Albertsons is rolling out the TreviPay Pay by Invoice solution to enable business buyers, including small offices, K-12 schools, local government and community organizations and residential programs, to receive a dedicated line of credit for online grocery purchases with 30-day net terms. The Albertsons pay by invoice program includes a self-serve portal to assign spending limits to approved purchasers and real-time tracking of invoices, payments and credit lines. TreviPay’s invoicing program offers the control to customize purchasing hierarchies and the convenience of paying using credit lines, which we know are important to this buyer segment. Through the partnership, stores across Albertsons Cos. banners can automate their acounts receivable processes for business purchases with real-time credit decisioning, electronic invoice generation and payment tracking, with the goals of reducing billing errors and eliminating back-office resources. TreviPay settles funds right away and owns any buyer credit risk. Enabling Albertsons Cos.’ business customers to pay by invoice allows their corporate buyers to make large, repeat orders using their preferred payment method, while retailers eliminate the complexities of accounts receivables and fuel growth.
HomeLight’s new ‘Buy Before You Sell’ creative financing taps into high levels of home equity to allow home buyers take the money out of their existing house and apply it for a down payment on their new home through a 0% interest loan
Rising mortgage rates have created a bottleneck in deal flow, with 47% of surveyed loan officers citing high interest rates as the biggest obstacle to closing transactions. Many buyers — particularly those who already own a home — find themselves trapped by high debt-to-income ratios and immobile equity. “It’s very unlikely that you can afford both mortgage payments at once,” Nick Friedman, president of homes at HomeLight said. “And so, with [HomeLight’s] Buy Before You Sell, we allow you to remove that existing mortgage payment… [and] offer a 0% interest loan where we basically allow [clients] to take the money out of their existing house and go use it for a down payment on their new home.” HomeLight’s Buy Before You Sell offering is one product in the marketplace designed for unlocking liquidity and eliminating friction in a process that has traditionally been rigid and risk-averse. At its core, the tool helps clients sidestep the chicken-and-egg problem of needing to sell their home before they can afford their next one. It’s particularly relevant now, as home equity remains at all-time highs even while transaction volume has stalled. Beyond HomeLight’s proprietary products, Friedman pointed to broader trends in creative financing that are helping to prop up demand in a cooling market.
Equifax’s new cloud SMB data platform to enable B2B marketers to query more than 67 million U.S.-based business records online with user-friendly filtering and list-building features
Equifax has launched its B2bConnect SMB data on the Equifax Cloud, making commercial marketing data available in minutes to help B2B marketers be more efficient and increase campaign success. The platform unifies differentiated data to create more effective commercial sales and marketing insights that enable Equifax customers to target the right small businesses quickly and achieve their goals. Using B2bConnect, B2B marketers can query more than 67 million U.S.-based business records online to help identify, segment and target top prospects. The platform enables user-friendly filtering and list-building features so that B2B marketers can reach target customers. B2bConnect offers everything marketing teams need within the platform, including demographics, business contacts, firmographics, marketability and industry codes, to give SMB marketers confidence that they are identifying and targeting the right business prospects. Equifax customers can also sort and filter companies and contacts based on the wide array of data points, quickly select the fields for export, and save templates for later use. This allows other team members to customize the file so that the data can be ingested into an existing CRM or marketing automation platform. From there, customers receive a flat file with their data that can come in Excel, CSV, Pipe Delimited or Tab Delimited formats.
ShopBack to launch in the US- the only cashback platform where users can earn real cashback on Amazon purchases whether on the ShopBack browser extension and/or mobile app
ShopBack, Asia-Pacific’s shopping and rewards platform with over 50 million users across 13 markets, announced its official launch in the United States with a slate of features and offers exclusive to the U.S., from over 2,000 merchants: Exclusive Cashback on Amazon — ShopBack is the only cashback platform where users can earn real cashback on Amazon purchases whether on the ShopBack browser extension and/or mobile app. ShopBack Play — ShopBack offers a gamified experience where shoppers can earn cashback by completing milestones and playing games within the app including Monopoly Go, Township, Block Blast and more. Shipping rebates on participating stores — In addition to earned cashback, ShopBack enables shoppers to receive money back on shipping fees, an added perk available only to U.S. users. Quests — ShopBack introduces an engaging way for users to earn additional cashback bonuses when they complete shopping quests, whilst allowing brands to connect directly with high-intent shoppers through customized rewards campaigns. Auto-applied coupons — ShopBack’s browser extension automatically finds and applies the best available promo codes at checkout — no manual searching required from users. Josephine Chow, head of expansion at ShopBack said “By combining cashback, deals, and gamified experiences, we’ve built a platform designed for today’s digitally-savvy consumer. In fact, new users who engage with Shopback’s ‘Quests’ globally each month go on to spend 80% more than average users – proof that saving money can be fun and rewarding for both users and partners.”
