Goodyear-Cooper Tire Merger, Cloud ATMs, BNPL Top This Week’s News

In this week’s news, we saw the Goodyear-Cooper Tire merger heating up competition, along with new insight on cloud automated teller machines (ATMs) and buy now, pay later (BNPL). The Weekender is here to catch you up.

News

Goodyear-Cooper Tire Merger Heats Up Competition Among Auto Service Chains

The announced merger of Goodyear and Cooper Tire is poised to not just bolster competition with international and domestic rivals, but it is set to also raise the bar in the profitable aftermarket retail services industry.

Walmart’s Bid To Go From Supercenter To Super App

The first Walmart Supercenter opened its doors in in 1988. When Walmart reported its Q4 2020 earnings last week, CEO Doug McMillon talked about a much different “super” concept at the core of the retailer’s future: “the super app.” He might not have used those words, yet the connect concept — and the flywheel graphic he spoke to — is the super app notion to a tee.

Digital Dollar Exploration Gets Backing From Treasury Secretary Yellen

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said at a digital conference held by The New York Times this week that central banks should look into making and issuing sovereign digital currencies.

J.P. Morgan Details The 6 Trends Shaping Corporate Treasurers’ Futures

J.P. Morgan has found six global trends shaping the frontier of the treasury department. Some of the trends were well on their way pre-pandemic, while others came to light because of the large and sudden impacts of the crisis.

Square: Omnichannel Sellers Accounted For More Than 50 Pct Of GPV In 4Q

Square registered earnings that illustrated expansion in cross-channel initiatives, a healthy uptake in Cash app – and some bitcoin buying as well.

Trackers And Reports

Eight Takeaways From The Digital First Holiday Shopping Season

The holiday season is the most important time of year for a number of merchants, and not only because it affords them a chance to complete the year profitably. The season also tends to magnify current consumer purchasing trends and bolster them going forward.

Santander Bank: Cloud ATMs Improve Access, Manage Costs

Cash use has been volatile during the pandemic, leaving financial institutions (FIs) to second guess the effectiveness of their ATM strategies because of diminishing returns. Some FIs are instead putting cloud-based ATM options into use, with the aim of offering a similar level of service at a much lower cost.

PYMNTS explores with Santander Bank, N.A. how deploying cloud-based ATMs can assist FIs in dedicating additional resources to their digital-first aims.

Report: Buy Now, Pay Later Helps Toy Merchants Go Global

BNPL options are more and more being provided by merchants beyond the apparel industry such as those in the toy industry. PYMNTS explores why Tambo Teddies opted to put BNPL payments into place and how supplanting its standard layaway program with such choices have provided it with a notable sales boost.

Fun, Cool And Otherwise Interesting

Uber, Other Platforms’ Changing Business Models Meet Regulatory Buzzsaw

The evolution — and revolution — of the platform economy has been one in which people find work at the time and location in which they need it. For companies, making new and digital-first markets while keeping expenses somewhat low can simplify initiatives to expand globally. However, the risk always exists that new business models will meet the regulatory buzzsaw.

What Comes Next: SPACS And The Risks Of De-SPACs

The special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) has been having what might be called a moment in the sun on Wall Street. But like those “pandemic puppies” that people clamored for as the pandemic took over daily life and made us do everything from home … there’s the question of what to do with those impulse purchases once the purchasing has been done.

New Data: Consumers Show Pent-Up Dining Demand In Post-Pandemic World

High-income individuals were the most likely to say that they were “extremely interested” in leaving home more frequently than they now can, with consumers who make more than $100,000 annually leading in the category. For restaurants, this marks a large opportunity. Particularly because high-income individuals tend to be restaurant enthusiasts.