Guarantees, interchange and fees--current issues with long-term implications.
The purpose of this paper is to give a banking industry perspective on three important policy issues facing Australia's banks. These are the proposal for a deposit insurance scheme, the regulation of the credit card interchange fee and the general issue of bank fees. For each issue, the paper...

Cash payment option helps direct response merchants combat lost revenue.
In the ultra-competitive direct response market, retailers are looking for an edge to increase sales and reach new consumers. With many leaders in direct response retailing moving customers toward electronic payments, it's easy to forget that many U.S. consumers still prefer to pay via check or cash. In fact,...

Business of doing business: prioritizing the myriad challenges problems, and diversions.
Sometimes when you see others trying to take business from you, the diversion can be more detrimental than the actual consequence. Some time ago, I noticed that FedEx was poaching my customers. In fact, they had initiated a new business model to snatch new customers from my...

Get informed on credit card processing: some providers that accept credit card payments are taking an unnecessary financial hit.
Addiction treatment providers are finding that today's credit card processing industry is highly complex and the large majority of credit card processing vendors offer little help in bringing light to unanswered questions. Hidden fees, confusing monthly merchant statements, sales representatives with little or no industry knowledge, and questionable business...

Merchants Applaud Congressional Call for Disclosure from Credit Card Industry.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC) Legislative Committee Chairwoman Jennifer Hatcher today issued the following statement based on comments from Senator Christopher Dodd (D- CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, at this morning's Hearing titled "Examining the Billing, Marketing,...

Visa/MasterCard Need to Change Their Business Practices, New Report Suggests.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- The Merchants Payments Coalition today said an independent new report confirms that "merchants get nothing" out of programs that constitute nearly half of the $30.7 billion in credit and debit card interchange fees Visa and MasterCard collect annually in the United States. ...

Hidden Fees Bring Big Profits to Credit Card Companies.
Ad Campaign Says Undisclosed Credit Card Companies Fees Unfair to Consumers WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Visa, MasterCard and their member banks collected billions of dollars in secret credit card fees from unsuspecting consumers during the recent holiday shopping season, merchants are saying this week in newspaper...

Revolution Money Asks 'Who Couldn't Use $100?'.
Consumers Can Save Up to $100* This Holiday Season with RevolutionCard ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday shoppers are looking for ways to get the things they want while still saving money. To help consumers do both, Revolution Money Inc. today announced a promotion offering...

U.S. Adults Say Visa and MasterCard Should Disclose Hidden Interchange Fees.
Poll Finds 9 of 10 Consumers Want Congress to Require More Disclosure WASHINGTON, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumers overwhelmingly believe that Visa and MasterCard should disclose the $30 billion in hidden "interchange" fees they charge each year and consumers want Congress to do something about it, according...

Monroe Bancorp Reports 5.5 Percent Increase in Earnings Per Share for 2006.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Jan. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Monroe Bancorp (the "Company"), , the independent Bloomington-based holding company for Monroe Bank (the "Bank"), reported net income of $7,586,000 or $1.15 per basic and diluted common share, for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to $7,223,000 or $1.09 per basic and...