Buying volume or scope: which M&A strategy will deliver most customer value

The first half of 2026 set out the two competing theories of M&A in acquiring: volume or scope. Both strategies have clear value, but both also carry a failure risk that history illustrates well.

READ THE ARTICLE

Consumers already accept trade-offs of ad-influenced AI shopping, despite trust concerns

Consumers’ longstanding experience of free, ad-influenced search is shaping expectations for the next generation of agentic AI shopping tools, with a significant proportion preferring a free model over paying for fully impartial advice.

READ THE ARTICLE

ChatGPT pause highlights structural constraints in agentic commerce

The news that OpenAI has scaled back its Instant Checkout feature has attracted considerable commentary, much of it framing the move as a setback for agentic commerce. That reading misses the point. What we are witnessing is not a failure…

READ THE ARTICLE

Insights

The payments market continues to be driven by innovation across the value chain from new consumer devices such as mobiles and wearables through to new processing standards such as tokenisation and HCE, and new business models such as those offered by Square and Stripe. Our structured research studies identify key trends and develop innovation case studies within the European payments market, the US and APAC, developing lessons learned and best practice models for clients looking to develop similar solutions. 

Select a Category

To find out more, get in touch