"The Payoff" has modest ambitions. When we bring you the latest news about payment systems, the point is not to "energize your consumer base" or inspire your employees or any of the other lofty claims we occasionally see for "gamification" or the "mobile Web".

"The Payoff" and, more generally, ec-bp, advocate automation and related supply-chain efficiencies; our general attitude is that "trimming the fat" is always a good thing. That's why we explain the latest techniques in EDI (electronic data interchange) and ERP (enterprise resource planning), and how to make the most of them.

Most ec-bp.com readers work for bricks-and-mortar stores, or for the suppliers that feed these retail outlets. How much do on-line purchases matter to them? Plenty. It's not just that on-line activity pulls away revenue that might otherwise be yours; laws and regulations aimed at on-line shopping often impact consumer relations in physical operations.