Last updated on Friday, December 22, 2023. All times are in Eastern Daylight Time
Agenda Key
-
In Person
-
Virtual
-
Livestream
-
Rebroadcast
-
Merchant Only Session
Filter agenda by:
-
All
Registration Hours
-
All
Networking Reception Sponsored by American Express
Sponsors
Description
-
All
Registration Hours
-
All
Exhibit Hall
All
Breakfast
-
All
Exhibit Hall
-
All
Breakfast
-
-
Business
Education 100: Understand Merchant Costs That Aren't Interchange
Business
Education 200: Creating Debit Strategies That Drive Significant Savings - How to Get Optimal, and Stay Optimal
Tech
Tech Forum Education Session: ISO 20022 with Mastercard
-
Business
Education 100: Understand Merchant Costs That Aren't Interchange
Speakers
Erika Curtis, Delivery Lead, W. Capra Consulting Group
Description
A deep dive into understanding the costs of merchant processing including understanding downgrades, network fees, and how you can work to reduce the cost of acceptance.
-
Business
Education 200: Creating Debit Strategies That Drive Significant Savings - How to Get Optimal, and Stay Optimal
Speakers
Christian Johnson, Global Advocacy Senior Manager, CMSPI, Smarter Payments Intelligence
Emily Carling, Senior Manager Payments Acceptance, Target
Alistair Matthewson, SVP, Consulting, CMSPI, Smarter Payments Intelligence
Description
In a fiercely competitive retail industry where percentages hold so much importance, optimizing debit strategies has become paramount. By driving substantial cost efficiencies, merchants can bolster their competitive edge and establish a stronger position in the market. But how can teams ensure they are getting appropriate deals and maximizing their savings potential? Join CMSPI’s session as we review the intricacies of debit routing, empowering merchants with actionable insights to maintain long-term optimization. Discover why debit is a top priority and learn how to secure the right deals and unlock lasting savings.
Key topics include:
- Historical changes in card fees and how the emergence of new channels and shifting customer preferences has led to new fees.
- Challenges created by limited data visibility imposed by payments partners.
- The importance of unregulated vs. regulated environments, Average Transaction Values (ATVs), regionality, and more.
- The data behind an ever-changing industry: badging, pricing strategy changes, and shifting network market shares
- The significance of the PINless routing opportunity and overcoming challenges in in-store and online scenarios.
- Leveraging the right data for optimal performance
Optimizing payments arrangements is challenging, but maintaining that optimization is an ongoing process due to the ever-growing complexities in the industry. This session will serve as a guide to help merchants implement effective cost-saving strategies tailored to their unique business needs.
-
Tech
Tech Forum Education Session: ISO 20022 with Mastercard
Speakers
Sumith Kalas, Vice President, Network Products NAM, Mastercard
Description
ISO 20022 – Panelists will share what it is all about and what merchants should know about adoption.
-
-
All
Keynote Fireside Chat: Finding the Win/Win in the Acquirer/Merchant Relationship
Speakers
Stephanie Ferris, Chief Executive Officer and President, FIS Global
John Drechny, CEO, Merchant Advisory Group
Kathy Hanna, Vice President Payments Acceptance and Services, The Kroger Co.
Description
The payments industry has been built through innovation and trust. Each stakeholder in the system must trust the other to perform their task for a successful transaction to be completed. One of those key relationships is between a merchant and an acquirer. We are fortunate to have Stephanie Ferris, CEO and President of FIS, and Kathy Hanna, Vice President, Payments Acceptance and Services for The Kroger Co., join John Drechny, CEO of the MAG, to talk about how trust built their relationship and where they believe the future of payments is heading. Come join us for this insightful discussion and hear how the presenters succeed by listening and how they find the win/wins in their relationship.
-
All
The Economy Is at a Precipice: How Should Merchants React?
Speakers
Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist, North America, Mastercard
Description
Emergence from Covid has not been the smoothest ride, and the headlines certainly are not helping anyone wrap their head around where the economy might go in 2024 and beyond. With recent debt ceiling discussions, interest rate increases, and more, there is a lot to unpack to understand where merchants sit. Join this informative session with Mastercard to discuss key indicators of economic movement and where finance teams should focus their energy going into next year.
-
All
Explore the Exhibit Hall!
Description
Whether it's for a mid-day pick-me-up of snacks and beverages or competing in the Exhibitor Quest for a chance to win great prizes, you will definitely want to spend time in our conference exhibit hall. This is the best opportunity to network with providers and find the solutions your teams need. See you there!
