• Education

    Introducing Our New Microlearning Course: Adopting and Implementing Payment Account Reference (PAR)!
    Lisa Crockett

    Introducing Our New Microlearning Course: Adopting and Implementing Payment Account Reference (PAR)!

    May 6, 2024

    The MAG is thrilled to announce the launch of our second on-demand microlearning course, "Adopting and Implementing Payment Account Reference (PAR)." This course is part of our commitment to providing timely and impactful learning opportunities in the ever-evolving landscape of payments technologies.

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  • International Perspective

    The MAG’s International Expansion
    Paul Tunstall

    The MAG’s International Expansion

    Apr 22, 2024

    One of the key strategies for the MAG is to develop a comprehensive vision for expanding the MAG's presence in the APAC and European regions and build an international program that aligns with the MAG's mission. This includes leading efforts to engage local merchants within the payments system and fostering collaborative relationships with payment processors, technology providers, and regulatory bodies in these regions.

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  • Membership Update

    Are You Taking Advantage of Your Member Benefits?
    Meg Thaxton

    Are You Taking Advantage of Your Member Benefits?

    Apr 15, 2024

    The MAG offers a wide variety of benefits to its merchant members – from committees to conferences, advocacy, education, and more, and we want to ensure that you are maximizing your benefits to get the most out of your membership.

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  • Policy Perspective

    Regulation II Review: The Proposed Rate Reduction
    Josh Pynn

    Regulation II Review: The Proposed Rate Reduction

    Apr 4, 2024

    Regulation II, the Federal Reserve ruling that regulated debit card interchange in the U.S., has not seen an update since it was issued in 2011. In that time, there have been changes to not only payments technology, but also consumer preferences and shifting channels of commerce. Regulation II has a stipulation in which the Federal Reserve can reassess the debit rate cap and its applicability given issuer costs, and in late 2023 they proposed the first update to the regulated rate since its introduction. Their proposal is open for public comments until May 12, 2024.

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  • Payments Technology

    Decoding the QR Code
    Steve Cole

    Decoding the QR Code

    Apr 1, 2024

    The Quick Response Code, more commonly known as the QR Code, has become a familiar sight in our daily lives. QR Codes seem to be everywhere these days whether on restaurant tables, plastered to light poles, or at the exhibit booths of your favorite payments conference. How did this come to be? Let’s take a closer look at what QR Codes are, how they work, and why payments professionals should care about them.

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  • Innovate Now

    New Age of Customer Interaction
    Bryan Penny

    New Age of Customer Interaction

    Mar 25, 2024

    In 2023, EMVCo defined the introduction of minimum acceptable criteria and a supporting approval process for TaptoMobile acceptance devices. These changes have allowed solution providers, the networks and processors to -venture into this new TaptoMobile space.

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  • Conference Update

    MAG’s First Payments MAGnified is in the Books!
    Andrea Rouse

    MAG’s First Payments MAGnified is in the Books!

    Mar 21, 2024

    Thank you to the record-setting number of attendees who joined us at our first-ever Payments MAGnified at the Hyatt Regency Dallas!

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  • CEO Update

    Growing the Merchant’s Voice Globally
    John Drechny

    Growing the Merchant’s Voice Globally

    Mar 18, 2024

    Over the last several years, the MAG has expanded the merchant's voice in the industry through many avenues. In 2019, we added the Tech Forum to include professionals who are responsible for the programming of payments to join our discussions. In 2020, we started engaging with merchants in the APAC area to help understand their needs for a voice in the payment system. In 2021, we launched our Merchant Payments 101, followed by our 200 level courses as well as a Technical course. In 2022, we held our first international summit in Singapore.

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  • Advancing Payments

    Special Interest Groups (SIG) Highlights
    Kelly Andrus

    Special Interest Groups (SIG) Highlights

    Mar 11, 2024

    Dating back to our inaugural payments event in October 2008, our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have been some of the highest-rated sessions at every conference. What started as round table discussions during the last hour of our conference, SIGs have been standardized into two one-hour merchant-only sessions, allowing merchants of various industry verticals to discuss the topics that mean the most to them.

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  • Board Member Corner

    Turbocharging 2024: A Perspective from the New Kid on the Board
    Eric Vescera

    Turbocharging 2024: A Perspective from the New Kid on the Board

    Mar 7, 2024

    I have had the honor of being engaged with the MAG through many different job titles… merchant member, SIG leader, Committee co-chair, MAG staff member, and now Board Member. Through all those titles and phases of my own professional life, what I have learned about payments can be directly tied back to the experiences, connections, people, formal and informal conversations, and education that I’ve received through engagement with the MAG organization.

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  • Sponsorship Update

    Benefits of Being a Tech Forum Sponsor
    Meg Thaxton

    Benefits of Being a Tech Forum Sponsor

    Feb 26, 2024

    MAG conferences may have gone through a rebranding, but Tech Forum is here to stay. Tech Forum is a constant area of growth for our organization as the industry faces new and exciting challenges across the payments tech space. From tokenization, PCI compliance, fraud management, software implementation, and more, the MAG continues to seek new and innovative ways to bring together payments technology professionals in a meaningful way.

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MAG MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

Why We Joined the MAG

Brownells is a new Merchant Member of the MAG joining us in 2024. Brownells, a global merchant in the sporting goods industry, recently joined the MAG in 2024 as a merchant member. We sat down with Krystle Lafountain, Brownells’ Payments & Fraud Strategy Manager to discuss how they decided to join the Merchant Advisory Group.

MAG SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT

Shift4 —  Why Take a Multi-Acquirer Approach?

Traditionally, merchants would engage a single payment processor for all acquiring needs. However, evolving global requirements and market dynamics have led to a shift, with merchants increasingly opting for multiple providers. Even when a single acquirer could handle a merchant's domestic processing requirements, there are compelling reasons for diversification.
The Merchant Advisory Group

Driving positive change and innovation in the payments industry that serves the merchants interest through collaboration, education, and advocacy.