Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) saw increased adoption in the ecommerce world when companies like Afterpay and Klarna came on the scene. These companies (and others) were convenient ways for businesses to offer Buy Now, Pay Later options with less work and risk for themselves. But is it worth using at your business? In this article, I’ll go over what ...

Recurring or subscription billing gives you the confidence of a semi-guaranteed income. It makes managing your finances a little easier, lets you plan for the future, and gives you a cushion against financial shocks. When you understand how many new customers you’re taking on, and how many you’re losing (the “churn” rate), you can also use it to...

The rule, sometimes referred to as the “Junk Fees Rule,” specifies that businesses in specific industries must clearly disclose the total price including all mandatory fees. As of 2025, the rule applies to businesses selling tickets to live events and short-term lodging businesses, such as hotels, inns, vacation rentals, and bed & breakfasts. ...

Before we dive into the Visa and Analytics Partners strategic partnership, let’s take a look at AI for marketing in general. What does AI do for marketing and business? You’ve probably already come across AI, either as a consumer or with tools you use at your business. Chatbots are one popular example. But when it comes to marketing, the primary ...

While they provide tremendous convenience, it’s also vital to properly secure IoT products, especially if they have access to our financial details. Let’s take a look at the IoT, explain what it is, how it’s integrating payments, and the impact that will have on consumers, manufacturers, and payment providers. What is the Internet of Things? Th...

In this article, we’ll take a look at what Venmo is, current acceptance options, and the company’s plans for business acceptance to answer the question, "Can I take Venmo at my business?" What is Venmo? Venmo is perhaps the best-known app in the payments splitting space. Venmo was acquired by PayPal as part of Braintree. Users can link a bank a...

Note: Vantiv was acquired by Worldpay, which was itself acquired by Fidelity National Information Services (FIS.) You'll likely see the name Worldpay more often and Vantiv less, including in relation to Bizshield.  In the digital age, small businesses can’t afford to ignore reviews, but it can be time-consuming to scour different sites for menti...

There are four major business credit scores, issued by FICO SBSS, Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian. Each bureau uses a slightly different scoring approach, but all major business credit scores assess a company’s ability to make on-time payments. The Importance of Your Business Credit Score Ultimately, your business credit score measu...

While not every industry is the same and constructing a recreational dispensary in California’s newly legal market requires different paperwork than opening an organic juice stand in your local library, there are generalities in business. Half of the legitimate businesses in the U.S. fail within the first year, according to the Small Business Ad...

Gift cards are a wildly popular option in the United States, with GiftCards.com claiming that 93% of consumers purchase or receive a gift card each year. But some businesses aren't sure how to sell them and stick to paper gift certificates. Upgrading to a gift card program doesn't have to cost a lot or take a ton of work. Let’s take a look at th...