Long before the days of COVID-19, shopping in-store had ceased to be a stand-alone experience. Online retail had been rapidly evolving to sit alongside it, creating an omnichannel environment that combines the digital and the physical. However, since UK-wide lockdown and restrictions on movement took effect earlier this year, online retail has shot through the roof – increasing to an unprecedented 2.34 billion by June 2020 - meaning that customers are much more adept at navigating ecommerce stores and combining the two experiences.

Whether you prefer the latest Netflix true crime series or would rather settle down in front of your favorite musical on Disney+, online and over-the-top (OTT) streaming services are booming with lockdowns occurring all over the world. The quality and range of experiences on offer to customers has never been greater.

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed many of us into virtual learners.

Many online service businesses have seen dramatic swings in demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In contrast, providers of cloud-based services – including software-as-a-service (SaaS) and infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) – have experienced relative stability. In its latest subscription economy report, Ingenico’s subscription partner Zuora notes that software companies have seen a ‘limited impact’ overall from the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, communication and collaboration services have performed well, with the former growing 1.4X.

The December 31st deadline for the implementation of Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) is approaching fast. The European Banking Authority (EBA) has postponed the deadline by 15 months (initially 14th September 2019), but it won’t be postponed again.

Payments processing can be a minefield, especially for merchants that are new to dealing with its complex systems and terminologies. Historically, they’d have to get to grips with every aspect of the system, whether that’s the pad itself, gateways, acquiring or processing, and source suppliers for each aspect of the chain.

Many merchants of all sizes, particularly those operating a smaller business, are hard pushed for time and resources as they focus on ensuring their business not only survives, but thrives. So, how can they take the hassle out of managing payments processing, making it run more effectively, efficiently, and securely, while offering a better user experience for their customers? Here, I’ll explain how.