Apple, Inc.

It’s not your imagination – a lot of new players are entering the mobile payment market.

It’s not your imagination – a lot of new players are entering the mobile payment market. In the past few months, entities including Google, Samsung, Capital One, and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co have launched or announced plans to launch new mobile payment solutions. And retailer-backed Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) expanded trials of its CurrentC mobile payment app this summer. Retailers like Starbucks are bypassing the middleman entirely and offering mobile payment from their own proprietary e-commerce apps.

Mobile payment keeps getting more popular, at least on the provider side.

According to Re/Code, Amazon.com is launching a mobile “Pay with Amazon” button that will let consumers automatically use their Amazon payment information to make purchases on other retailer’s e-commerce apps. While not exactly a mobile wallet app, the Pay With Amazon button is definitely an attempt to obtain a piece of the mobile payment market which Apple, Samsung, Google, and several other entities are trying to take an early lead in.

Mobile payment keeps getting more popular, at least on the provider side.

According to Re/Code, Amazon.com is launching a mobile “Pay with Amazon” button that will let consumers automatically use their Amazon payment information to make purchases on other retailer’s e-commerce apps. While not exactly a mobile wallet app, the Pay With Amazon button is definitely an attempt to obtain a piece of the mobile payment market which Apple, Samsung, Google, and several other entities are trying to take an early lead in.

Home shopping retailer QVC is going to enter consumer homes via a new device.

QVC is launching an app for Apple TV. Customers will be able to make purchases directly through Apple TV with a click of the remote, as well as search for products. QVC for Apple TV will be available in the U.S. immediately upon the release of the Apple TV, with the U.K. and Germany to follow in the coming weeks.

Consumers will be able to more easily find and download retail e-commerce apps from the Apple App Store just as the holiday shopping season heats up.

Apple will launch a new category called “Shopping” on the App Store on Nov. 5. The category will include e-commerce apps from retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target and eBay. Also included will be apps from digital coupon and deal providers such as RetailMeNot and Groupon, as well as price comparison apps such as ShopSavvy.

Microsoft is opening its first Manhattan flagship store, with a major competitor conveniently nearby.

Companies that are partially or entirely devoted to retailing dominate a new list of top brands among U.S. consumers.

According to a new study from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Apple is the top brand with U.S. consumers. Following are Amazon and Walmart. Other retailers in the top 10 list include Netflix, Costco and Chick-Fil-A.

But the survey also showed that Walmart and Apple rank first and third among America's least favorite brands, indicating that "brand love" can be volatile and turn quickly negative.