TSG attended the Northeast Acquirers Association (NEAA) conference in Boston this week, which was very well attended. Boston served as host to the event after being held in Mt. Snow, VT for over a decade. Some highlights and key observations included:
ISOs and acquirers are quite certain that very few small business will be prepared (let alone even aware) of the EMV liability shift occurring in October 2015. Many believe that merchants will weigh the pros and cons of investing in EMV-capable terminals and decide to take the risk of a loss. However, the liability shift certainly creates a revenue opportunity for ISOs and acquirers that should not be missed. In fact, many attendees anticipate some processors and acquirers to experiment with EMV non-compliance fees.