Members Opinions
Melissa O’Malley, Director of Global Merchant & Cross-Border Trade Initiatives, PayPal
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
When it comes to national heritage, 
Together, these two holidays present a big opportunity for online merchants looking to expand their sales in new markets. After all, while Independence Day and Bastille Day celebrations originate in the US and France, they are really celebrated globally, as both countries have significant expatriate communities all over the world – the US, Argentina, Brazil, UK and Australia; and a significant number of Americans live abroad in regions like Mexico, Israel, Philippines and Canada.
As both Independence Day and Bastille Day are national public holidays, consumers spend weeks looking forward to the celebrations, especially when it comes to taking advantage of the sales and specials offered by retailers, particularly in apparel, cosmetics, home goods and decor. Merchants should make sure to connect with shoppers with holiday-related sales and promotional materials in all shades of red, white and blue.
Looking to capitalize on these festivities at home and overseas? Knowing the customs and traditions – and key sales opportunities – associated with each holiday is the first step.
Fourth of July
In the US, Fourth of July celebrations are marked by high spirits, great food, and fireworks. It’s the height of summer weather and most Americans get a day off from work, so it can be a three-day weekend affair.
Food is truly at the heart of a typical Independence Day celebration. According to the NRF[1], last year more than 153 million Americans planned to ring in the holiday with a cookout, barbeque or picnic, spending about $68 per household on food items for the occasion. Over 117 million[2] showed their patriotism by watching fireworks displays, and another 38 million will attend festive parades, where children and adults alike will wave mini-American flags in celebration.
Fourth of July celebrations wouldn't be complete without a red white and blue outfit. A recent NRF survey[3] found that one in four Americans planned to purchase patriotic gear for the occasion – t-shirts, hats and swimwear that feature the American flag, or its colors, are popular items.
In the lead up to the Fourth of July, fireworks won’t be the only things booming. Ecommerce sales see consumers snapping up goods online, enjoying discounts on everything from beach accessories to home improvement supplies to personal electronics. According to Internet Retailer, 43 percent of consumers who plan to buy items for Independence Day will head online[4]. Make sure you’re ready for them by lining up your specials and promoting them to customers via email and social.
Bastille Day
Similar to the US’s Independence Day celebrations, the French celebrations for le quatorze juillet last weekend long. Commemorating the storming of the Bastille fortress in 1789, the holiday kicks off in Paris with the grand annual Bastille Day military parade[5], where the president marches alongside French troops down the Champs-Elysees avenue. Many French communities within and outside of France host their own parades, too.
Following the parade, families and friends – most wearing all white, outfits often adorned with little red, white and blue ribbons – gather together for their Bastille Day fêtes, starting with celebratory mid-day feasts, often enjoyed as a picnic in the park or a gathering at home. No matter where it’s celebrated, the feasts are marked by free-flowing wine, delicious food, and festive music. Bastille Day colors of blue, white, and red (though no stripes or stars, as with the Fourth of July) are woven into the atmosphere of the festivities, including table settings and garlands.
For online businesses looking to connect with French shoppers (especially as brick and mortar stores in France as closed for the holiday), Bastille Day is the perfect focal point for marketing messages and promotions. What’s more, the holiday falls squarely in the middle of France’s soldes d’été, or summer sales, which are state-sanctioned sales periods where all retailers are required to offer discounted goods, both in-store and online. Case in point: in 2014, French fashion retailers saw a 50 percent increase in online sales during this period[6].
Ready, Set, Sell!
It’s clear that for merchants looking for a bump in summer sales, Fourth of July and Bastille Day can mean big business – not just in the US and France, but around the world. Are you ready to find green in red, white and blue? Happy selling!
[1] https://nrf.com/news/grilling-good-times-the-fourth-of-july
[2] https://nrf.com/news/economy/shoppers-are-going-red-white-and-blue-this-independence-day
[3] https://nrf.com/news/economy/shoppers-are-going-red-white-and-blue-this-independence-day
[4] https://www.internetretailer.com/2014/07/03/alibaba-promotes-us-products-july-4
[5] http://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/major-events/bastille-day-in-paris
[6] http://www.criteo.com/resources/france-summer-sales-2014-fashion-and-ecommerce/
Original author: PayPal-Forward
Melissa O’Malley, Director of Global Merchant & Cross-Border Trade Initiatives, PayPal
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
When it comes to national heritage,
Together, these two holidays present a big opportunity for online merchants looking to expand their sales in new markets. After all, while Independence Day and Bastille Day celebrations originate in the US and France, they are really celebrated globally, as both countries have significant expatriate communities all over the world – the US, Argentina, Brazil, UK and Australia; and a significant number of Americans live abroad in regions like Mexico, Israel, Philippines and Canada.
