PayPal doesn’t shy away from big ideas. Having been built on a revolutionary idea to easily move money between customers, it’s in our lifeblood to innovate. But that innovation doesn’t exist only within our own products. We also focus on big ideas that help protect our customers beyond our borders.

Here at PayPal, we’re constantly looking for new ways to help merchants expand their sales channels. Today, we’re unveiling a new research report that is focused on the habits of mobile shoppers or “mobile movers”. In examining the online and cross-border shopping habits of 17,600 consumers in 22 countries, one thing is evident: mobile shopping is on target for meteoric growth.

Vermonter and caring father, John Sortino dreamt up Vermont Teddy Bear in 1981, when he was surprised to see that none of his son’s teddy bears were made in the USA. Inspired to bring the American tradition back to its roots, he started hand making bears and selling them to family friends. Flash forward 30 years and 5 million bears later, Vermont Teddy Bear continues to fulfill Sortino’s legacy by handcrafting all of its 15-inch Bears in Vermont, USA - using the silkiest fur and softest faux-suede paw pads.

At PayPal, protecting our customers is our number one priority. While we are constantly innovating to meet the changing needs of consumers, we also believe in the importance of complying with consumer protection laws and regulations. That’s why we’re excited to be a part of the White House Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection Summit taking place at Stanford University on Friday.

Paying at the pump is moving across the pond! Soon, Shell customers in the UK will have a wallet- free way to pay for gas through the Shell Motorist App or the PayPal App (available for Android or iOS NB: also Windows Phone through PayPal app) – bringing customers a more secure and fast way to pay using their mobile device. This innovative new service, which is similar to our collaboration with MAPCO in the US, is the first ever  mobile payment option that will be available at more than 1,000 Shell stations in the UK.

Love is in the air. February marks a very special time of the year. Not only does Valentine’s Day fall this month, but perhaps even more romantic – there’s a flurry of engagements happening around us. That’s because 33% of wedding proposals usually happen over the holidays.[1] Before you enter the exciting phase of wedding planning, it’s important to take some time to plant both feet firmly on the ground and set a plan for a prosperous financial future.

Singles Day may be the biggest sales day of the year in China, but when it comes to peak sales seasons, Lunar New Year, falling on February 19^th in 2015, takes the cake. Last year, Chinese retail sales and catering grew 13.3% year over year for seven-day Lunar New Year holiday, totaling more than $100 billion*. Online shopping, catering, and tourism all saw high demand from Chinese consumers.

With the latest PayPal app version 5.11, when you check-in to your favorite lunch spot or order ahead so your food is ready when you get there, you’ll notice a slightly different look in the app so you can make your purchase a little quicker.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Sometimes the pressure of picking out the perfect gift or planning a romantic date can
 feel overwhelming, and that’s why online shopping and electronic payments are here to make life easier. Here are some helpful tips for online shopping:

This past weekend, we kicked off BattleHack 2015 in Melbourne, only two short months after we completed the 2014 World Finals. We knew Australia wouldn’t disappoint based on our experience last year in Sydney, but we weren’t expecting the number of hardware hacks along with mobile and web apps. With more than 20 teams, the competition was fierce, but team NIGHTRIDER conquered BattleHack Melbourne with a wearable hack for cyclists.