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: Riskified
Speakers
Susanne Langkau, Business Development, Riskified
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: Uplift
Speakers
Michelle Byerley, VP, Airline Partnerships, Uplift, Inc
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: PayPal
Speakers
Per Anell, PayPal
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
All
Networking Lunch
-
Tech
Tech Forum Kick-Off: The Payments Industry State of the Union
Speakers
Frank Keller, Senior Vice President and GM, Merchant Business Unit, PayPal
Alex Hoffmann, Senior Vice President & GM Payments and Financial Services, BigCommerce
Description
In 2020, we saw the digital payments ecosystem take off, only to be tempered by economic and consumer uncertainty in recent months. Poised to help stabilize this volatility are new technologies that speed up time to market, unlock new streams of revenue, and put customers front and center. This keynote session will explore the payments industry innovations unlocking growth for merchants including AI, data, and tokenization of individual credentials, led by PayPal’s merchant leader Frank Keller, with a merchant guest appearance to share first-hand experience.
-
Business
How Large Merchants Are Driving Innovation Through Payments and Consumer Financing
Business
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: How Merchants Create Effective Chargeback Strategies
Tech
Creating New Possibilities in Payments with Advanced Data Analytics
Tech
Great Consumer Experiences for Real-Time Payments
-
Business
How Large Merchants Are Driving Innovation Through Payments and Consumer Financing
Speakers
Meidad Sharon, CEO & Founder, ChargeAfter
Scott Anderson, Vice President, Financial Services and Payments, The Home Depot
Description
The payments and consumer financing industry is undergoing significant changes. The industry is becoming more strategic in response to social and environmental factors, such as continued economic uncertainty and consumers’ increasing expectation for greater personalization and choice. Merchants need to understand the character and potential of this new landscape to implement new strategies that maximize conversion and customer experience potential. Session panelists will provide details on how large merchants are building strategies that drive innovation through their payments and consumer financing offers. The discussion will cover essential aspects of consumer financing and payments, such as the factors that drive change, how quickly consumers adopt new ways of paying or borrowing, merchant strategies, priorities, and the evolving role of data.
-
Business
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: How Merchants Create Effective Chargeback Strategies
Speakers
Tim Tynan, CEO, Chargeback Gurus
Julie Mingus, Sr Director Treasury Operations, Cinemark
Description
The threat of first-party misuse is growing, and merchants are taking notice. Many merchants say their top priority is improving chargeback dispute processes. That is often easier said than done. Every business is different, and designing a chargeback management strategy that suits the needs of your company can be a daunting task. In this panel, you will hear from companies who have real-world experience in creating effective chargeback strategies. Chargeback Gurus will feature Cinemark, who will discuss how they approached the problem of chargebacks, the strategies they have developed, and the impact those strategies have had on their business.
-
Tech
Creating New Possibilities in Payments with Advanced Data Analytics
Speakers
Andrew Stucchio, Vice President of Global Network Analytics, Discover Financial Services
Stephen Yu, Director of Global Network Analytics, Discover Financial Services
Description
200 Level**
Data and analytics are the backbone of growing and future-proofing any merchant’s payments strategy. Learn how Discover Global Network has built out data collection and analyzation capabilities to better serve the needs of their customers. In this session, Andrew Stucchio, VP of Global Analytics, and Stephen Yu, Director of Global Analytics, will highlight how data and analytics can support, transform, and evolve the payments landscape. From fraud and security, to identifying consumer habits, to the future growth of AI analytics—learn about the developments within an increasingly digital world and how merchants should be thinking about these trends. -
Tech
Great Consumer Experiences for Real-Time Payments
Speakers
Eric Smith, AppBrilliance
Dean Nolan, Managing Director, Commercial Payments, Strategic Resource Management, Inc.
See AlsoMerchant Advisory Group on LinkedIn: MAG Annual Conference and Tech Forum 2023 - Register Now!Top 8 M&A Conferences Every M&A Practitioner Must Visit in 2024Merchant Advisory Group on LinkedIn: MAG Annual Conference & Tech Forum 2023: Two New Milestones and a Major…2023 Mid-Year Conference and Tech ForumDescription
100 Level**
The market is expected to see a rise in the use of real-time rails from The Clearing House's RTP or FedNow for real-time payments or funds flow. For real-time payments to take hold and grow in retail payments, a seamless consumer experience that can be easily embedded into existing apps and online checkout flows is essential. This session will discuss why it is important to have a merchant-driven real-time payments consumer experience and how that can help expansion in the ecosystem.