As both Independence Day and Bastille Day are national public holidays, consumers spend weeks looking forward to the celebrations, especially when it comes to taking advantage of the sales and specials offered by retailers, particularly in apparel, cosmetics, home goods and decor. Merchants should make sure to connect with shoppers with holiday-related sales and promotional materials in all shades of red, white and blue.
Looking to capitalize on these festivities at home and overseas? Knowing the customs and traditions – and key sales opportunities – associated with each holiday is the first step.
Fourth of July
In the US, Fourth of July celebrations are marked by high spirits, great food, and fireworks. It’s the height of summer weather and most Americans get a day off from work, so it can be a three-day weekend affair.
Food is truly at the heart of a typical Independence Day celebration. According to the NRF[1], last year more than 153 million Americans planned to ring in the holiday with a cookout, barbeque or picnic, spending about $68 per household on food items for the occasion. Over 117 million[2] showed their patriotism by watching fireworks displays, and another 38 million will attend festive parades, where children and adults alike will wave mini-American flags in celebration.
Fourth of July celebrations wouldn't be complete without a red white and blue outfit. A recent NRF survey[3] found that one in four Americans planned to purchase patriotic gear for the occasion – t-shirts, hats and swimwear that feature the American flag, or its colors, are popular items.
In the lead up to the Fourth of July, fireworks won’t be the only things booming. Ecommerce sales see consumers snapping up goods online, enjoying discounts on everything from beach accessories to home improvement supplies to personal electronics. According to Internet Retailer, 43 percent of consumers who plan to buy items for Independence Day will head online[4]. Make sure you’re ready for them by lining up your specials and promoting them to customers via email and social.
Bastille Day
Similar to the US’s Independence Day celebrations, the French celebrations for le quatorze juillet last weekend long. Commemorating the storming of the Bastille fortress in 1789, the holiday kicks off in Paris with the grand annual Bastille Day military parade[5], where the president marches alongside French troops down the Champs-Elysees avenue. Many French communities within and outside of France host their own parades, too.
Following the parade, families and friends – most wearing all white, outfits often adorned with little red, white and blue ribbons – gather together for their Bastille Day fêtes, starting with celebratory mid-day feasts, often enjoyed as a picnic in the park or a gathering at home. No matter where it’s celebrated, the feasts are marked by free-flowing wine, delicious food, and festive music. Bastille Day colors of blue, white, and red (though no stripes or stars, as with the Fourth of July) are woven into the atmosphere of the festivities, including table settings and garlands.
For online businesses looking to connect with French shoppers (especially as brick and mortar stores in France as closed for the holiday), Bastille Day is the perfect focal point for marketing messages and promotions. What’s more, the holiday falls squarely in the middle of France’s soldes d’été, or summer sales, which are state-sanctioned sales periods where all retailers are required to offer discounted goods, both in-store and online. Case in point: in 2014, French fashion retailers saw a 50 percent increase in online sales during this period[6].
Ready, Set, Sell!
It’s clear that for merchants looking for a bump in summer sales, Fourth of July and Bastille Day can mean big business – not just in the US and France, but around the world. Are you ready to find green in red, white and blue? Happy selling!
[1] https://nrf.com/news/grilling-good-times-the-fourth-of-july
[2] https://nrf.com/news/economy/shoppers-are-going-red-white-and-blue-this-independence-day
[3] https://nrf.com/news/economy/shoppers-are-going-red-white-and-blue-this-independence-day
[4] https://www.internetretailer.com/2014/07/03/alibaba-promotes-us-products-july-4
[5] http://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/major-events/bastille-day-in-paris
[6] http://www.criteo.com/resources/france-summer-sales-2014-fashion-and-ecommerce/
Original author: PayPal-Forward
Anuj Nayar, Senior Director of Global Initiatives, PayPal
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
Starting today, PayPal is powering
PayPal is now available as a payment option to Uber riders in Canada, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and Sweden.
