On the web:

• Visa Says China May Open Yuan Payment Processing Market - Bloomberg
• ReadyForZero Helps Users Pay Off $12.5M In Debt - TechCrunch

On the wires:

• Western Union Rebrands eBillme as 'WU Pay'
• UChoose Rewards from Fiserv Experiences Double Digit Growth in 2011
• New Aite Group Report on the Prognosis for Purchasing and Corporate Cards
• New Mercator Report on Evaluating Multinational Card Programs for Commercial Cards
• Kachingle Premium to Revolutionize Freemium Conversions

Judging from its website, eBillme has apparently become "a Western Union Company". Google date range searches indicate this happened sometime in the last six weeks. Things look like business as normal for eBillme buyers and sellers.

On the web:

• Future of Money: Crowdsourcing Cash - New Scientist
• PayPal VP: Supporting Payments In The Physical World Is Critical For PayPal - TechCrunch
• Google’s Punchd Acquisition to Push Mobile Wallet Uptake - VentureBeat
• UK Cheques Will Not Be Scrapped in 2018 (Because There Are No Better Alternatives) - Mail Online

On the wires:

• EFT Canada to Acquire Credit Card Gateway
• CHEFS Catalog Serves Cash Consumers with eBillme’s Payment Option
• National Bank (Canada) Launches its International Direct Payment Solution
• New Mercator Advisory Group Report on Non-Prime Credit Card Segments

On the wires:

• Compass Plus Introduces TranzWare Online Universal Payment Gateway to Speed Interface Development
• NetSpend Selects Actiance's Socialite SaaS Platform to Ensure Compliance and Security of Social Media Channels
• Magellan Navigates to Merchant e-Solutions for Payment Processing Services
• GearHost Selects Host Merchant Services for Credit Card Processing
• FiftyOne Partners With DHL to Deliver Superior Global eCommerce Experience
• New Aite Group report on eCommerce Hosting Providers
• Fifth Third Processing Solutions Expands Suite of Security Solutions
• eBillme Delivers 50% Lift in Consumer Acquisition at Mwave

On the web:

• ReadWriteWeb: Google and Ingenico to Develop NFC-based Mobile Coupons
• Bank Technology News: Bulls Run Wild for Mobile Payments
• Rethink Wireless: Nokia Enlists Angry Birds to Drive NFC

On the wires:

• MoneyGram International Introduces Cash-To-Account Money Transfer Service in the Philippines
• International Visa Cardholders Increased Tourism Spend in the US by 18% in 2010
• comScore Says Credit Card Shopping More Prevalent as US Consumer Economic Sentiment Improves

On the web:

• Fortune: Venmo: Fighting the good fight against the online payment giants
• Digital Transactions: eBillme Takes a Dive into the E-Gift Card Pool
• Mashable: Why the Mobile Payment Debate Is Headed in the Wrong Direction [OPINION]

On the wires:

• Bernanke: Unable To Issue Debit Card Fee Rules By April 21
• Citi ThankYou Rewards Gives Members New Ways to Enjoy Their Points
• Ten New Retail Brands Join the Popular eBillme Gift Card Mall
• Ceridian SVS Partners with Spanish Supermarket Giant for Gift Card Program
• Utiba Americas Wins Mobile Wallet Project From Central Bank of Ecuador
• Leading Financial Institution Partners with Panini and Cachet to Deliver RDC to Mac Users

On the web:

• Wall Street Journal: Canadian Banks, Visa, MasterCard To Face Potential Class Action Suit
• Credit Slips: More Bogus Lobbying Numbers from the Banks: Debit Interchange Rates
• Mobile Commerce Daily: Sonic Drive-In rolls out mobile ordering pilot program in 71 locations
• MSNBC: New $5 ATM Fee Just the Latest Checking Trap
• MyBankTracker: Chase Paymentech Offers Chase Instant Storefront For Small Businesses
• The Atlantic: What $1 Looks Like in 15 Other Currencies - Real and Virtual

eBillme has announced that the payment option will now be available on the Discover Network through CardinalCommerce’s Centinel Universal Merchant Platform. As a result of this new partnership, online merchants will now be able to quickly integrate eBillme acceptance with integrated settlement and reporting via the Discover Network.