-
-
Business
My Path in Payments: The Accidental Career Path?
Business
Why Should You Care About Your Consumers' Credit?
Tech
Accelerate Payment Software Development and Deployment with Advance Testing Automation
Tech
Your Car as a Payment Device
-
Business
My Path in Payments: The Accidental Career Path?
Speakers
Monique Biady, Director, Commercial, Checkout.com
Kevin Mayes, Associate Director, Payment Acceptance, Chewy, Inc.
Melanie Stout, Head of Recurring Payments Strategy, Optimized Payments
Kelly Andrus, Director, Collaboration, Merchant Advisory Group
Description
There is no defined roadmap or set playbook for a career in payments. It is a relatively new business function; many working in payments today are trailblazers, coming into the career with different skills and experiences from a variety of different backgrounds, collaborating to set the standards for the future of the industry. Should the industry expect payments-specific higher education courses to become available? Are formal qualifications even needed? Where does a career in payments take you? This live edition of My Path in Payments will feature a payments professional explaining their route into the industry, sharing candid insights into their successes and failures, and discussing how they are pushing the boundaries to elevate the role of payments in their business.
-
Business
Why Should You Care About Your Consumers' Credit?
Speakers
Trace Major, Director, Enterprise Partnerships, Sezzle
Description
In the United States, a credit score means a lot. But what does it look like and how does it impact your life? In this session, experts will discuss how credit scores have changed and how they are impacting shoppers in today's economic climate.
-
Tech
Accelerate Payment Software Development and Deployment with Advance Testing Automation
Speakers
Itai Sela, President and CEO, B2 Payment Solutions Inc.
Phani Kasibhotla, IT Manager, Albertsons
Description
200 Level**
Payments testing automation is not new, but it does have its challenges. Modernizing payments software development and testing is a strategic goal for most merchants however, testing the physical PIN pad/terminal has always been manual. One of the main challenges of PIN pad/terminal testing is that you cannot virtualize all the components needed to test it. In this session, we will discuss what options are available to overcome this challenge and lead the way to full payments testing automation.
-
Tech
Your Car as a Payment Device
Speakers
Sorin Hilgen, Group CDO & US CIO, EG America
Tom Nipper, Global Head Energy and Mobility, J.P. Morgan
Greg Ergenbright, CEO, OWL Services
Description
100 Level**
Automobiles are joining smartphones and tablets as a powerful way for businesses to connect, interact, and transact with consumers seamlessly. Identifying, understanding, and solving the unique challenges and opportunities of in-car commerce is key to capturing, growing, and protecting relationships with customers on the go. Hear about the digital innovations and ecosystems that will help create safe, secure, contextual mobile commerce experiences.
-
-
All
Explore the Exhibit Hall!
Description
Whether it's for a mid-day pick-me-up of snacks and beverages or competing in the Exhibitor Quest for a chance to win great prizes, you will definitely want to spend time in our conference exhibit hall. This is the best opportunity to network with providers and find the solutions your teams need. See you there!
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: Mica
Speakers
Christopher Petersen, Founder and CEO, Mica
Eduardo Solis,
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: eCommerce
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Mass Merchant
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Petroleum/Convenience Store
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Recurring/Subscription Billing
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Small Ticket/Restaurant
Tech
Merchant Only SIG: Tech Forum Business/Tech
Business
Sponsor SIG: Sponsors Only: Maximize Your Sponsor Benefits: Building Stronger Partnerships
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: eCommerce
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Mass Merchant
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Petroleum/Convenience Store
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Recurring/Subscription Billing
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Small Ticket/Restaurant
-
Tech
Merchant Only SIG: Tech Forum Business/Tech
-
Business
Sponsor SIG: Sponsors Only: Maximize Your Sponsor Benefits: Building Stronger Partnerships
Description
Sponsors: Please join us for a sponsor-only session to discuss the value of being a MAG sponsor, provide ways to get the most out of your sponsorship, and network with your fellow MAG sponsors. We will also have a Q&A session to learn what is most important to you, our sponsors.
-
-
All
Networking Reception Sponsored by J.P. Morgan
Sponsors
Description
-
All
Registration Hours
-
All
Exhibit Hall
All
Breakfast
-
All
Exhibit Hall
-
All
Breakfast
-
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: J.P.Morgan
All
Explore the Exhibit Hall!