The updated functionality provides Uber riders with additional flexibility and choice, and means that those who prefer using PayPal for their day-to-day purchases can do so easily when they take Uber rides. The integration will complement Uber’s present payment solution and will be available for new and existing users by downloading or updating the Uber app on iOS or Android devices.
With Uber, users around the globe can take a ride in over 300 cities and get dropped off at Heathrow Airport in an affordable UberX or arrive at a musical festival in Stockholm in a high-end UberBlack – all through the simple and easy to use app while paying with PayPal.
I recently connected with Jo Bertram, Uber’s Regional General Manager for UK, Ireland and the Nordics, and I thought her comments summarized the relationship perfectly: "Uber allows users to request safe, reliable and affordable rides within minutes, all over the world. To achieve this we need to provide our riders with payment methods that offer security, reliability and global coverage in multiple currencies. By integrating PayPal as a payment option, riders have additional flexibility when paying for Uber rides.”
We also plan to announce other new markets soon, and some of you in these new cities should be on the lookout for exclusive offers. Safe travels!
Original author: PayPal-Forward
John Lunn, Senior Global Director, Braintree and PayPal Developer and Startup Relations
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
This past weekend, hackers from 
Hosted at Café Moskau, a venue steeped with history in the old East Berlin, our hackers made themselves at home for the 24-hour competition. To keep up their energy, we kept them fuelled with Schnitzel, sushi, pulled pork, congee, ice cream sandwiches and an endless flow of Café Mate!
After an intense 24-hours, Tim Messerschmmidt, Head of Developer Advocacy at Braintree_PayPal, was joined at the judges table by esteemed colleagues Stefan Hoth, Android Software Craftsman at Novoda; Tiffany Conroy, Developer and Interaction Designer at SoundCloud; and Lisa Lang, Founder & CEO at Elektro Couture.
While the competition was fierce, the judges declared Team Bike Lock the winners of BattleHack Berlin. So far, they have attended five BattleHacks with us. They’ve spent the last two years competing for the first prize and it was very satisfying to finally see them win.
Team Bike Lock built an iOS and Apple Watch app, using Braintree, Heroku, Pusher, SendGrid and Twilio, that connects to their custom built smart bike lock. When activated, the lock acts as a security system with all nearby smart-locks to ensure your bike is and remains locked. If the lock is broken, it works together with other nearby smart-locks to engage a security perimeter of alarms in order to warn nearby people of the breach. Something that Berliner’s would definitely use!
The second prize-winners, Team Quit, each took home an X Box; their app, using Braintree, Pusher and Heroku motivates smokers to limit their habits via an internet enabled smart-cigarette packet.
The third prize went to the team Thank You Dollar. Their hack provided those low on cash to use Braintree to pay for cash only transactions by using a custom ATM system. Using Braintree, Heroku, PayPal and Twilio their hack is available on various mobile platforms and allows anyone, anywhere, to pay with cash without a nearby cash machine.
It was great to have such an awesome BattleHack for the third consecutive year in Berlin. We can’t wait to see what Team Bike Lock will create at BattleHack World Finals this November.
We’re working through the schedule quickly and will be hosting our next BattleHack in the home city of Braintree, Chicago. We can’t wait to see the competition for the Berliners.
To find out more about BattleHack, please visit https://2015.battlehack.org/.
Original author: PayPal-Forward
Anuj Nayar, Senior Director of Global Initiatives, PayPal
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
Starting today, PayPal is powering
PayPal is now available as a payment option to Uber riders in Canada, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore, Switzerland and Sweden.
The updated functionality provides Uber riders with additional flexibility and choice, and means that those who prefer using PayPal for their day-to-day purchases can do so easily when they take Uber rides. The integration will complement Uber’s present payment solution and will be available for new and existing users by downloading or updating the Uber app on iOS or Android devices.
With Uber, users around the globe can take a ride in over 300 cities and get dropped off at Heathrow Airport in an affordable UberX or arrive at a musical festival in Stockholm in a high-end UberBlack – all through the simple and easy to use app while paying with PayPal.
