Chapter 7

The Best Credit Card Processing

Find a Partner that will Lower Your Rates

ch.7-featured-image
Employee accepting credit card payment

Let's Get You Started!

The Complete Guide to Credit Card Processing is an in-depth explanation of how credit card processing works. This guide will help you evaluate and decide on the best merchant account without the false starts and missteps that others have fallen prey to in the past. Download your copy of the world’s most-comprehensive guide on credit card processing

Understanding how Credit Card Processing can work for you!

Finding the company who will give you the best credit card processing out there is a daunting one. What makes the best the best? Simply put, they will have the best rates, clearest terms, and best customer service & support to help you when you need it. We’ve analyzed our criteria of the top credit card processing companies in the industry, and we want to let you know what we’ve found.

Here in this chapter, the last part of our Ultimate Guide, we’re putting the puzzle pieces together. Who can we recommend based on lots of research and industry knowledge?

We considered the current processing rates from the top names in the business and offer you more in-depth comparison on the credit card processing industry leaders. We compared the industry’s top leaders based on the most important criteria for the business owner. We looked for the best rates (naturally), good customer service, transparent fees, month to month contracts & ease of use for both the customer and your employees.

Now it’s time to evaluate. Who is the best for you? Keep on reading below to see who made the cut.
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Best For Online Businesses:

For your online business, we recommend using PayPal or Stripe to process your fees. These are for 2 main reasons.

  1. It is their speciality – online processing is what they do, so they are good at it. Their rates are competitive & they are easily recognizable.
  2. For the ease of use that it gives your customer. PayPal is a brand that people trust, and so many people have PayPal accounts – so you’re more likely to make a sale if it’s easier for your customer.

Be advised, there may be some customer service issues, though, which can be common with such a big company.

Paypal logo

PayPal is an easy payment platform to integrate, highly accepted & recognized, and has consistently low online processing fees at 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction if within the US. There are no start up costs or contracts. It enables you to accept PayPal, Venmo & all major credit cards.

stripe logo

Stripe is another option for web-based businesses. It’s got some powerful tech that can integrate for in-app purchases – making it convenient for your customers. Some of the biggest names in online & no-cash business use Stripe, such as Amazon, Target & Lyft. It’s not for the faint of heart, though – it will take some tech & code savvy knowledge in order to integrate it with your website or app. It’s important to note if you need another way to accept payments besides online, Stripe might not be the best option for you.

Best For Brick and Mortar Retail:

If you are currently locked into a contract that will cost you significant dollars to break, your best bet for the time being is to stay with your current processor. However if you are looking for someone new, we recommend Dual Payments.

Dual Payments logo

With the Zero Fee pricing structure and free terminals, Dual Payments is a great choice for your brick & mortar retail business. There are no long term contracts – you can go month to month. You also get great customer service. If you process with them, you will also get a free terminal! Their Zero Fee model will save you TONS of money in processing fees.x

But wait, aren’t you recommending yourself as the best processor for Brick and Mortar retail?

Absolutely! Brick and Mortar retail processing is what we were founded on and we believe in our product. We believe that there’s no better processor out there than Dual Payments to either completely eliminate your processing fees or carve them down to the bare minimum. Thousands and thousands of businesses have already saved what amounts to Millions of dollars. Isn’t it time you checked it out for yourself?

dharma logo

If you don’t want to completely eliminate your fees, then our runner up in this category is Dharma Merchant Services. They use interchange-plus pricing, which is one of the cheapest ways to process credit cards, if you process enough to offset the membership costs. Dharma Merchant Services also are very transparent with their terms and fees. They have U.S. based customer service and have generally good reviews overall.

Best For Mobile Processing:

Square logo

Square is a great option for you if you’re needing a mobile processor. Square has no monthly fees, no contracts and they are up front about costs. Their low rate for mobile processing combined with their easy to use equipment & software makes it a good way to accept payments – especially if you process less than $3k a month. What’s more, you can use the card reader & free POS app with your smartphone or tablet so equipment doesn’t have to cost you a lot. The Square POS system is also very user friendly for your customers as well. Square also has the ability to expand into different commerce options, if your business expands. While their software and equipment is proprietary, you will still get the best rate. If you start processing more that 3k a month, though, it might be time to look elsewhere. Want to know more about mobile processing? We’ve done the research for you.

Paypal logo

PayPal is our runner up, solely because it’s easy to use for your customer and it’s consistently low rates. There is no offline component, however, so you’ll have to use wifi or your data when you decide to use their mobile payment platform.

Best For High Volume:

Dual Payments logo

Whether you process LOTS of credit card transactions, or you process a lot of high price tickets, Dual Payments could really save you money with the Zero Fee processing model. Now, I know we are talking about ourselves here – but hear us out! We’ve seen what else is out there, and we believe in our product. It’s scary to think about how much business owners are being ripped off by unscrupulous processors every single day, and we want to put an end to it. We are very competitive in our industry. We have no contracts, so you can go month to month & not worry about costly long term contracts. We are clear about fees (there are none for the business owner), and terms. We also offer free equipment and have access to the top brands in POS software, making it a one-stop shop for you.