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: J.P.Morgan
Presenters
Peter Czimback, Vice President, Digital Innovation, Aramark
Prashant Sharma, Executive Director, J.P.Morgan
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
All
Explore the Exhibit Hall!
Description
Whether it's for a mid-day pick-me-up of snacks and beverages or competing in the Exhibitor Quest for a chance to win great prizes, you will definitely want to spend time in our conference exhibit hall. This is the best opportunity to network with providers and find the solutions your teams need. See you there!
-
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: SKUx
Speakers
Bobby Tinsley,
Greg Leonard,
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
All
MAG Industry Overview: Collaborating for a Better Future
Speakers
John Drechny, CEO, Merchant Advisory Group
Description
We live in a state of constant change, and that is especially true in the payments system, where change seems to be accelerated. Retail payments requires collaboration between several different parties to ensure a great experience for mutual customers. The MAG works to provide the environment for multi-stakeholder conversations to take place. This collaboration leads to a better overall outcome for all involved parties. Come here from MAG CEO John Drechny on what the organization is tracking in the payments industry and how working together is imperative in moving the industry forward.
-
All
The Future is Now: Faster Payments
Speakers
Jim Colassano, SVP, RTP Product Management, The Clearing House
Ron Collins, System Director, Payment Card Operations - Treasury Services, CommonSpirit Health
Fanny Miner, Director, Product Management – Payments, Best Buy
Description
With the launch of FedNow earlier this summer, Faster Payments are reaching critical mass in both merchant and consumer payments, but there is still much to learn about just how valuable they can be for merchants. Learn what the use cases are, how merchants can leverage the new payments rails for their business goals, and where faster payments will go over the next couple of years.
-
All
Exploring Financial Inclusion
Speakers
Jai Holtz, Vice President, Financial Services, Best Buy
Orlando Zayas, Chief Executive Officer, Katapult
Larry Lataif, Fintech Business Leader
Description
Financial institutions focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) often overlook and under-serve immigrants, who struggle to access the U.S. financial system. This session will shine a light on this neglected segment, making the case that they deserve more attention and access to financial services. Attendees will gain insights into the unique challenges faced by immigrants in accessing financial services, and practical strategies for improving access and promoting equal financial opportunities for all.
-
Business
Competing for the Future of C2B Payments With Open Banking
Business
New Research on the State of Loyalty
Tech
Instant/Credit Push @ POS
Tech
How Large Language Models Will Re-shape Future of Developer Experiences
-
Business
Competing for the Future of C2B Payments With Open Banking
Speakers
Ken Grogan, Director Treasury Services, Wakefern Food Corp.
Carl Slabicki, Co-Head of Global Payments, BNY Mellon
Ross McFerrin, VP, Enterprise Growth, Trustly Inc.
Description
What does the future hold for C2B payments? Open banking – which allows the electronic and secure sharing of financial data through APIs to enable digital payment options – is quickly becoming a driving force behind payment innovation for banks, merchants, and consumers. This session will focus on how the technology is reshaping consumer expectations and business needs in today’s C2B payment ecosystem by providing merchants the ability to seamlessly link, access, and collect payments from U.S. bank accounts. And because of its ability to provide instant and guaranteed payments via traditional payment rails, attendees will learn how the technology provides an enhanced experience as well as efficiency and working capital benefits to their businesses. The session will also explore how a collaborative approach to open banking between banks and merchants can create a competitive edge, driving value and convenience for customers.
-
Business
New Research on the State of Loyalty
Speakers
James Becker, Head of Business Development, PayiQ
Description
PayiQ will present an independent national study commissioned by Wakefield Research looking at consumer and executive attitudes toward loyalty. Retailers face a significant challenge when it comes to maximizing the ROI of their loyalty programs. Most retailers allocate an average of ten percent of their company budget to customer loyalty programs. Despite this, they report that only 23 percent of their customers are active loyalty users. That is because customers are willing to leave loyalty programs that they do not find valuable. In this session, you will see the details of what makes a loyalty program valuable to consumers. You will also get a look at the barriers executives believe are limiting their ability to meet those loyalty needs.
-
Tech
Instant/Credit Push @ POS
Speakers
Mark Ericksen, Specialist Leader, Payments, Deloitte Consulting LLC
Description
100 Level**
How might a credit-push instant payment work in a card-centric, debit-pull Point-of-Sale world? Join a techno-functional discussion on possible options leveraging learnings from foreign markets adapted to the realities of the U.S. environment.