I recently connected with Jo Bertram, Uber’s Regional General Manager for UK, Ireland and the Nordics, and I thought her comments summarized the relationship perfectly: "Uber allows users to request safe, reliable and affordable rides within minutes, all over the world. To achieve this we need to provide our riders with payment methods that offer security, reliability and global coverage in multiple currencies. By integrating PayPal as a payment option, riders have additional flexibility when paying for Uber rides.”
We also plan to announce other new markets soon, and some of you in these new cities should be on the lookout for exclusive offers. Safe travels!
Original author: PayPal-Forward
John Lunn, Senior Global Director, Braintree and PayPal Developer and Startup Relations
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
This past weekend, hackers from
Hosted at Café Moskau, a venue steeped with history in the old East Berlin, our hackers made themselves at home for the 24-hour competition. To keep up their energy, we kept them fuelled with Schnitzel, sushi, pulled pork, congee, ice cream sandwiches and an endless flow of Café Mate!
After an intense 24-hours, Tim Messerschmmidt, Head of Developer Advocacy at Braintree_PayPal, was joined at the judges table by esteemed colleagues Stefan Hoth, Android Software Craftsman at Novoda; Tiffany Conroy, Developer and Interaction Designer at SoundCloud; and Lisa Lang, Founder & CEO at Elektro Couture.
While the competition was fierce, the judges declared Team Bike Lock the winners of BattleHack Berlin. So far, they have attended five BattleHacks with us. They’ve spent the last two years competing for the first prize and it was very satisfying to finally see them win.
Team Bike Lock built an iOS and Apple Watch app, using Braintree, Heroku, Pusher, SendGrid and Twilio, that connects to their custom built smart bike lock. When activated, the lock acts as a security system with all nearby smart-locks to ensure your bike is and remains locked. If the lock is broken, it works together with other nearby smart-locks to engage a security perimeter of alarms in order to warn nearby people of the breach. Something that Berliner’s would definitely use!
The second prize-winners, Team Quit, each took home an X Box; their app, using Braintree, Pusher and Heroku motivates smokers to limit their habits via an internet enabled smart-cigarette packet.
The third prize went to the team Thank You Dollar. Their hack provided those low on cash to use Braintree to pay for cash only transactions by using a custom ATM system. Using Braintree, Heroku, PayPal and Twilio their hack is available on various mobile platforms and allows anyone, anywhere, to pay with cash without a nearby cash machine.
It was great to have such an awesome BattleHack for the third consecutive year in Berlin. We can’t wait to see what Team Bike Lock will create at BattleHack World Finals this November.
We’re working through the schedule quickly and will be hosting our next BattleHack in the home city of Braintree, Chicago. We can’t wait to see the competition for the Berliners.
To find out more about BattleHack, please visit https://2015.battlehack.org/.
Original author: PayPal-Forward
Steve Allocca, VP & General Manager of Global Credit, PayPal
Please see this post on our new PayPal Stories site.
PayPal has been hard at work 
Many parts of the country slogged through a brutal winter and are more than ready to enjoy all the spoils of summer. It’s time to prepare for that big 4th of July cookout, plan that vacation getaway that’s been on your mind, or maybe finally do some DIY and home improvements. Everyone has a different checklist this summer, but the one thing everyone has in common is that they need to figure out a way to pay for it all.
Today, shoppers have more access to credit than ever thanks to technology and innovation. Whether you’re upgrading your home, or upgrading your grill to host memorable cookouts, you can upgrade your credit too! PayPal Credit is a line of credit built right into your PayPal account that can be used anywhere that accepts PayPal. There’s special financing on purchases of $99 or more which allows you to space out your investment without paying anything extra.
Summer isn’t just for shoppers. Small businesses can also benefit from PayPal’s credit innovation. Is summer your busy season? Do you need to increase inventory or hire seasonal help to help maximize your sales? PayPal Working Capital helps small businesses forgo the hassle of traditional loans with flexible, affordable, and fast funding in minutes. It’s based on your PayPal sales and not a credit check. Payments change with your sales so that you have the confidence to comfortably seize new business opportunities. And instead of periodic interest, you’ll always know what you’re paying with one, affordable, fixed fee.
Whether you’re the average person trying to make the most of the nice weather or a small business looking to capitalize on the season, take control of your summer with the help of PayPal and make the living easy.
Original author: PayPal-Forward