Merchants Innovate to Compete & Grow Sales says new Research from PYMNTS and AEVI

LAS VEGAS, October 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Competition and increasing sales are the primary drivers for U.S. retail merchant innovation at the point of interaction between merchants, consumers, and merchant solution providers, according to a new survey and Innovation Index from PYMNTS in collaboration with AEVI. Small merchants in particular are finding new, innovative ways to compete with ecommerce and larger, more moneyed and connected competitors.

More than 400 retailers across nine different sectors were surveyed on what drives them to invest in or forego certain innovations. The top driver: 84.3% say they need to innovate to stay competitive. Close behind: 77% say they need to innovate to increase sales. Additionally, 69% of smaller retailers. Smaller businesses cater to a smaller consumer base, and 69% say they need to innovate to strengthen consumer loyalty.

The survey finds that while retail merchants are mostly satisfied with their current payment service providers, more than half of all merchants would switch providers in order to get either a better deal, an all-in-one integrated solution, or an easy-to-use system.

Next-Gen acquiring services 

"This survey illustrates why merchant solution providers need to move to the next generation of acquiring services," says Martina Jeronski, Global Head of Marketing at AEVI. "The inflexibility of traditional point of sale solutions and POS payment devices prevent acquirers from delivering flexible, open solutions that accommodate new value-added services based on merchants and consumers' demand."

Like other industry segments, retail merchants are embracing digital transformation as they adapt to online competition, consumer use of smart devices, and the potential for cross-channel sales and marketing. The survey also finds that many are eager to embrace innovative business apps to improve back-office functions such as inventory management (49%), payroll management (45%) and staff management (35%).

"Next-gen acquirers and merchant solution providers will be defined by their ability to deliver merchant-tailored business apps and agile support services on any device, providing merchants and consumers with a seamless experience," Jeronski says. "Particularly with smaller merchants, they need to deliver solutions that operate out-of-the-box without merchant intervention, but that still can accommodate new apps as merchants and consumers demand new features and functions."

The full survey report is available at here. This report is the first in a series of four, with subsequent reports to cover hospitality, consumer services, and health and beauty.

AEVI will be exhibiting at Money20/20 in Las Vegas, Oct. 21-24. Attendees and press are invited to visit Booth #1905 to see how open technology is impacting the point of interaction.

About AEVI 

AEVI lays the foundation for next-generation acquiring by empowering merchant solution providers to move and manage their classic payments proposition into a new value-added world of apps, payments and smart devices. By subscribing to AEVI´s Digital Service Center, a vendor-agnostic and open platform, merchant solution providers can access a one-stop-shop to pick & mix solutions for any stage of their Digital Strategies.

AEVI combines the talent and resources of Merchant Solution Providers, App Publishers and Device Vendors in an open, collaborative ecosystem unrestricted by devices, currencies, borders or regulations, providing unprecedented flexibility and choice. AEVI simplifies the complex payment landscape with a single integration for merchant solution providers resulting in acquisition of new merchants, increased retention of existing customers, cost savings, and generation of new revenue streams.

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AEVI International GmbH is a subsidiary company of Diebold Nixdorf and is headquartered in Germany and operates in Europe, Australia, North America. 

About PYMNTS

PYMNTS.com is reinventing the way in which companies share relevant information about the initiatives that shape the future of payments and commerce and make news. This powerful B2B platform is the #1 site for the payments industry by traffic and the premier source of information about "What's Next" in payments and commerce. C-suite executives, company founders and investors turn to it daily for these insights, making the PYMNTS.com audience the most valuable in the industry. It provides an interactive platform for companies to demonstrate thought leadership, popularize products and, most importantly, capture the mindshare of global decision-makers. It's where the best minds and best content meet on the web.

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AEVI Press & Media Contact:
press@aevi.com
Tel.: +49-(0)-52-51/693-3375