-
Tech
How Large Language Models Will Re-shape Future of Developer Experiences
Speakers
Tom Eck, SVP Digital Technology, Carat From Fiserv
Nick Brady, Senior Program Manager, Azure OpenAI, Microsoft
Description
200 Level **
Open AI and ChatGPT have created an upswell of dialogue around the utility of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLM) in business, and everyday users are exploring avenues for streamlining tasks from content to coding. How LLMs can be leveraged to optimize merchants’ priorities, and how will the emergence of LLMs shape the future of low/no code development across everything from eCommerce to customer service? In this session, a panel of experts will discuss the pros and cons LLMs, how AI is being used today by developers, and explore what this evolution could mean for the future of eCommerce. The team will discuss:
• Augmenting, Not Replacing• Removing Friction
• Code Generation• Commerce Applications
• Self-Service Development• Security/Privacy by Design
• End-User Experiences
-
-
All
Networking Lunch
-
Business
Fighting Fraud and Boosting Revenue: Why Data Matters
Tech
Unleashing the Power of Payment Devices: How Retailers Tackle Application Integration Challenges
Business
How to Solve Digital Checkout and Re-Engage With Consumers
Tech
Authentication in North America: How 3DS2 and Data-Only Flows are Changing the Game
-
Business
Fighting Fraud and Boosting Revenue: Why Data Matters
Speakers
Casey Zenner, VP - Global Sales, Kount, an Equifax Company
Norma Flores, Senior Customer Care Manager, eharmony
David Murphy, Senior Risk Analyst, Warner Bros. Discovery
Description
Data is a powerful — yet often underutilized — tool for business growth. Join us to hear real-life examples of how eHarmony and Warner Bros. Discovery are leveraging data to protect themselves from various types of fraud, improve the end-to-end customer experience, and increase revenue. Walk away with actionable advice on how to collect, analyze, and act upon data insights. Understand which data elements are valuable and what insights they contain. Learn how to fight fraud throughout the customer journey — without significantly increasing friction. Receive tips to bridge the gap between pre-authorization and post-authorization fraud prevention through strategic data sharing.
-
Tech
Unleashing the Power of Payment Devices: How Retailers Tackle Application Integration Challenges
Speakers
Tim Reidy, Sales Executive, Retail Channel, Ingenico, Inc.
Jennifer Martinez, Executive Director, Payments and Network Solutions, NCR
Bryan Croteau, Executive Consultant, Global Omni-Commerce Solutions, ACI Worldwide
Description
100 Level**
Retailers encounter various challenges when adding applications to their payment devices, including:
- User Experience: Ensuring the application's interface is intuitive and user-friendly to maintain customer satisfaction and cashier efficiency.
- Compatibility: Ensuring the application is compatible with the payment device's specific software and hardware requirements.
- Security and Compliance: Meeting industry security standards like PCI DSS compliance to protect customer payment data.
- Technical Integration: Requiring technical expertise for a smooth integration process, including API integration and compatibility with existing infrastructure.
- Testing and Certification: Undergoing testing and certification to comply with industry standards and regulations before deployment.
- Ongoing Maintenance and Updates: Managing software updates, addressing compatibility issues, and ensuring security and compliance over time.
By collaborating with experienced payment solution providers and planning thoroughly, retailers can overcome these challenges for successful application integration and improved functionality, security, and customer experience
-
Business
How to Solve Digital Checkout and Re-Engage With Consumers
Speakers
James Anderson, Managing Director - Paze, Early Warning Services
Saad Khatri, Managing Director, Payments, J.P.Morgan Chase
Description
It is indisputable that we all enjoy online shopping. Online checkout, however, is still riddled with pitfalls. Today, 71 percent of U.S. consumers still manually enter their card number on a regular basis when checking out online. And it does not end there: authorization rates can be ten percent lower for online transactions than in-person. All these factors spell trouble for online businesses, as friction leads to cart abandonment and reduced customer loyalty. The newly launched PazeSM is a wallet that financial institutions are offering consumers and merchants for online purchases. The PazeSM co-brand use case provides an opportunity for merchants to engage, and re-engage, with their consumers. PazeSM is launching with 150 million eCommerce active credit and debit cards pre-loaded. Join James Anderson, Head of PazeSM, and Saad Khatri, Managing Director, Payments at Chase, and premier online merchants for a discussion of how PazeSM is helping streamline checkout for consumers and enabling merchants to reclaim their customer relationships.