On the wires:

• eBillme and CashStar Partner to Process Cash Payments for eGift Cards
• Mobile Tag Launches the 1st Universal Platform for 2D, 1D and NFC Barcodes
• BillMyParents Partners With MovieTickets.com
• eps, giropay and iDEAL Promote Pan-European Online Banking Payment Scheme

On the web:

• Internet Retailer: eRetail sales rise 14.8% in 2010
• TechCrunch: Paperless Billing Service Doxo Raises $10 Million In Series B Funding

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• PAY ON AG and allpago Join Forces in Latin America
• CardNET Brings VeriFone’s VeriShield Total Protect to Dominican Republic
• eBillme Partners with TheFind to Bring More Online Savings to Cash Spenders
• IPP of America Announces New Acquisition, Name Change, and Launch of PayXchange Retail Brand
• New Mercator Report on Indian Payments Market

• ABC News: PayPal to Restrict Payments to India Merchants
• NPR: In Haiti, Cell Phones Serve As Debit Cards
• ProgrammableWeb: Facebook Credits Comes Out of Beta, Unveils a Very Real API for Somewhat Less Real Money
• Portals and Rails: Payments Spotlight podcast: The evolving threat of corporate account takeovers as seen through a bank's lens
• Reuters: The Bancorp to be new issuing bank for NetSpend

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• eBillme Launches on ToolKing.com with New Magento Extension
• mPayy Philanthroper Is the Best Way to Donate $1
• ElectraCard Services (ECS) Announces New U.S. Operations
• InComm Gains Momentum in Grocery Channel

• CNN Money: Credit Cards: On Their Way Out 'Like Vinyl Records'
• The Financial Brand: Will Customers Freak Out If You Kill Free Checking?
• Portals and Rails: The Future Role of Financial Institutions in the Domestic P2P Environment
• TIME: Finance: Kenya's Banking Revolution
• Inside Facebook: Facebook Sets July, 1, 2011 Deadline to Make Credits Sole 'Canvas' Game Payment Option

Headline News is compiled by Glenbrook Partners:

• Zuora Z-Force Checkout Now Available on Salesforce.com App Marketplace
• Payvment Closes $6 Million Round of Series B Funding
• myYearbook to Use the ThreatMetrix Fraud Network
• Ten of the Top 75 Online Retailers Sign-on to Sell Gift Cards with eBillme

• Newsweek: On PayPal, the U.S. Lags in Selling to the World
• MediaPost: Visa and LivingSocial Partner For 'Buy One, Get One' Promo

eBillme has announced its latest quarterly eBillme Online Spending Index finding that 17% of consumers plan to do their back to school shopping online this year, a five percent increase over last year.

According to the Q3 Index, consumers are planning to spend an average of $271.77 online, an 8% increase over Q2 and 20% over Q3 2009.

eBillme has published a press release finding that "over half of all customers that shopped online and paid at a walk-in location have annual incomes of over $50,000. The company conducted an internal study on the profile of consumers that use the eBillme Walk-In payment option to shop online and pay with cash at walk-in locations. The average retail order value of consumers that use walk-in payment locations is $251.67, significantly higher than the average order value for credit cards representing a lucrative demographic for online merchants. The study, conducted in February 2010 based on order, census data, and public records assembled by eBillme from a sample of consumers who shopped online and paid at walk-in locations, also looked at some of the key demographics of the customers within the sample." READ MORE »

Yesterday, we pointed to several holiday discount deal sites from various payment providers.

In addition to those, eBillme has a ShopDebtFree discount site that features deals of the day and discounts for shoppers who prefer to pay with cash from their checking accounts instead of the other forms of payment. The site has products from the over 800 online retailers offering eBillme as a checkout option.

eBillme has also introduced a Black Friday website which will extend throughout the entire holiday shopping season, with deals, coupons, sales, specials and tips. The deals page features bargains that are updated regularly and special coupon codes for additional discounts being offered by eBillme on top of merchant sales.

eBillme has introduced eBillme Walk-In, a new way for consumers to shop online and pay with cash, without having a credit card or even a bank account. The company has partnered with providers including MoneyGram International to assemble what it calls "the largest network of U.S. based walk-in locations with the lowest transaction fee." READ MORE »

eBillme has announced it will give consumers 1% cash back for every purchase made using its cash checkout option. According to the company, "in order to qualify, online shoppers select eBillme for checkout at one of over 800 online merchant sites offering the credit card alternative payment option. Consumers can then sign-up for eBillme's cash back rewards and immediately start earning 1% cash back for every order. Once $10 in rewards has been earned, the cash can be redeemed on eBillme merchant sites, or shoppers may choose to continue earning before redeeming." READ MORE »

Fifth Third Processing Solutions has announced a new partnership with eBillme to refer the payment alternative to its merchant processing customers.

