BluePay Blog

With nearly 20 percent market share, Fitbit is arguably the most popular wearable technology in the world. These personal fitness trackers can monitor everything from your heart rate to steps taken to sleep patterns. With more than 25 million active users, Fitbit continues to rake in billions of dollars every year — all through sales of its wearable devices.  But the company believes its Fitbit can become more than just a fitness tracker. In 2018, it added mobile payments to its growing line of wearable tech.

Topics: EMV, Payment Technology, Small Business Tips, Payment Trends

Summer is a favorite time of year for most people. For businesses, it may not be the ideal season. With consumers often opting to spend money on vacations, summer revenue tends to stagnate and even drop. In fact, it is so common that many businesses plan for it by suggesting that their teams take their vacations. Projects and campaigns get shelved. 

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips

Small business owners often think they have the most chance of making it in larger cities. The idea is that these metropolitan spaces typically offer the most resources. However, that is no longer the case. Many cities outside of big hubs like Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago provide significant financial and growth support. This support includes funding, a low tax rate, and affordable housing and living. Plus, they deliver a good quality of life and other incentives.Here are some of the best small, medium, and large cities for small business owners:

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips

According to the American Marketing Association, the average U.S. consumer receives more than 10,000 advertising messages every day. These ads are delivered across a broad range of media, including television, radio, print, email and social networks.  Given this deluge of marketing messages, it’s simply not possible for any individual to sort through all of this information.  This is why we’ve come to rely on heuristics — i.e., mental shortcuts that allow us to get through the clutter. For example, if 10 million people buy the newest book from Dan Brown, you’re more likely to pick up a copy. It must be good.

Topics: Small Business Tips, Enterprise Business Tips

With the temperatures heating up, the holidays are probably the last thing on your mind. However, if you run an online retail business or sell products across channels, planning for the holidays now is a must. It's a way to come out on top with your target audience. Here are of some of the reasons why you should start thinking about and developing your holiday marketing now.

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips

Father’s Day may not receive the same recognition and fanfare as Mother’s Day, but with domestic sales approaching $15.5 billion, this annual event isn’t a shopping holiday you can afford to ignore.  In fact, roughly 75 percent of Americans purchase some sort of gift for Father’s Day. When you run the numbers, this means the average son or daughter spends more than $130 on their dads.  So, ask yourself … is your retail store positioned to take advantage of these Father’s Day shopping trends? Let’s take a look.

Topics: Fun Posts, Small Business Tips, Payment Trends

As one of the most consumer-friendly countries in the world, the United States has a plethora of shopping “holidays” throughout the year. Some of the most popular include Black Friday, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, Easter and Independence Day.  With so many shopping “holidays” on the books, we don’t really need another — but we have one anyway. Every June 18, the U.S. “unofficially” celebrates National Splurge Day — when consumers can indulge their wildest desires, regardless of price or budget. 

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

Finding clients used to be the most challenging thing about running a small business or freelance operation. However, that challenge has been surpassed by the struggle to get paid by clients. Even one unpaid invoice for the month can lead to problems covering expenses or even getting a paycheck. Now, double those late payments by five or ten invoices and see how quickly your credit and business stability are impacted. 

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Recurring Billing and Electronic Invoicing, Small Business Tips, Getting Started with Payments, Awareness

As a business owner, getting hacked is one of the worst things that can happen.  Whether for financial gain, revenge or pure joy, bad actors exploit vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure — and they now have access to your sensitive data:  They do this to steal information (such as credit card numbers). They hold your data hostage until you pay a ransom of some sort. They simply corrupt your system for no reason. 

Topics: PCI Compliance and Fraud Prevention, Small Business Tips, Enterprise Business Tips, ISV/VAR

Revenues help a business grow, while profitability can generate expansion potential. As a business owner, those are your strategic goals. However, within that vision of what you want to become, cash flow plays a critical role. You need to maintain a steady stream of available money to cover expenses, the unexpected, and emerging opportunities. Without that cash flow, there's nothing to move you forward, stalling out your business and, sometimes, even shutting it down. 

Topics: Due.com Partner Posts, Small Business Tips