-
Tech
Authentication in North America: How 3DS2 and Data-Only Flows are Changing the Game
Speakers
Blake Swenson, Head of Payment Partnerships, Adyen
Yueming Wang, Sr. Director - Product, Visa
Jonathan Borman, Director - Product, Capital One
Steve Cole, Director of Technology Engagement, Merchant Advisory Group
Description
200 Level**
To many, 3DS feels like a conversion killer that presents unnecessary customer friction without meaningful results. This session aims to break that stigma and shed light on how merchants can leverage 3DS2 in the U.S. market in a way that mitigates fraud without sacrificing conversion rates.
-
-
Tech
From Fundamentals to Functions: Exploring Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Fraud Mitigation in Payments
Business
Mastering the Checkout: Myths, Mistakes & Mysteries
Business
How to Reduce the Cost of Payments From a Secret Pocket?
Tech
From Data Drought to Data-Driven Risk Decisions
-
Tech
From Fundamentals to Functions: Exploring Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Fraud Mitigation in Payments
Speakers
John Winstel, VP, Worldpay from FIS
Sunny Thakkar, Sr. Director, Product Management, Worldpay from FIS
Description
200** Level
This session will explore the fundamentals of AI and the core principles behind machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing. We will also discuss the capabilities that have made AI a game-changer in fraud mitigation strategies by enabling rapid detection and early prevention of fraudulent transactions.
-
Business
Mastering the Checkout: Myths, Mistakes & Mysteries
Speakers
Chris Jacques, Head of Delivery, Primer
Gabriel Le Roux, Co-founder and CEO, Primer
Larry Diamond, Global CEO, Zip Co
Description
Last year, online businesses said goodbye to a whopping 70 percent of their potential customers at checkout. Despite spending millions on marketing efforts to win customers’ trust and convince them to buy, there is another make-or-break moment that is often overlooked – taking payment.
With the current global economic context and competition at its peak, cart abandonment spares no merchant: the product could be amazing, the marketing campaigns stellar, the website more beautiful than any competitor’s—if the checkout experience is neglected, none of it will matter. More than ever, it’s a race to the top, to provide the best checkout experience in order to skyrocket conversions.
Enter checkout optimization, the indispensable step towards increasing your bottom line and growing your business. Join the conversation with Zip Pay and Primer as they share insights into the customer experience journey and how to adapt to customer needs.
What you will learn:
- The top 3 conversion killers for consumers and how to solve them
- Zip Pay and Primer’s top tips on how to increase conversion and customer retention
- How to think about the checkout experience on a global scale
Learn how to take your checkout game to the next level during this informative session.
-
Business
How to Reduce the Cost of Payments From a Secret Pocket?
Speakers
Johnny Huang, Sr. Director of Partnership & Marketing, CITCON
Description
The process of accepting payments can be intricate and costly for businesses, especially when considering the ancillary expenses that come with it. This session highlights practical strategies to reduce ancillary costs associated with payment acceptance. Key areas of focus include international fees, reconciliation, fraud prevention, payment processing optimization, and customer experience enhancements. By the end of this session, you will have a new perspective on the cost of accepting payments and practical strategies for reducing those costs. You will leave with actionable insights and tips that you can implement immediately to optimize your payments acceptance and boost your bottom line.
-
Tech
From Data Drought to Data-Driven Risk Decisions
Speakers
Jeff Hallenbeck, Head of Payment Partnerships, Forter
Matt Wegner, Adobe
Description
100 Level**
The eCommerce payments ecosystem is suffering from a data drought. ISO 8583 – a widely used standard for financial transaction messaging – only provides a limited view of data, making it difficult for banks to fully understand the transaction and the associated risks. The result? Merchants and banks are left making risk decisions in fractions of a second without important context and information. This leads to lower bank approval rates, more frequent declines, and unhappy customers. Attendees of this presentation will walk away with a clear understanding of the industry’s existing data limitations and why banks need to explore alternative ways to receive data, such as 3DS and direct connections, to fully understand the transaction and associated risks.
-
-
All
Explore the Exhibit Hall!
Description
Whether it's for a mid-day pick-me-up of snacks and beverages or competing in the Exhibitor Quest for a chance to win great prizes, you will definitely want to spend time in our conference exhibit hall. This is the best opportunity to network with providers and find the solutions your teams need. See you there!
-
All
NEW! Innovation Stage: Pagos
Speakers
Katie McCarthy, Product Development Lead, Pagos Solutions
Description
The Innovation Stage is where new and exciting products and innovations get to shine! Here, attendees will be able to experience curated demos and presentations of what’s new in payments technology and learn more about the products available in 2023.
