Don’t be turned off by the phrase “high-risk,” which may appear irritating at first. There are a variety of reasons why companies are classified as high risk, and the majority aren’t as “evil”, as the term implies. We all know that credit card companies (such as Visa, MasterCard, and others) want to protect their customers (those who use credit cards) since they make a lot of money from them.
Consequently, these card companies provide their customers the ability to contest fraudulent transactions and issue chargebacks on items they no longer desire. They get whatever peace of mind they need when they use high-risk credit card processing.
What is a High-Risk Trader?
High-risk credit card processing organizations have categorized several digital business models and industries as hazardous. Chargebacks, refunds, and payment processing history are just a few of the factors that might put your firm in a high-risk category.
Chargebacks are more common among high-risk run companies than among normal merchants, demanding in-depth inspections of their activities and transaction patterns. A payment platform assesses the possibility of chargebacks and the source of those chargebacks before choosing whether or not to work with a firm.
Merchant accounts are typically subjected to a rolling reserve by high risk credit card processing. The acquiring bank may be able to resolve chargebacks using the rolling reserve. Reserve provides the bank with an extra degree of protection against unforeseen merchant activities.
What Are Some of the Most Common High-Risk Merchant Activities?
Any of the following scenarios might breach underwriting standards and result in account rejection:
- The company operates in a highly regulated field.
- Card-Not-Present (CNP) transactions are processed.
- Recurring billing is used to sell the majority (if not all) of items and services.
- The bank considers your company to be a reputational risk.
- Chargebacks and fraud are very common in this business.
- Dealing with high ticket sales
- The merchant has a poor credit rating.
Businesses classified as high-risk merchants will need to locate a reputable high-risk payment processor. A specialized high-risk processor will connect you with banks on-demand and give you all of the risk management tools you require.
It’s difficult to anticipate how laws may evolve for these sorts of organizations, which is why working with a reputable high-risk-accepting processor like Allied Payments is critical. This will assist a company in navigating all of the obstacles and dangers that come with it.
1. Adult Entertainment
It is one of the industries that need high-risk credit card processing. Adult entertainment is one business that most banks consider to be a reputational risk. Most traditional financial institutions and bank sponsors refuse to do business with the adult entertainment sector. This is true even though most adult merchants deal with significant sums of money and operate lucrative companies.
2. Firearms
Purchases of firearms are made for several reasons. Some use it for recreation, target practice, and hunting, while others do it for security and defence. Most banks are wary of the thorny firearm laws that regularly contradict them. Firearms dealers who wish to sell their products online will need to utilize a gun-friendly payment processor. One of the most important roadblocks is the credit card and shipping limitations that apply to this business type.
3. Hard Alcohol/Liquor
One of the most difficult elements of running an alcohol business is balancing sales and customer pleasure while following all current rules and regulations. After all, the minimum legal drinking age differs by nation. You can’t afford to ignore the risk of underage sales if you sell alcohol online or in nations like the United States. Bank sponsors are less likely to take credit card payments on your behalf due to the nature of your firm.
4. Tobacco, E-Cigarettes, And Vaping
Tobacco dealers are regarded as one of the most hazardous professions. They have a history of deceit, in addition to their strict taxes and age requirements. Many cigarette companies have a history of higher-than-average chargebacks on credit cards.
5. Auction Websites
Scammers who run illegal firms have tainted the reputation of others who run legitimate digital auction businesses. As a result, legitimate businesses have struggled to obtain a credit card payment processor.
6. Membership and Subscription Management Services
Bank sponsors are constantly worried about financial and reputational risks before approving credit card payment processing for companies. Without a doubt, any sort of unethical activity might harm the brand’s reputation.
7. Ticket Brokers
Buying tickets to live performances has never been simpler. Instead of queuing, event-goers can use digital mobile ticketing instead. As a result of this convenience, the ticket sales industry flourished. Ticket brokers, on the other hand, are considered high-risk enterprises by traditional banking institutions.
8. Nutraceuticals
This business is renowned for using recurring billing, which almost always results in chargebacks. Working with the proper payment processor will help you provide disclaimers for all of your items, ensuring that they comply with state and federal regulations.
9. Retail Pharmacies
Due to strict medication rules governing legitimacy, safety, and categorization, online pharmacies are generally classified as high-risk merchants. When looking for a payment processor, make sure they give you the finest payment options for your business as well as risk management.
10. Business Opportunities (Biz Ops)
This business provides courses to assist people to make money online, and it usually employs recurring billing. They are, however, notorious for having a high rate of chargebacks. You may simply fix this by establishing a strong reputation and credit history. Avoid making any kind of “outrageous statements.” All of this, as well as chargeback mitigation, may be handled by a trustworthy payments provider that specializes in MLMs.
The most common lucrative but bad reputation sectors are not the only high-risk enterprises. Businesses that are designated as high-risk must choose a recognized high-risk payment processor. A skilled high-risk processor will link you with banks as needed and provide you with all of the risk management tools you’ll want.