9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

Beyond Credit Cards: E-Checks, PayPal, Google Checkout & Much More

Introduction: Some e-retailers have long been looking for additional payment options and since the dawn of the Internet era, vendors have been willing to offer them. So far, however, most online payments are straightforward credit card transactions. But there are many new offerings in the market now that promise to change the way that retailers and consumers alike think about how to pay for goods purchased online. Retailers who have adopted some of these alternatives report they attract new customers and increase average ticket. But some of the new methods are easier to implement than others, meaning that there could be hidden costs in employing them.

Workshop Content: This workshop will:

• Examine alternative forms of payment, including Google checkout, PayPal, ACH debits, cash and non-card credit.
• Assess the strengths, weaknesses and risks of each option.
• Help retailers understand which new forms of e-payments are really worth while to implement and which may be better left in the box.
• Discuss the technology requirements for making the option available to shoppers.
• Detail the staffing and training issues that come with accepting new kinds of payment.
• Discuss how to market each application to attract new customers or to entice current customers to spend more.

About the Instructors: Kelly Day, senior vice president, Discovery Interactive, heads up the e-commerce operations for the Discovery Channel, an online and chain retailer as well as cable TV Network. Her responsibilities include constantly reviewing online payment alternatives. Alicia Berry, director of operations for pure-play online retailer DVD Empire, has added alternative payment options to DVDEmpire.com. She will discuss the challenges to making them work—and the benefits of accepting them. Jay DeWitt, partner, Glenbrook Partners, is a leading payment consultant who has advised numerous clients on the pros and cons of payment types.