Merchant accounts who typically see higher chargebacks and fraudulent transactions, increasing the risk for financial losses for acquiring banks are better know as “High Risk Merchants.” Also companies in any industry or trend with a rapid growth in payment processing industry that processes a lot of volumes or high average tickets can also be classified as high risk merchants.
Other factors are… marketing and sales methods, product fulfillment or shipping terms and recurring billing or membership sites.
Travel High Risk Merchant Accounts
Most Travel reservations are now made online and paid with your credit card. Travel and hospitality is the world’s largest industry, All parts of the travel industry can be establish as high risk merchant account, including: transportation, hotel reservations; timeshare, membership clubs, vacation certificates; newsletters; travel agencies; tour operators and packages.
Adult Entertainment
The adult entertainment industry have been known for high risk for a very long time.International payment processors are happy to establish high risk merchant accounts for the adult entertainment industry. Reliable offshore merchant account processing is a popular choice for adult entertainment companies.
Infomercials and Direct Response
Fast growth is part of effective infomercials and direct response advertising. A successful product can quickly generate millions of dollars in revenues. These companies need processing prowess to fuel business expansion.
Hosting, ISP, and Internet Services Merchant Accounts
Web hosts, domain registration, email, cloud computing and other internet based businesses have customers that are billed who on a recurring basis. Recurring billing gives these merchants the ability to accept payments monthly, weekly, daily or on a pay-per-minute or pay-per-usage basis.
Online Dating and Webcam Sites
Online dating companies and Webcam sites and considered high risk due to the content, . Offshore merchant accounts are established for online dating companies as a way to expand international memberships easily and quickly.
Herbal Supplements, Vitamins, Pharmacies
Vitamins, herbal supplement, and pharmacies are good fits for high risk payment processing. Male enhancement, weight-loss, hair-growth and life style improvement products often have fast growing businesses and need high volume payment processing. Diversification of payment processing using offshore merchant accounts makes good business sense.
Multilevel Marketing / MLM
Multilevel marketing or direct sales companies have business global operations. Offshore merchant accounts fulfill the need for payment processing for distributor sales around the world. MLM sales organizations, home delivered product sales, personal care products, magazine subscriptions, buyers clubs, MLM distribution, motivational training, lead generation, automatic scheduled shipping, and product fulfillment can quickly establish offshore merchant accounts with unlimited processing volumes.
Online Games (Gaming), Social Networks, Virtual Worlds
Online games and MMOG need high volume offshore merchant accounts to accommodate high volume processing volumes. Special offshore merchant accounts are available designed to meet the needs of online games and MMOG players, including sales of virtual assets, subscriptions, pay-per-play or time intervals and other innovative payment processing options.
Management of virtual currency programs within games, social networks and virtual worlds is available. Mobile billing, e wallets, and alternative international payment solutions enhance offshore merchant accounts and increase revenues.
Highly effective processing products targeted for the special needs of virtual worlds and social networks are part of offshore merchant account advantages. Micro transactions and micro billing platforms are available to monetize social networks virtual worlds and online game merchants.
VOIP and Telecom
VOIP and specialized telecom services are growing at unprecedented rates world-wide. Calling plans, cell phones, prepaid services, phone cards, wireless, GPS tracking, data communication services of all types benefit from offshore merchant accounts.
Many companies in this industry have a recurring billing model that drive processing volumes higher month-on-month. Offshore merchant accounts are the right processing choice to guarantee payment processing to accommodate the business growth.
High Ticket Product
Businesses selling electronics, jewelry, furniture and other high ticket items are classified as high risk because of potential risk of chargebacks. Take advantage of special programs designed to help you securely sell your products world wide and protect your business against fraud and chargebacks.
Collectibles
Coin dealers, art galleries, antique shops, and business selling unique products are considered high risk merchant accounts. These types of companies have rare or unusual products which are often high ticket items. Businesses in this category benefit from the expertise necessary to place high risk merchant accounts with the appropriate acquiring banks.
Charities and Non Profits
Charities and non-profit organizations can be considered high risk merchant accounts because there is no product or service being sold. In addition, fraudsters using false identities will sometimes make a “charitable” contribution to see if a stolen card has available credit.
Charities and non-profits also need unlimited processing volumes to take advantage of increased giving during particular seasons or after catastrophic events, making a high risk merchant account the right solution for them.
Many charities and non-profits have world-wide operations. Give your donors an easy way to contribute to your good cause by providing modern payment processing solutions.
Subscriptions, Memberships and Recurring Billing
Businesses selling subscriptions or memberships are classified as high risk merchant accounts. Consumers can initiate chargebacks from the end of the billing period rather than from time of purchase. Therefore, acquiring banks have longer term contingent liabilities.
Subscription and recurring billing models grow very quickly month-on-month and merchants need processing volume to accommodate the growth. Specialized services to manage subscription, membership and recurring billing add value to your payment processing account.
Tickets
Tickets sales are considered high risk merchant accounts because the ticket is for a future event. Consumers may decide not to attend an event or not be able to attend creating a high risk of chargebacks. Acquiring banks classify ticket agents and brokers as high risk merchant accounts because of the potential liabilities associated with these types of businesses. Establish or diversity your merchant account processing with banks world-wide.
Tobacco
One of the most high risk merchant accounts is a tobacco merchant account, because many of these merchants receive advanced rates of fraud, high volume sales and a potentially high rate of chargebacks. Because of the advanced risk nature of this industry, numerous online cigarette vendors no more accept credit cards at all and rather will simply receive electronic checks as the sole method for online payments. No Fear, I do have banks that will accept credit credits for tobacco accounts.
