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Letter from

the editors

hen Square Inc. began making waves with
its dongle a few years ago, some payment
pros said Square was a mere aggrega-
W tor not worth paying attention to. Now,
some ISOs have incorporated payment aggregation into
their business practices and are lauding the results. This
issue's lead article delves into aggregation, discussing
what it is and what its advantages and disadvantages
are. Maybe it'll turn out to be a good step for you in 2014.
As usual, the payments industry is abuzz with activity.
Among the noteworthy news are the Target Brands
Inc. data breach during some of 2013's busiest holiday
shopping days, including Black Friday; the approval of
the $7.25 billion settlement in the class-action lawsuit
brought by retailers against Visa Inc. and MasterCard
Worldwide over interchange fees; the release of the
Federal Reserve's 2013 payments study; how the
popularity of smartphones and tablet computers led to a
thriving mobile app marketplace, which, unfortunately,
is being targeted by fraudsters; and the rebranding of
the Electronic Transactions Association's annual expo,
known this year as Transact 14: Powered by ETA.
Our contributing writers always amaze us with the
perspectives and insights they bring to light. In this issue,
you'll find an exploration of concentrations in business
and what they mean to our industry; legal issues to
consider when using paperless contracts for various
working relationships in payments; the need to think
before you click in today's digital, social media world;
tips on how to easily improve your marketing team; how
today's merchant level salespeople are distinguishing
themselves with success in a crowded arena; and the
solid benefits of being upfront with merchants from the
beginning, pricing them competitively and supporting
them when needed.

Also included are our regular departments spotlighting
industry developments and trends, payment company
milestones, new product releases, inspiration for the feet
on the street, and more.

If you'd like to broaden the discussion of any of the topics
covered in this issue, whether they pertain to news,
views, features or educational articles, please send us
your thoughts. We can print them in our Readers Speak
section or possibly even as stand-alone articles. Send us
your questions, comments or suggestions via email at
greensheet@greensheet.com or by phone at 800-757-4441.
To post a press release, please email your news to press@
greensheet.com. Also, a reminder: our new address is 5830
Commerce Blvd., Unit B, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.

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