The tech support industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world, with an estimated market value of about $66.3 billion. Despite proving to be a lucrative industry, merchants in tech support often have difficulty finding financial institutions willing to work with them, particularly when it comes to processing credit card payments.
If you are in this predicament, don’t fret just yet. We’ve got you covered. Read on as we evaluate why businesses in the tech sector are considered high-risk. We’ve also reviewed the top 5 best high-risk credit card processors for tech support and thrown in some other useful information to make sure you end up with the best fit for your business.
One of the biggest issues facing the tech support industry is online fraud. Often, scammers prey on unsuspecting consumers under the guise of tech support professionals. They use various tactics to gain access to customers’ money and personal information.
The most common scam in the tech support industry is the virus scam. Scammers trick internet users into thinking their computers are infected with a virus. They then request money—even hundreds of dollars—to remove the non-existent virus. Some scammers even make the customers pay more to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
There’s also the issue of chargebacks. The tech support industry has the highest chargeback ratios in the online payments industry. This makes banks and other financial institutions skeptical about working with tech support merchants since they bear the brunt of chargeback fines when the merchant exceeds their allowed chargeback ratio.
Additionally, most transactions in the tech support industry are made over the phone or through the Internet. These are generally card-not-present transactions and, therefore, considered high-risk since there is no way to prove that the cardholder made the payments themselves.
Eventually, this leads to higher chargeback ratios with limited potential for successful disputes and resolutions. All in all, these factors add to the bulk of financial losses associated with the industry.
Despite the high risks associated with the industry, various high-risk merchant account providers are willing to take a risk on tech support merchants, though at a higher fee. Here are the top five best high-risk credit card processors for tech support.
Soar Payments is a high-risk payment processor specializing in a wide variety of high-risk industries, including tech support, cannabis, firearms, and more. The company offers direct integrations with Customer Relationship Management (CRM), accounting, and e-commerce platforms, the latter of which makes it an excellent pick for tech support merchants operating in the online space.
The onboarding process at Soar Payments is very simple, with instant online quotes and a fast approval process of less than 24 hours. That said, you’ll still have to wait for the standard underwriting process, which may take as much as five business days.
The company also partners with Chargeback.com for seamless integration with chargeback mitigation features and services. These services include email alerts and an iSPY feature to detect, screen, and block fraudulent attempts and other suspicious activities. You also get representative services for fighting illegitimate chargebacks.
In terms of fees, Soar Payments uses a tier-based pricing system and includes charges like gateway fees, chargeback fees, early termination fees, and ACH debit.
SharkPay Crypto is a cryptocurrency payment gateway that also doubles as a high-risk merchant account provider. The company has over a decade’s worth of experience in the payment processing space.
The merchant account provider partners with several financial institutions and payment processors to deliver seamless financial transaction processing services to its customers. It also offers fraud and chargeback mitigation services to help safeguard the finances of your business.
The onboarding process at SharkPay Crypto is straightforward. All you have to do is fill out an online application form, and you’ll typically get pre-approved within 24 to 72 hours. What’s even more impressive is you don’t have to pay account setup fees. The transaction fees are also manageable, even for small businesses.
Durango Merchant Services is one of the most lenient merchant account providers for high-risk businesses. This makes it a perfect choice for tech support merchants who’ve had difficulties securing a high-risk merchant account with traditional financial institutions.
The company’s proprietary payment gateway features a robust set of beneficial features for online businesses. These helpful tools include a load balancing feature, a secure customer information vault, support for recurring billing, and a gateway emulator that streamlines the process of switching to another payment gateway.
As a high-risk merchant account provider, Durango Merchant Services also offers fraud and chargeback mitigation services to help protect your business from financial losses. As such, all high-risk merchant accounts registered under the company come with iSPY and EMV 3D Secure 2.0 fraud filtering and deterrent software.
The payment processor also accepts credit card payments, facilitates cryptocurrency transactions, and provides a dedicated account manager for 24/7, efficient customer service.
As a high-risk merchant, you want a payment processing partner that can guarantee the safety of your financial transactions, which is exactly what you get with SMB Global. The company offers a robust set of chargeback mitigation features, including an auto-response feature that helps fight illegitimate chargebacks more effectively.
It accepts all types of payments, including ACH, debit cards, and e-check processing. It also offers a payment gateway that integrates seamlessly with more than 175 online shopping carts.
Besides helping you process your payments, SMB Global partners with Lendio, a loan service that lets you take small business loans through an online application process that takes less than 15 minutes.
With more than two decades in the high-risk credit card processing business, First Card Payments is one of the more experienced merchant account providers. The company boasts up to 30 partnerships with different financial institutions, which can tremendously improve your chances of getting your payments approved.
The company specializes in B2B but also caters to a wide variety of high-risk businesses, including those in the tech support, adult entertainment, credit repair industry, and much more.
First Card Payments supports a wide variety of payment methods, including card-present, card-not-present transactions, online shopping cart integrations, and different payment gateways. It also offers chargeback protection services that give merchants a 78-hour advance alert on chargebacks and provides expert advice on winning illegitimate chargebacks.
And like our previous pick, the company also offers business financing services, including a merchant cash advance program for small businesses and startups looking to sign up for a merchant account.
Just because a high-risk credit card payment services provider serves businesses in the tech support sector doesn’t mean they’re the best fit for your business. Therefore, you need to take a few factors into consideration before settling down on a specific company. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing a high-risk credit card payment service account provider:
High-risk businesses like tech support face numerous challenges and complexities associated with compliance and legal frameworks. While you may have experience running the business, certain aspects, like navigating the complexities around liability, require an expert touch.
Therefore, you need to choose a company with previous experience working with businesses in the tech support sector. This way, if your business encounters any issues, they are better equipped to offer tailored solutions and expert advice.
How many payment options does the high-risk merchant accounts provider offer? This is a crucial factor to consider since customers pay in various methods, and not having the necessary tools to process the transactions can make you miss out on a sale.
Some of the best merchant accounts accept credit card payments, debit cards, ACH payments, e-checks, and other alternative payment options like cryptocurrency. As a tech support merchant, you may also have to choose a payment processing provider that supports international transactions since some of your customers may not reside in the U.S.
Your preferred payment processing partner’s pricing structure and associated fees are crucial aspects to consider as a high-risk merchant. High-risk merchants are already expected to pay higher fees due to the risks involved in processing their payments. However, some merchant account providers take advantage of this and impose exorbitant fees, which may affect your profit margins.
For the best results, you must choose a payment processing provider that values transparency. This way, you are better able to manage your expenses and improve your profit margins. While you’re at it, look closely into the provider’s processing fees, setup fees, monthly fees, and any additional charges.
Mitigating risks like fraud and chargebacks is a major priority for all high-risk businesses. Therefore, when choosing a high-risk credit card payment processing company, you should inquire about their fraud and chargeback mitigation services.
They also offer fraud filtering and chargeback mitigation services to help you detect and fight illegitimate chargebacks.
As a high-risk merchant in the tech support industry, you need a reliable merchant account provider to ensure seamless transactions and safeguard your business from financial losses due to fraud and chargebacks. To that effect, you should compare multiple credit card processing companies to find the best fit for your business.
The aforementioned best high-risk credit card processors for tech support are good places to start, but you should also consider the factors discussed in the final section of the article to evaluate their suitability for your business. protect your customers’ data, some of the best high-risk credit card processors employ robust security features, such as encryption, tokenization, and address verification systems.