Virtuo to launch its AI-powered homeownership concierge platform that offers range of services from contract to move-in, including utility setup, address changes and home maintenance in Texas by partnering with builders
Virtuo, a company that offers an AI-powered homeownership concierge platform, is launching operations in Texas. The move marks Virtuo’s formal entry into the U.S. market, although the company has already assisted homebuyers in four states through partnerships with Canadian homebuilders. Virtuo will partner directly with builders in Dallas, Austin and Houston to provide technology and support services aimed at simplifying the homebuying process. The platform coordinates a range of services from contract to move-in, including utility setup, address changes and home maintenance. The expansion comes amid rapid population growth and new residential construction in Texas, where homebuilders are seeking digital tools to improve customer experience and stand out in a competitive market, company leaders said. “With Shane Homes opening our first showhome in the Dallas area this summer, the timing of Virtuo’s launch in Texas couldn’t be better,” said Melanie Gowans, vice president of sales, marketing and interior design at Shane Homes Group of Companies. Virtuo’s platform combines software with human assistance to help buyers manage their transition into homeownership. Its features include HomieAI, a generative AI tool available around the clock that provides personalized support from the time a home goes under contract to long after the move-in date. For builders, HomieAI also serves to reduce demand on customer care staff by offering consistent, automated assistance.
RegEd’s AI Advertising Review solution achieves >90% accuracy in identifying problematic content in advertising and marketing materials through continuous refinement driven by real-world uses across leading financial services firms and uses a closed-loop system to offer complete client data privacy
RegEd announced the release of Version 3.0 of the proprietary AI model that powers its Advertising Review solution. This marks a significant milestone in the evolution of RegEd’s Submission Intelligence suite of capabilities and underscores the company’s leadership in enterprise-grade, AI-enabled compliance technology. The AI 3.0 release achieves more than 90% accuracy in identifying problematic content in advertising and marketing materials, with continuous refinement driven by real-world use across dozens of leading financial services firms. Developed within a closed-loop system, RegEd’s AI ensures complete client data privacy. The model is governed, trained, and deployed exclusively within RegEd’s secure infrastructure, avoiding the security and privacy risks associated with third-party models, or those that are externally trained or managed. Key Enhancements in Version 3.0: Improved Accuracy, Client-Calibrated Tuning, Consistency Across Review Teams. In addition to the enhancements in Version 3.0, RegEd will introduce AI-assisted pre-review later this year. This next-phase capability will enable firms to screen materials for compliance issues before human review, further accelerating review cycles and improving speed to market.
Nintendo’s second store to offer guests an “immersive shopping experience”, photo opportunities and feature demo stations, giant gaming screen and multi-character artwork products including statue replicas, stationery items and bags
Nintendo has opened its second store in the United States – two decades after making its debut. The San Francisco Union Square location offers guests an “immersive shopping experience” for all ages, where they can browse exclusive products including accessories, apparel and home goods. The San Francisco store offers plenty of photo opportunities, including with “larger-than-life statues” of Nintendo characters from franchises such as Super Mario, Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon and more. In addition, the store boasts several interactive features, including demo stations where visitors can play their favorite games on the Nintendo Switch system or discover new ones. Visitors also have an opportunity to play on a giant gaming screen located on the lower level, which will also be used to air future Nintendo Direct livestreams. Highlights of the new store include the following: 1) The merchandise assortment includes special multi-character artwork products including statue replicas, stationery items and bags, as well as exclusive Nintendo San Francisco-branded apparel. 2) The hardware customization kiosk display lets customers create their very own customized Nintendo Switch – OLED Model system. They can choose from different Joy-Con, wrist strap and dock colors for a customized system that will be ready for them to take home the same day. 3) Visitors can check in at the My Nintendo kiosk with their Nintendo Account information to get an exclusive sticker for visiting Nintendo San Francisco, plus 50 My Nintendo Platinum Points.
