The Green Sheet Online Edition
November 9, 2026 • 26:11:01
Editor's Letter
Nobody likes a surprise charge. Whether it appears at checkout or on a monthly processing statement, an unexpected fee can leave a customer questioning more than the bill. What was agreed to? Where was the charge explained? How much effort will it take to get an answer? For businesses built on lasting relationships, those questions deserve attention well before they become disputes.
Our lead article examines how the push for fee transparency extends beyond the FTC's junk fee rule for live-event tickets and short-term lodging. Enforcement actions, state laws and merchant lawsuits bring the discussion directly into payments, where disclosures, authorization and contract terms matter. The cases differ, and some allegations remain contested, but together they offer readers plenty to consider about their own practices and the experiences of the merchants they serve.
The ability to explain a price matters beyond fee disclosures. David Hernandez untangles dual pricing and surcharging, emphasizing the price customers see first and the details that keep programs on track. Bar Tsoury examines personalized offers and shows how clear, reproducible rules can help merchants account for differences customers see.
Attention to what lies beneath the surface carries into Lane Gordon's look at merchant portfolio buyers and the factors behind their offers, while Ken Musante explores how an outside perspective can reveal obstacles successful business owners overlook.
Elie Y. Katz connects SNAP compliance to merchant traffic and portfolio health, and Jaki Kackert suggests manageable improvements that can help merchants during the holiday rush. Radi El Haj considers resilience at the speed of an AI attack, including decisions to make about automated defenses.
Rozina Qarizadah brings us back to the unattended terminal experience, where design, accessibility and available support determine whether technology delivers good service.
Our news coverage follows Colombia's rapidly growing Bre-B instant payment network and new federal rules opening a path for direct card payments to the IRS.
We also examine differing approaches to AI shopping agents, the OCC's payment stablecoin framework and its $350 million penalty against American Express National Bank over anti-money laundering deficiencies—developments that bring opportunities, questions and obligations for the payments community.
Round out your reading with product and innovator profiles, industry milestones and resources designed to support your work.
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