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Ten Steps for Finding the Right Adult Site Payment Processor
Ten Steps for Finding the Right Adult Site Payment Processor
By Phillip Carmichael
www.adultmerchantpay.com
The scenario seems simple enough. You have an adult site. You want to get a decent amount of money out of it. You need a payment processor. You go online and search for the words: payment processor. Presto! You're done.
Wrong. It’s not that easy. How exactly do you go through more than a million results to find that one payment processor that could get things running smoothly? Here are ten steps to make your life a little bit easier:
1. Assess you needs as an adult site operator. First things first. Answer this question: What exactly do I need from a payment processor? In assessing your needs as an adult website owner, try to look into other things such as the amount you process in a year and what percentage of that amount comprises of chargebacks. If it’s a high number, you might want to look into payment processing services that offer additional security and fraud scrubbing measures.
2. Set realistic expectations. Adult sites are considered “high risk” -- this translates into bigger fees and usually slower approval times. Meaning be prepared to dish out the cash for service in this specialized field. Make a criteria for your payment processor selection. Are you looking for a payment processor for adult sites that charges low fees versus one that can provide you with a more personalized service? How often do you expect to get your payouts? There are a million questions you could ask, but you are the only one who could really determine what you need.
3. Try to find a payment processor for your specific industry. While it is generally not a bad idea to look for a wide range of general e-commerce payment processors, you will eventually find out that this route is very very time consuming. Always remember that adult sites are a red flag to payment processors – meaning, even if you get a million search results for payment processor, not all of them will be willing to serve adult site operators. When starting your search, try to look for payment processors using keywords like “adult payment processor” or “adult site merchant account” This narrows down the results to payment processors more suitable to the adult industry sites.
4. Go shopping. When you think you've found that one payment processor that seems perfect for your adult site, don't stop. Even if it takes days...or weeks..more, continue searching for more payment processors. It's hard. It's tiring. But it will be worth it in the end.
5. Narrow down your list to the top ten adult site payment processors. The criteria that you made when you were still setting your expectations (Step 2) are a valuable tool at this point. Cross check your candidate payment processors against that list and try to cut it down to ten finalists.
6. Tables are great comparative analysis tools. Now that your list is down to ten payment processors, place them all in a table and make a detailed comparison of how one processor holds up to the others. Try to see what advantages one has over the other or what one payment processor lacks over your other chosen candidates.
7. Get to know the company. This is where a bit of the dirty work comes in. While a search for adult site payment processor will yield thousands of results, shaving down the list to the truly reliable ones can be quite difficult. A good first step to this elimination process is reading up on the company. Find out how the company started out and how long it's been around. Knowing the proprietor's background can also be a big help. For instance, try to find out if anyone in the company has previous experience in banking and finance or with online merchant accounts or even in the adult industry itself. This is a good way to know if the company really understands the nature of the business and how to deal with its clients.
8. Test their promise. A lot of adult payment processors will promise you the sun and the stars, but how do you know who's telling the truth and who is just pulling your leg? The second test for a suitable adult site payment processor is their turn around time for email queries. Try sending in an inquiry with even the simplest question. Find out if the company knows its stuff and if it can answer you in a short amount of time.
9. Contact your chosen payment processor. After an exhaustive evaluation, you should now be ready to choose which payment processor is right for your adult site. Call, email or send in an inquiry to the payment processor to signify your intent of utilizing their services. Be prepared to provide all the necessary information which may include your company's incorporation details, contact information, monthly sales volume, average number of sales transactions per month, monthly chargeback volume ratio or any other information the payment processor may require.
10. Read your contract thoroughly. Its time to set your mark, but one final piece of advice before you do: Read EVERYTHING thoroughly. Know exactly how much you are paying and what you are paying for. If you have any questions about anything at all, go ahead and ask them.
The world of payment processing for adult sites is vast and unpredictable. With the number of service providers out there, it may get confusing and frustrating. Try looking for a merchant account provider that can help you meet these easy-to-follow steps. One example would be AdultMerchantPay (http://www.adultmerchantpay.com). This particular payment processor caters exclusively to adult merchants, as such, it should understand most of your needs. You can also try your luck with the many other available online payment processing services out there. Use these steps as guidelines to finding that one payment processing company that you can start a great business relationship with.
About the Author: Phillip Carmichael is the Senior Copywriter and Associate Creative Director for Sly Ideas Advertising Inc., a small scale advertising/PR firm based in Visalia, California. Carmichael is also a frequent contributor at various online literary and marketing resource sites and has written numerous articles on a wide array of topics. Popularly known for very helpful how-to articles, Carmichael's work has been widely published both in print and online in various popular magazines and websites.
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