364-day bridge loans are funding acquisitions in a ‘sponsor-backed LBO’ style lowering the holding risk, but without requiring selling of bonds or leveraged loans
Junk-rated companies and private equity firms have lined up about $17 billion of debt recently for purchases of everything from power plants to a chain of gas stations. But they are using an unusual tool for that financing: the 364-day bridge loan. Wall Street firms look to sell that debt to investors but often agree to provide that funding even if markets are closed, and they have to hang onto the risk for years. “It is very rare to see this structure in a sponsor-backed LBO,” said Peter Toal, Barclays’ global head of fixed income, referring to 364-day loans. “In times of volatility, it’s an easier structure for the banks to commit to, no question about it.” After junk-bond and leveraged-loan markets effectively closed last month in the wake of President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements, banks were stuck holding onto billions of dollars of debt they couldn’t sell to investors. Hanging onto that debt can translate to hits to earnings for Wall Street firms. Now, borrowers are getting 364-day bridges that are effectively lines of credit for their acquisitions, which they can tap if they can’t sell bonds or leveraged loans before they close their acquisition. A significant number of buyouts financed in the leveraged loan market feature ratings in the B tier. Most of the companies getting 364-day bridge loans now, though, have grades in the BB tier, and sometimes their secured debt carries investment-grade ratings. Herc, for one, has an overall high-yield profile with a Ba2 rating from Moody’s Investors Service and an equivalent BB from S&P Global Ratings while its $750 million loan earned the lowest rung of investment-grade with a Baa3 rating by Moody’s and BBB- by S&P. At NRG, the firm’s senior-secured debt is rated BBB- by Fitch Ratings and S&P, the company said in an investor presentation detailing its acquisition plans this week.
UK’s new BNPL rules to require upfront checks to assess borrower’s repayment ability, confer the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman, and shifts the oversight to the FCA bringing BNPL in line with other credit products
After years of wrangling, the UK Government is finally introducing new rules to clamp down on what it describes as the ‘wild west’ of buy now, pay later lending. Under the changes, millions of BNPL shoppers will gain stronger rights and clearer information as the Government reforms the 50-year-old Consumer Credit Act to better reflect modern borowing trends. That means upfront checks to make sure people can repay what they borrow, fairer and faster access to refunds, and the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman — bringing BNPL in line with other credit products. The Government says outdated and confusing rules will be removed, with oversight shifting to the FCA. The legislative shift comes as a report by the FCA showed that one in ten people were unable to pay essential bills while millions more Brits were using buy now pay later products over the last three years. New figures from Money Wellness reveal a 68% increase in the number of people seeking help with BNPL debt in the past year, highlighting the growing strain the sector is placing on household finances. Sebrina McCullough, director of external relations at Money Wellness, says: “We’ve seen a significant rise in people struggling with Buy Now Pay Later debt, often because they’ve used it to plug gaps in everyday budgets. For many, it’s become a way to spread the cost of essentials like food shopping, rather than to cover large expenses. The legislation bringing BNPL into regulation will be laid in Parliament on 19 May.
Presearch’s tech enables highly targeted yet privacy-focused search advertising experience with dashboards displaying only relevant and campaign-specific performance metrics including impressions, clicks, and CTRs
Presearch, the ethical, non-profiling meta-search engine that prioritizes user privacy and does not track users or sell data to advertisers, today announced the launch of its Presearch Advertiser Dashboard, a new way for advertisers to acquire metrics and insights for user search behavior through Presearch Takeover Advertising (PTA) without compromising that user’s privacy. Through the Presearch Advertiser Dashboard, advertisers can gain secure individualized dashboards tailored specifically to their PTA campaigns, displaying only relevant metrics to streamline management and oversight, with staked keyword analytics also coming soon. In addition, advertisers can gain deep insights into campaign performance with detailed PTA campaign-specific metrics, including impressions, clicks, and CTRs, across individual PTAs or aggregated across all campaigns. The Presearch Advertiser Dashboard can also easily export detailed reports, empowering deeper analysis and strategic decision-making. As part of its reporting, the Presearch Advertiser Dashboard also has advanced capabilities that allow advertisers to effortlessly isolate and analyze PTA data by dates, durations, Share of Voice (SOV), PTA Mode (standard or NSFW advertising), user type (registered or non-registered), placement (homepage or search results), device (desktop or mobile) and geography. Presearch.com offers a privacy-focused search experience that delivers search results better to those of prominent search engines.