When determining whether a business is ‘high-risk,’ many factors are considered, including the nature of the enterprise or industry, customer types, transaction volumes, geographic location, and payment terms.
Merchants dealing in the travel and cruise industries; Internet auctions; CBD; adult; forex; online gaming; casinos; and many more are all examples of high-risk merchants.
However, just because your business is high-risk does not mean you won’t be able to open a merchant account. It does, however, imply that setting one up may be more difficult. Banks and independent sales organizations that provide merchant accounts will look at how long you’ve been in business, your credit history, and any previous merchant accounts you’ve had with other processors.
Because merchant account providers want assurance that you understand the business environment in which you operate, can identify the potential risks you face, know how to prevent or reduce fraud, and understand how to manage credit card acceptance, the length of time you’ve been in business matters. Regardless of risk, the only thing with first-hand business experience that can provide this kind of insight is.
Good credit history will help you establish your credibility as a potential merchant. If your previous processor terminated your merchant account because you defaulted on payments or had too many chargebacks, it may be difficult to open a new account in the future. And if you’ve previously had a well-maintained merchant account, it’s a good sign of how you’ll handle your new processor.
Follow these guidelines to improve your merchant account eligibility:
- Maintaining a good credit score: Before applying for a merchant account, remove any previous bankruptcies, late payments, or mortgages from your credit report. Contact a credit reporting bureau to obtain your credit report. Send them a letter explaining that these issues have been resolved and requesting that they be removed from your credit report. Having a good credit rating will make a lasting and favorable impression on a transaction processor, whether you own a small or large business.
- Previous merchant accounts, bankruptcies, liens, or judgments should all be disclosed: You improve your credibility by acknowledging the recent financial difficulties, and you may encounter one fewer barrier to opening a new merchant account. You can’t keep information from the public record hidden.
- Be willing to pay higher fees if necessary: If you need to follow special rules or pay slightly higher fees to open a merchant account, go ahead and do it! It’s worthwhile to offer your customers as many non-cash payment options as possible. It will aid in the generation of revenue and the stimulation of impulse purchases.
- Look for a credit card processor that best fits your requirements: Learn more about:
- The discount rate: The fee paid to the merchant account provider as a percentage of each transaction. The processor may charge a higher percentage of your monthly charges if they are less than a certain amount.
- Transaction Fee: For each transaction processed, a flat fee is charged.
- Monthly minimum fees: If the merchant’s discount rate and transaction fees do not add up to the monthly minimum specified on the original merchant application, the merchant account provider collects these fees from the merchant each month. If the monthly minimum volume is not met, it usually costs $25 per month.
- Reserve Fees: If your credit history is suspect, or if you own a new or high-risk business, you may be required to open a reserve account to protect the processor from future losses. Your reserve account is based on a percentage of your total sales.
- Chargeback Fees: These are the fees a processor charges to cover disputed charges.
- E-commerce: If you’re an e-commerce merchant, inquire about the costs of storefront solutions, such as shopping carts, Web hosting, payment gateways, virtual terminals, virtual checks, databases for order fulfillment, customer tracking, and a way to calculate tax and shipping charges, from your prospective processor.
- Gadgets: Point-of-sale terminals, printers, and peripherals, as well as installation fees, are included.
If you follow the steps outlined above, the process of opening a merchant account should go smoothly. And, in the end, getting approved will put you on the road to increasing your company’s revenue. Operating a high-risk business does not rule out the possibility of accepting credit cards.
Regardless of the factors mentioned above, Radiant Pay is committed to providing you with payment processing solutions that are well-tailored to your business needs. We are a leading London-based agency providing payment solutions to the online business and all the e-commerce enterprises across all “legal” industries. Our clientele is not limited in terms of business size, risk status, or transaction volume and can provide tailored solutions for any type of client and their online businesses.