-
Business
How Retailers Can Arm Their Businesses With the Right Payment Product Mix
Business
Millennial Consumers Prize Value - And Brands that Share Their Values
Tech
Enhance Customer Experiences With Holistic Fraud Prevention Strategies
Tech
Generative AI – Revolution or Evolution?
-
Business
How Retailers Can Arm Their Businesses With the Right Payment Product Mix
Speakers
Liz Kozersky, Director, Enterprise Merchant Partnerships, Cash App and Afterpay
James Amos, VP, Enterprise Payments, Adyen
Description
The retail sector continues to undergo significant transformation with a demand for more payments solutions to accommodate varying degrees of consumer values. This session brings together experts across the industry to uncover the latest payment trends (e.g. BNPL, tap to pay) and solutions to add to your product mix, as well as how retailers can optimize these tools for their omnichannel strategies.
-
Business
Millennial Consumers Prize Value - And Brands that Share Their Values
Speakers
Anthony Walsh, Head of Sales, Retail U.S., Ingenico, Inc.
Description
Shaped by inflationary pressures and informed by values, millennial consumers buy and spend their own way. This generation may not have yet surpassed older generations’ wealth. However, as the largest consumer segment at approximately 72.26 million, their considerable purchasing power matters. In 2021, a millennial household’s disposable income averaged $84,563 per year, second only to Generation X. Capturing that wallet share can make the difference between a thriving and a struggling business. Millennials frequently use social media, but they do not simply scroll. They use these platforms to provide their family and friends with recommendations of where to shop and what to buy – and they rely on the advice of others. On the other hand, if millennial consumers have a negative experience or discover something about a company that does not align with their values, they will boycott that brand and encourage others to do so. They also use social media to make purchases. In 2022, 78 percent of millennials followed brands on social media; and Insider Intelligence reports that 51 percent of millennials purchase directly through social media, the biggest percentage of any generational demographic.
-
Tech
Enhance Customer Experiences With Holistic Fraud Prevention Strategies
Speakers
Noelle Seawright, Director of Data Strategy, Mastercard
Michael Habermann, Director of Fraud Services, Radial, Inc
Description
100 Level**
Fraudsters have become increasingly sophisticated in their attacks. Transaction fraud, promo abuse, and loyalty abuse are all growing in frequency and impacting many organizations' bottom lines. Companies need to adapt by implementing holistic fraud prevention strategies that assess risk at every step of the customer journey. Merchants need to monitor fraud from account opening all the way through the transaction and must strike a balance between verifying a consumer’s identity while maintaining the low-friction experience consumers expect. In this session, we will explore multi-layered fraud prevention approaches that balance friction and fraud with dynamic identity data, and you will leave with three actionable tactics you can use to build a holistic customer-centric fraud prevention strategy.
-
Tech
Generative AI – Revolution or Evolution?
Speakers
Marc Rousset, Partner, Oliver Wyman
Danny Zhang, Principal, Oliver Wyman
Description
200 Level **
There is a lot of buzz with Generative AI and ChatGPT, with experience deploying it in a variety of retail contexts. Let’s cut through the noise and look at how it works and what makes it different. We will explore how to think about it, good uses for GenAI in payments and financial services, and real-live examples of enterprise applications to bring these points to life.
In this session, we will lay out some basics about GenAI overall, and our team of AI experts will share insights on:
- What differentiates Generative AI from established AI, which has been used in financial services and other industries for the past 20 years
- Views on where Generative AI is applicable and where it doesn’t work as well
- Near-term use cases in payments and financial services businesses, with real-time examples
-
-
All
Are Merchants Ready to Conduct Their Payments With Orchestration?
Speakers
Tom Randklev, Global Head of Product, CellPoint Digital
Peter Jessiman, Director of Payments, The Wendy's Company
Dan Coates, Solution Evangelist - Omni-Commerce, ACI Worldwide
Description
Routing has been the name of the game for over a decade in U.S. payments, but with the rise of eCommerce and a new focus on multichannel operations, choosing the right payments partner is more difficult than ever. Join a panel of experts to discuss how orchestration can help merchants extract more value out of their partnerships and grow their multichannel operations.
-
All
15 Years of Building the Merchant's Voice
Speakers
JP Jolly, Co-Head of Corporate & E-Commerce Sales, J.P. Morgan Chase
Gina Powers, Sr. Director, Assistant Treasurer, Inspire Brands, Inc.
