Lowe’s, one of the world’s largest home improvement companies, has selected a prepaid payment solution from FIS, a global leader in financial services and payment technology, to provide new levels of service and convenience to its professional customers. Lowe’s new payment solution, Lowe’s PreLoad, uses the FIS BizNOW prepaid solution to provide contractors, construction professionals and other businesses the ability to purchase job-site equipment and other necessities without the need for personal or corporate cards.

 

Watch Station International, a leader in timepiece retailing, is teaming up with Shopkick, a leading shopping rewards app. Watch Station, part of the Fossil Group, uses Shopkick’s technology to reward shoppers with “kicks” for frequenting and making purchases in all 35 U.S. retail stores, target location-aware messages to greet and engage customers via Shopkick’s ShopBeacons and drive incremental foot traffic, sales and a more personal relationship with customers.

 

Perfect Corp. is partnering with the nationally accredited Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers in Florida. The partnership integrates YouCam Makeup’s augmented reality live streaming into the professional training curriculum, empowering the next generation of beauty professionals with YouCam’s award-winning technology and offering them the opportunity to become the next big social influencer.

 

VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel, footwear and accessories, and Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co., a family-owned, private global workwear company, have signed a definitive merger agreement. The transaction is expected to be completed early in the fourth quarter of this year; VF will pay Williamson-Dickie shareholders approximately $820 million in cash.

 

Pottery Barn, a member of the Williams-Sonoma Inc. portfolio of brands, unveiled the brand’s first collection with fashion duo Emily Current and Meritt Elliott (‘Emily + Meritt’), joining sister brands PBteen and Pottery Barn Kids in partnership with the Los Angeles-based designers. The Emily + Meritt collection mixes Pottery Barn’s classic lines and casual, stylish aesthetic with playful, Americana charm to create tabletop accessories, decorative accents, select furniture and bedding.

 

Alipay, one of the world’s leading digital payment platforms, and Yelp Inc., the company that connects consumers with great local businesses, have partnered to bring Yelp’s local content to millions of Chinese travelers directly within Alipay’s mobile lifestyle app. With the beta launch, any of Alipay’s more than 520 million users visiting New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco can now easily discover, plan, make reservations and share authentic experiences at any local business using Yelp’s rich content. Additional cities and countries will be added in 2017.