve items and deliver new orders at the same time whenever they visit a location. Unfortunately for customers, Amazon charges the same amount for locker returns as it does for UPS drop offs. We imagine it's still a welcome development for folks who live or work near one of those lockers, though -- whatever makes it more convenient to send back that Borat mankini, right? Update (April 2, 2014): An Amazon spokesperson told us that the company's been accepting locker returns since July 2013, so this might be old news for some. if you've heard it here first, though, you owe us a beer.
Google Wallet's tap-to-pay feature will require Android 4.4 KitKat starting April 14th
It's time to upgrade that old phone you've been using for Google Wallet payments at the local store. Google is now telling Android users that they'll have to run KitKat to use Wallet's tap-to-pay feature from April 14th onward. The company prefers the newer OS' "improved experience" for NFC-based payments; in other words, it would rather use a more universal, cloud-based approach to processing your banking info. You may be out of luck even if you are using KitKat, though, since the new requirements rule out support for the EVO 4G LTE, Galaxy Note 3 and 2012-era Nexus 7. We suspect that many Wallet fans are early adopters that already carry qualifying devices, but Google's move could have many shoppers looking for alternatives.
Amazon may raise Prime subscription pricing in the US
Amazon Prime has cost $79 per year since it became available -- a bargain given that it covers both speedy shipping and a whole host of media services. Unfortunately, that low pricing might not last for much longer. During a conference call discussing its fourth quarter earnings, the retailer said that it might raise the yearly price of an Amazon Prime subscription in the US by $20 to $40. It's simply getting too expensive to offer everything at the current rate, Amazon says; shipping costs have gone up, and people are using the media services much more often. There's no guarantee that we'll see a price hike, but it's pretty clear that those future Prime Air delivery drones won't pay for themselves.
Amazon's Q4 profit more than doubles year-over-year to hit $239 million
Amazon clearly didn't have any problems generating a profit this holiday. The online retail powerhouse says that it made a tidy profit of $239 million in the fourth quarter of 2013, or more than twice as much as it managed a year earlier. That's on top of a year-over-year revenue increase, to boot -- Amazon raked in $25.59 billion during the quarter versus $21.27 billion at the tail end of 2012. The only sour note is a full-year profit of just $274 million, although that's still much better than the $39 million loss from 2012. The company hasn't said just why it did so well, although we wouldn't be surprised if the Kindle Fire HDX launch and a recently introduced Sunday delivery option played important roles.
Apple is reportedly building a mobile payment service
There are plenty of existing mobile payment systems that let you buy goods with your iPhone, but there are now signs that Apple wants to take on some of those duties itself. The Wall Street Journal claims that the company is in the early stages of building a mobile payment infrastructure that would let its customers buy all kinds of products and services, not just those in its own stores. Sources say that Cupertino has tasked the former head of its online store with getting the service off the ground, and it's reportedly discussing the idea with other companies in the tech industry. Apple isn't commenting on the rumor, but it has been researching mobile payments for years -- we know it's at least intrigued by the concept.
FBI tells retailers to expect more credit card data theft
Don't think that the end of holiday shopping means an end to attempts to swipe your credit card data. The FBI is warning retailers that it expects these intrusion attempts to become more of a problem in the near future, particularly through malware that grabs account info from cash registers and credit card readers. It's not clear if these attackers have any specific stores in their crosshairs, but retail account security is undoubtedly a growing problem -- Neiman Marcus recently confirmed a breach that compromised 1.1 million customer cards, and Reuters hears that other companies have been victims. Paying with cash suddenly doesn't sound like such a bad idea. [Image credit: Roadsidepictures, Flickr]
PayPal starts testing seamless online store checkouts
PayPal can be a hassle for online shopping when you have to leave a store's site just to finish your transaction. Purchases should be much simpler once PayPal finishes rolling out its new In-Context Checkout, though. The technology lets you enter all your billing and shipping info through a pop-up; you never have to visit PayPal itself, and the interface remains simple regardless of what device you're using. Only a handful of stores are testing the new checkout format today, but the company promises that more large retailers will get to use it in the first half of 2014. Meanwhile, PayPal hasn't forgotten those who'd rather skip checkout altogether. It's expanding trials of its hands-free Beacon payment system to retailers in Canada, France, Germany and the UK; if all goes according to plan, the service will launch early this year.