In an article titled "Retailers Offering New Payment Choices", Kelli B. Grant writes for the Wall St. Journal about payments options available to consumers this holiday shopping season.

eBillme has announced its latest quarterly eBillme Online Spending Index finding that the impact of the credit crunch is expected to effect holiday shopping as projected consumer spending online remains steady at $100 - $250 on average - and finding "that the credit crunch is causing shoppers to reduce their credit card usage and impacting consumer access to credit resulting in a shift to cash alternatives." READ MORE »

eBillme has announced closing a $12 million financing round led by Canaan Partners with participation from existing investor Celtic House Venture Partners. Maha Ibrahim, General Partner at Canaan Partners, and Pierre-André Meunier, P.Eng., Partner at Celtic House, are joining eBillme's Board of Directors. READ MORE »

Glenbrook's Russ Jones will be on hand at this year's Direct Response Forum (DRF) to lead a session on August 12th entitled "What We're Watching in Emerging Payments". Looking beyond the current generation of payment alternatives, Russ will be discussing TrialPay, eBillme, Secure Vault Payments, Amazon Payments, RevolutionCard, eLayaway, PaidByCash, and the Green Dot MoneyPak.

Russ will also be participating in a round table discussion on best practices in recurring payments on August 13th. The DRF 2008 conference is being held in San Diego. The full agenda is available online. If you're going to be at the conference, - he'd love to meet you!

Crutchfield has announced that customers who shop online or through their call center can now choose to pay securely with cash using eBillme, an alternative payment option which brings online banking to the eCommerce checkout. READ MORE »

Reminder: eBillme has announced a webinar this Wednesday, May 14, where Russ Jones of Glenbrook Partners will provide an in-depth look at the retailer integration process for several alternative payment options including: Bill Me Later, eBillme, Google Checkout, and PayPal. Registration for the webinar is available online.

eBillme has announced it will host a webinar on Wednesday, May 14, where Russ Jones of Glenbrook Partners will provide an in-depth look at the retailer integration process for several alternative payment options including: Bill Me Later, eBillme, Google Checkout, and PayPal. READ MORE »

We have received news of the following recent management changes:

• Carol Ann Korpi has been named Vice President of Sales and Ken Silver has been named Vice President of Alliances at eBillMe. Korpi was previously Vice President of Sales for CNET Channel. Ken Silver previously served as Senior Vice President of Global Enterprise Integrations with Chase Paymentech Solutions.

JupiterResearch has published results of a new national survey of 2,706 consumers sponsored by eBillme finding that "while fraud protection and security are the most important factors for online shoppers, 68% of online shoppers who pay with a credit card do not know their liability coverage."

Francine Kizner writes for Entrepreneur.com about alternative payments providers Bill Me Later, eBillMe, Revolution Money, and Bill-to-Phone. "Alternative payment companies entice buyers who may not have credit cards, feel wary about sharing their information online or just want an easier checkout experience."

SmartMoney's Kelli B. Grant writes about alternative ecommerce payments - Bill Me Later, PayPal, and eBillMe - and identifies "four reasons you may want to think twice before hitting the "checkout" button using one of these services."

Suzanne Choney writes for MSNBC about Bill Me Later - but also about eBillMe and PaidByCash. Sounds ominous: "The Electronic Retailing Association advises consumers to make sure they read the fine print and know their rights when dealing with alternative online payment programs."

RBS Lynk has announced it is now offering its merchants a way to reach online banking users who want to pay cash at eCommerce checkouts by offering MODASolutions eBillme payment option. eBillme provides consumers with "the ability to safely and securely pay cash using their online banking bill pay service."