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Insights and Expertise

StreetSmarts SM

Taking care of business

[Editor's note: For the past two years, Allen Kopelman has delivered stacks, giving consumers more payment options. The
Street Smarts with clarity, conviction and a no-nonsense take on where question for independent sales organizations (ISOs) is
payments is headed. His columns didn't just track industry change— simple: Why aren't more of us doing the same?
they challenged ISOs and merchant level salespeople to keep up, think
bigger and stay relevant in our always evolving payments sphere. If ISOs and merchant level salespeople (MLSs) want to
Drawing on decades of real-world experience, Allen has brought sharp stay relevant, grow internationally and support merchants
insight, practical ideas and a strong, unmistakable voice to every across verticals, offering a broad range of payment
installment. We're grateful for his contributions and the perspective he's methods, including cross-border and multi-currency
shared with our readers. We wish him continued success in all that's capabilities, is no longer optional but essential.
ahead.] Regulation matters
By Allen Kopelman Payment preferences vary by region. In Europe and
Nationwide Payment Systems Inc. Australia, interchange caps and government regulations
have made credit cards less accessible and less profitable.
n my final article, I'd like to thank The Green Sheet As a result, European and Australian consumers rely
and its readers for sharing my Street Smarts journey more on debit and bank-based payments.
over the past two years. And I'd like to extend a
I warm welcome to our new Street Smarts columnist, That environment fueled the rise of buy now pay later
Jaki Kackert, a marketing maven with payments exper- (BNPL) long before it gained traction in North America.
tise. Let's stay in touch wherever you listen to podcasts on When consumers can't easily access revolving credit,
B2BVault: the Biz to Biz podcast. installment options fill the gap.

Like Bachman-Turner Overdrive's 1973 song says, we're The United States operates differently. Regulators view
"taking care of business" out here on the Street … at the BNPL through the lens of consumer protection and
intersection of business and commerce. And a big part of unsecured credit. Meanwhile, merchant fees for BNPL
that is giving merchants and their customers more ways can range from 6 to 10 percent, significantly higher than
to pay. Instead of focusing on terminals and agnostic traditional credit card processing.
software, let's help agents and merchants compete on
experience, not just price. Merchants may not always appreciate the related costs of
BNPL, but they see its positive impact on conversion rates
Fintechs understand this. Platforms across Europe, and average ticket size. As consumer demand continues
Australia and North America have integrated alternative to drive adoption, merchants are following, and now ISOs
payment methods (APMs) directly into their technology must do the same.

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