UK carrier O2 dropping its mobile wallet service after less than two years
O2 UK's carrier-independent Money mobile wallet may have proven a little too ambitious. The network is shutting down the service on March 31st so that it can investigate "new and better ways" to handle payments -- in other words, it's not satisfied with Money's performance. Both the market and O2's parent company Telefonica have changed in the past two years, the provider tells Computerworld UK. We can't say we're shocked by the closure when there are now many more ways to pay with your phone in the country; it's a fiercely competitive space. Still, the news will be disappointing to shoppers who were hoping that O2's clout would give Money an edge over its rivals.
One step closer to legitimacy: Bitcoin payment live on Overstock
While it's legal to pay with Bitcoin in the US, the digital currency hasn't been very useful for mainstream shoppers. However, that's changing today -- Overstock has just become the first major American online retailer to accept Bitcoin. You'll still see prices listed in old-fashioned dollars, but you can choose the newer payment method at checkout. CEO Patrick Byrne tells Wired that he made the move for both pragmatic and idealistic reasons: Bitcoin doesn't cost as much to accept compared to credit cards or PayPal, and its nationless nature reduces the chances that a failed bank or country will create problems. It's tough to tell whether other big e-retailers will follow suit, but we can't imagine that competing shops will want to leave that much virtual money on the table.
Hackers get encrypted PINs in Target data breach
Holiday shoppers have already been reeling from a breach of Target's database, and their situation isn't improving now that Christmas is over. The store chain has confirmed that the perpetrators took encrypted PIN codes, theoretically scoring access to legions of accounts. There is some consolation for affected customers, though. Target notes that the encryption key rests with an outside payment processor; unless the hackers attacked both companies, they won't have an easy time cracking into the financial data. The reassurances won't help those who've had to replace bank cards in light of the breach, but they do suggest that Target avoided the worst possible outcome.
Square's updated Register apps tout simpler interfaces, make it easy to tip
Both stores and their customers want to handle payments as quickly as possible, and Square has just updated its Register apps for Android and iOS to accommodate that need for retail speed. The new versions share a simpler, quicker interface that's designed around the typical flow of real-world transactions. They also seamlessly integrate tips -- guests can now reward their servers without interrupting the payment process. You likely won't need to download one of the updated apps for yourself, but you'll likely appreciate the time they save during your next lunch break.
eBay buys Shutl, plans for same-day delivery in 25 cities by the end of 2014
While eBay's same-day shipping is a beautiful thing for impulse buyers, its expansion has been slow. The company is speeding things up today by acquiring Shutl, a British startup focused on quick e-commerce deliveries. The deal will help eBay bring its speedy eBay Now service to a total of 25 cities in 2014, including London. Customers won't have to wait to take advantage of the site's growing ambitions, however. eBay Now is launching in Chicago today, and Dallas in the near future; the firm has also introduced product curators and collections to help web visitors who want expert shopping advice.
PayPal revamping its policies to better support crowdfunding
PayPal's commerce system wasn't built for crowdfunding, and that has created problems for some startups -- the company recently (if briefly) froze $45,000 of Mailpile's assets, for example. The PayPal team is determined to set things right, however, and just announced that it's reworking its policies to better accommodate crowdfunding projects. The firm isn't yet saying what those changes entail, but it's requiring that its Risk Management group review any potential freezes on crowdfunding campaigns until there's a permanent solution in place. While we'd prefer that PayPal devote the same kind of care to all frozen funds, it's good to know that fewer entrepreneurs will have their dreams dashed by someone else's mistake.
