Hello Fellow Alaskans! 
 
It’s still early in the year, but restaurants and retail operations are already in full swing towards making their summer season an amazing one. We are of the same mind - we want this to be a better summer than last year, and we’ve got some helpful tips on how to help accomplish that goal. Let’s jump into four ways to get ready for summer! 

Payments are always a hot topic, especially trends in mobile payments. So, we wanted to share some highlights from an article published by RSPA (Retail Solutions Providers Association), written by Mark Bunney, Sales & Marketing Leader at Ingenico:

This is an ongoing series of articles about cash discounting and surcharging programs.

I recently returned from a conference and attended a session by Clearent to learn more about this hot topic in the payment world.  The number one take away from this conference - you need to follow the rules very carefully - and work with a partner that knows what they are doing!

Did you know that cash discounting and surcharging programs for credit card fees is legal in most states. We have seen an uptick in the use of these methods to offset credit card fees in some locations locally, but isn't common in most businesses - yet.  So, we decided it was time to learn more:

Gift card spending has grown from $40 billion in 2003 to over $100 billion in 2014, says the Mercator Advisory Group. According to the National Retail Federation’s Monthly Consumer Survey, they have topped the list of most requested gifts for the last eight years.