Author: wcapra

CaaS/MaaS – Crime as a Service/Malware as a Service

Technology has always proven to be a double-edged sword throughout history; as the world improves technology standards and efficiency, so do the bad guys. The latest iteration of threats come in the form of what we know today as SaaS, but are re-engineered for malicious purposes and redefined as CaaS (crime as a service). As…

NACS Show: Innovating Like a Start Up

The following originally appeared in Convenience Store Decisions and features W. Capra Senior Consultant, Jim Duboyce. Sheetz aims to empower an incubator team to strategize new initiatives for Sheetz that will position it for the future. In a Sunday, Oct. 7 educational session on innovating like a start up, Moderator Jim Duboyce, senior consultant, W. Capra Consulting,…

Loyalty Points to Ponder

The following originally appeared in Convenience Store Decisions and is written by W. Capra Executive Consultant, Ed Collupy. When considering a new loyalty program, asking the right questions can help you determine which option is best for your business. Many convenience operators have their own experiences they can rely on related to loyalty programs either from…

The MYTH of getting robbed from your pocket via Contactless Payments

While navigating on social media, I found a video around contactless fraud. The video warns people to be protective of their wallets as he initiated a contactless transaction with another person who carried his wallet inside his back pocket (you can see the video here). Of course, a video like this can generate reactions that…

Simple Security Tips for Consumers

We see a steady stream of news stories about data breaches that result in damage to company reputations, impact to share valuation, cost to implement new security measures and in many cases fines and/or penalties to cover the cost of associated fraud. In the payments and security world, we tend to focus on the IT…

Salty Snacks Charge Forward

The below article, which includes quotations from W. Capra Executive Consultant Ed Collupy, has been re-posted from Convenience Store Decisions. The original article can be found here. As more consumers are shifting to healthier and protein-filled salty snacks as meal replacements, c-stores are well positioned to reap the rewards. By Lisa White, Contributing Editor The…

Engaging Consumers to Develop Fuel Brand Loyalty

Differentiation in an Undifferentiated Market Merchants realize that having a loyalty program is a standard requirement and not an added feature in consumer eyes, but the structure of their loyalty offerings can differ between verticals and between merchants operating in the same vertical. In the fuel sector specifically, it can be difficult to create a…

Does Your App Accept the New Consumer Currency – Data?

Consumers are offering data, a new currency, in exchange for truly exceptional experiences. Like monetary currencies, the value consumers receive for this new currency will vary, depending on where they exchange it. To succeed, your app must offer an experience in line with consumer value exchange rate expectations. Mobile apps are changing consumer behavior Consumers…

What does the Visa ban by a Kroger subsidiary mean for other merchants?

In response to ever increasing payment processing costs, a collection of 21 stores and five gas stations owned by a Kroger subsidiary in California have announced they will stop accepting Visa credit transactions on August 14th.  Kroger overall does have a strong relationship with Mastercard through a co-branded card program partnership.  Is this move to…

Insights from the Think Tank session

The following has been re-posted from NACS magazine.   “Surround yourself with smart people” is career advice that I continue to put into action. At this year’s Conexxus Annual Conference, nearly 160 attendees had the opportunity to do just that during the Think Tank session. Joining me on stage were business leaders Stephen Hines, chief…

What’s Holding Up Contactless Payments in the US?

Contactless payments in the US have been lauded for years as the next consumer payment trend. Aside from a few very large retailers and transit use in cities like New York, Boston and Chicago, however, there are not many merchants that accept contactless payments in today’s market. This post will discuss why US contactless payments…