Facebook to trial PayPal-style mobile payment system (update: more details)
We've had the chance to rent movies and otherwise purchase content through Facebook; wouldn't it make sense if we could sign in to Facebook to buy goods elsewhere? The social network certainly thinks so, as it just confirmed to AllThingsD that it will be trialing a mobile payment system in about a month. The service is reportedly very PayPal-like -- Facebook users with credit cards on file would just have to log in to make purchases inside of a mobile app. Only the flash sale outlet JackThreads is participating in the test at this stage, and there's no mention of when the trial period expires. However, a full-fledged launch is potentially a major advantage for the House That Zuck Built. The payment system would give Facebook both a larger foothold in e-commerce and more insight into what members are willing to buy from advertisers. Update: Our colleagues at TechCrunch have shed a little more light on the subject. They claim that the payment system is more of a complement to existing services than a competitor: it would only fill out the forms for another payment provider, including PayPal. Facebook reportedly sees this more as an extension of its advertising system, as it would both speed up sales and let marketers know when their ads are effective.
Square app now records and tracks all payments, prints over Bluetooth
Many shops that use Square readers still have to accept checks and gift cards, but they haven't had an easy time reconciling those physical payments with the digital variety. Thankfully, updated versions of Square for Android and iOS should bring harmony by recording and tracking payments in virtually any format. The new release is particularly friendly to iPads serving as registers, giving them both cash management tools and support for printing receipts over Bluetooth. Storeowners whose sales still involve lots of paper or plastic will want to grab the latest Square apps through the source links.
Eat your heart out: Chinese e-commerce firm delivers packages within hours
Think same-day delivery is the bee's knees? In China, an e-commerce company called Jingdong not only delivers your package a few hours after you place your order, but also gives you power to track it in real time on a map. You can even bug the delivery crew while they're on the road, although they probably (hopefully) won't pick up the phone or text you back while driving. The company offers its services in six major Chinese cities, including notoriously populous Beijing and Shanghai. Jingdong is a young company that's yet to be profitable, but based on what it offers its customers, one can't help but feel that eBay Now, Amazon Prime, and Google Shopping Express should step their game up. [Image credit: Dwight Burdette, Wikipedia]
US Senate passes internet sales tax bill, faces a stiff fight in House
The debate over taxing out-of-state online sales in the US has been raging for years, but there are signs that the often messy saga is finally winding to a close... well, maybe. The Senate just voted 69-27 in favor of the Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill that would make internet retailers collect out-of-state sales taxes that Americans are already obligated to pay, but rarely do under a current system that puts the onus on (frequently unaware) buyers. Don't be too hasty in cheering or jeering the apparent conclusion, however. The bill's next stop is the House of Representatives, and the reception may be decidedly colder this time around. The act could be submitted to the President this year if it does survive the gauntlet, although a six-month buffer would likely push any tax changes to 2014 if the bill is ever signed into law. [Image credit: Scrumshus, Wikipedia]
Google acquires e-commerce company Channel Intelligence for $125 million
Google just acquired the coupon-focused company Incentive Targeting and retail locker startup BufferBox in November, and it's now further bolstered its e-commerce offerings with an acquisition of Channel Intelligence for $125 million. That company is part of the ICG Group, and offers a variety of marketing and shopping services (primarily concerned with boosting sales) to other companies and online retailers, including Staples and Best Buy. It's also partnered with Google itself in recent years on Google Shopping. Barring any unforeseen hiccups, the company expects the acquisition to close sometime in the first quarter of this year. Update: We've now also gotten this statement on the acquisition from a Google spokesperson: "We want to help consumers save time and money by improving the online shopping experience. We think Channel Intelligence will help create a better shopping experience for users and help merchants increase sales across the web."
Facebook tests $100 charge to message strangers, isn't a big fan of spam
Facebook raised alarm bells among some social networkers when it confirmed that it's experimenting with letting strangers message them for a fee. As we're learning, however, it's keenly aware of the ramifications if that fee is too low. The company has confirmed that it's toying with "extreme price points," such as the $100 Mashable and others have seen, to serve as a passive spam filter. Anyone who really, truly can't wait for a friend request can pay the fee, while others who'd just bombard us with dating site links will have to rely on the traditional ad route instead. Between that and a once-per-week message cap, we're worried less about cluttered inboxes and more about just who would be in dire enough straits to fork over a Benjamin for a burst of text.