Dee O'Malley, Past MAG Board Member
John Drechny, CEO, Merchant Advisory Group
Description
Over the last 15 years, the MAG has grown from a handful of merchants meeting with a single acquirer to one of the premier merchants-driven payments associations. Collaboration between payments systems stakeholders has led to many accomplishments, including EMV, digital wallets, debit routing, alternative payments, signature removal, and new payments rails. The one constant for the MAG has been the engagement between all the participants to improve the common experience for the consumer. Hear from some of the key people in the association on what the MAG has meant to them and where the organization should head in the future.
-
All
Networking Reception Sponsored by Carat From Fiserv
Sponsors
Description
-
All
Registration Hours
-
All
Breakfast
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: eCommerce
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Mass Merchant
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Petroleum/Convenience Store
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Recurring/Subscription Billing
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Small Ticket/Restaurant
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: eCommerce
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Mass Merchant
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Petroleum/Convenience Store
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Recurring/Subscription Billing
-
Business
Merchant Only SIG: Small Ticket/Restaurant
-
-
All
Networking Break
-
All
Merchants Unleashed: Learning From the Past to Secure a Future
Speakers
Kathy Hanna, Vice President Payments Acceptance and Services, The Kroger Co.
Chris Priebe, Sr. Director - Treasury Payments and Risk, Southwest Airlines Company
Ann Schmitt, Vice President, Enterprise Consumer Payments, The Walt Disney Company
Joe Vasterling, Director, Payment Acceptance, Gift Cards, and BNPL, Best Buy
John Drechny, CEO, Merchant Advisory Group
Description
When the MAG launched 15 years ago it started with two powerful concepts: merchants who believed they should have a voice in the development of payments and an understanding their voice is louder together than individually. These successful concepts have taken the MAG from a group of 35 merchants to now over 2,000 registered merchant participants. In addition to providing the merchants a platform to have their voices heard, the MAG also continues to develop industry-leading education. In this session, MAG CEO John Drechny will speak with MAG Board Members who were here at the beginning, as well as those leading us into the future on why they all believe in the power of the MAG.
-
All
Voice of the Merchant 2023 Study
Speakers
Rick Oxenhandler, Partner, Oliver Wyman
Description
In today’s post-pandemic world, the payments industry continues to transform with new technologies, new rules and regulations, and new providers entering the fray. Merchants are sifting through these dynamic trends as they focus on delivering superior consumer experiences centered around speed, convenience, and frictionless shopping journeys. Against the backdrop of this complex payments landscape, how merchants approach their payments strategy, operating model, and key partnerships is critical for strengthening relationships and driving sustained growth.
In 2022, Oliver Wyman conducted the “Voice of the Merchant” study in partnership with the MAG, and an updated survey was conducted in 2023. This 2023 study collected direct feedback from merchants on their commerce and payments journey given the realities of commerce this year – what is working well for their customers coming out of the pandemic, what payments challenges still exist, and what new payments and financial services innovations are on the horizon. The session will share results from this 2023 study and provide comparisons to particular topics from last year’s study.
-
All
Improving the Payments Landscape: Advocacy
Speakers
Brendan Woodbury, Senior Manager Payments Policy, Amazon.com
Ryan Burns, Director, Federal Government Affairs, Walmart
Duncan Douglass, Partner, Alston & Bird
Beth Provenzano, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Events, Merchant Advisory Group
Stephanie Badger,
Description
This year, there are many exciting opportunities for merchants to advocate and improve the payments landscape through public policy initiatives. Merchant member government relations staff and legal counsel will join us for a lively discussion on what policy debates they are watching – and engaging in – and share how you can get involved.
-
All
Break: Boxed Lunches
-
All
Improving the Payments Landscape: Collaboration
Speakers
Ken Grogan, Director Treasury Services, Wakefern Food Corp.
Trent Addington, Sr. Director, Payment Acceptance, Walmart
Kimberly Johnson, Senior Manager, Product Owner, VF Corporation
Description
MAG’s mission is to drive positive change and innovation in the payments industry that serves merchants' interests – and one of the primary ways we do that is through collaboration with industry partners. Our objective in collaboration is to identify, prioritize, and execute strategies to improve payments operational challenges most relevant to MAG merchant members and drive the merchant voice through industry participation. In this roundtable discussion, the MAG’s Collaboration Committee members will discuss how we are amplifying the merchants’ voices through collaboration efforts with payments industry stakeholder discussions. This is a can’t-miss session!
