BluePay Blog

Every year, YouTube compiles an ever-growing list of Black Friday montages in which crazed shoppers fight over heavily discounted items.  Most of the videos take place at big box stores, which is where large crowds tend to congregate. But Black Friday is a major cash cow for all retailers — big and small. In fact, more than 100 million people brave the madness (in-person) every year. That’s just on a single day.  Millions more go shopping on Small Business Saturday, generating $15-plus billion  in sales for local retailers.

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips, E-Commerce and Online Payments, Mobile Payments

If you’re a horror movie buff, October is the perfect time to binge watch some of your favorite films. That’s because in the days leading to Halloween, Netflix and the cable networks typically stuff their catalogs with plenty of blood, gore and the supernatural.  Even if you aren’t a fan of the genre, there are tons of horror movie business lessons you can glean from these ghoulish delights. 

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips

Like professional sports, business is a never-ending struggle for one-upmanship. It doesn’t really matter if you have:  A first mover advantage or huge head start Plenty of resources and a large budget The best product or team in the world  Success (and profits) will always attract attention. Rivals will inevitably muscle in on your territory. And this assumes you’re starting out on top.

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips

Launching a new business isn’t easy. There’s a lot of uncertainty involved as you invest countless hours and money developing your innovative idea. It’s exhausting.  That’s why budding entrepreneurs should take occasional breaks to recharge their batteries. Popular distractions include:  Getting coffee with a friend  Taking a long walk  Diving into an engaging novel  Another great strategy? Watch movies, documentaries and TV shows that are geared toward entrepreneurs and startups. With this approach, you’re technically off the clock. However, you can still glean a lot of useful insights to help make your business journey easier and more successful.

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips

Still months away, this is the time of year that many retailers are already deep into their holiday marketing plans. This includes having a content calendar ready to go, as well as a detailed strategy for how each channel will be addressed. And, while that structure provides a great framework for covering all marketing bases, it may not provide a way to truly stand out if you are implementing the same tactics and approach as the competition. 

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips, Due.com Partner Posts

The attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 had a huge impact on the American economy. The most obvious changes affected the roughly 18,000 small businesses that were displaced or destroyed in Lower Manhattan.  Nearly 20 years later, the effects of 9/11 persist, and they’ve forever changed how companies operate in the new millennium.  Below are five of the biggest changes businesses have made in the post-9/11 economy.

Topics: Fun Posts, PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention

Labor Day is officially celebrated on the first Monday of September. For most Americans, this annual event is just another bank holiday. There’s not a whole lot of fanfare involved.  For students, Labor Day means that school is around the corner — or a day off. For most everyone else, it simply marks the “unofficial” end of the summer — complete with barbecues, picnics and pool parties. 

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips

Women’s Equality Day (August 26) is a yearly event commemorating the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote in the United States.  The amendment was first introduced in 1878, but it took nearly 30 years to become ratified. The country waited another 50 years before Congress officially designated August 26 as Women’s Equality Day. 

Topics: Fun Posts

Did you know the credit card is almost 100 years old, with the first being issued in the 1920s? These early examples were location-specific charge cards that could be used only at the gas stations or hotels that issued them.  Want another fun fact? Here’s one. Credit cards were originally made of cardboard. 

Topics: Fun Posts, Payment Trends

Apps for your smartphone and tablet have certainly made it easy to work from anywhere at any time. Every year, more app developers realize the opportunity they have to help small business owners work smarter and achieve their business goals. This year is no different, with a wide range of new apps for small business owners available to download and use right now. Here are 15 to start you off:

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips, Fun Posts