We are very competitive in our industry. We have no contracts, so you can go month to month & not worry about costly long term contracts. We are clear about fees (there are none for the business owner), and terms. We also offer free equipment and have access to the top brands in POS software, making it a one-stop shop for you.

dharma logo

But, hey, no judgment here. If you don’t want to go with us, then we’d recommend Dharma Merchant Services. They have clear terms as well, no contracts & fairly low pricing. Their customer service reviews generally say that Dharma means what they say and are a good company to work with.

Best For Manual Transactions:

stripe logo

If your business doesn’t have website check-out capabilities, but you take orders over the phone, then we recommend Stripe. Stripe is able to do the heavy lifting for keyed-in transactions at a decent rate of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.

Square logo

If you process less than $10k a month, Square’s virtual terminal and keyed-in rates 3.5% +$0.15 a transaction – are one of the lower ones out there, and there is no monthly fee for an account.

Best For Low Volume & Micromerchants:

  • Paypal logo
  • Square logo

If you process less than $5k/month, PayPal or Square are going to be your best bet when it comes to accepting credit card payments. Their rates are consistent & low for low volume – their equipment is easy to use and software is intuitive. Their equipment doesn’t cost a lot either and they have no monthly minimum that you have to process.

Best For Startup Businesses:

We have two companies we recommend for Startups. The first thing to consider is how much you think you’ll make per month.

Square logo

If you think you’ll process less than $5k/month, Square will be a good place to start. You may find it difficult to get a good deal from the “Big Guys” in the credit card processing industry – they might make you pay a fee if you don’t meet a monthly minimum or try to lock you into a contract. They have to try and offset the cost of taking you on as a client, they make money through processing credit cards. If you don’t process enough, then they will lose money with you. However, Square is a processor that was made for this type of processing. Square also has inexpensive equipment that can grow as your business grows, month to month contracts and no minimums to meet.

Dual Payments logo

Dual Payments is a great fit if you think you’ll process over $5k a month. We have personalized customer service, which is imperative for a startup! Everything that can go wrong with your startup will go wrong, it’s nice to know that Dual Payments will be consistent. We at Dual Payments also use a Zero Fee processing pricing model and offer free equipment – which means less money you have to spend and free you up to focus on other aspects of your new business!

Best For High Risk Businesses:

Dual Payments logo

If you are in an industry that is considered “high risk,” consider checking out Dual Payments. High Risk industries are industries that can have a lot of chargebacks and fraudulent charges, so it can be difficult to find a processor who wants to take one on. The categories within what is considered “High Risk” industries are extensive, some of which include CBD dispensaries and airlines. For a more in depth look at the high risk industry, click here to learn more and to see if your industry is considered high risk. Dual Payments really values each client they serve and will work hard to help you, regardless of what your industry is.

host merchant services

If you don’t want to go with us, check out Host Merchant Services. Even though they aren’t on our extensive list in Chapter 6 – they are pretty competitive when it comes to high risk accounts. Most high risk processors want to have a long term contract and will hit you with early termination fees. Host Merchant Services has low start up fees, transparent pricing and good customer service, especially for a high risk account merchant. Because they use the interchange-plus pricing model, it will be more expensive to process with them if you process less than $10k/ a month.

Best For Small Businesses:

Dual Payments logo

If you process anywhere from $5k/month to $30K/month, Dual Payments will be a great option for you. Dual Payments uses the Zero Fee pricing model, meaning that it won’t cost you (as the business owner) anything to process with them. Instead, the cost is offset by offering your customers a cash discount to pay that way, or just incur the fee to pay with a credit card. Dual Payments also provides free terminals and has access to the top names in POS software. What’s especially important for a small business is the personalized customer service they offer. It’s very important to choose a processor that is supportive and can help so that there is not a bunch of run-around stuff when a problem arises.

dharma logo

But, hey, we understand if you don’t want to go with us and save the most money. If you want to look further, then we suggest Dharma Merchant Services. With transparent terms and great customer service reviews, they are a good runner up. However, with the membership/interchange plus pricing model, note that these types of merchants start to become competitive if you process around $10k or more per month. Anything less than that and you will actually be spending MORE money to process with them because of the monthly membership fee. Remember, they make that money whether you process enough or not.

Best For POS Systems:

Not only do you have to find a good rate for processing, but you also will have to find (and pay for!) a POS system that will integrate into your workflow. Finding the right POS systems to combine with your credit card processor and terminal can be a royal pain. That’s why Dual Payments wins this category.

Dual Payments logo

No matter if you run a retail business, food truck, restaurant, or vet’s office, we’ve got you covered. Dual Payments can set you up or work with many of the top POS systems out there. This means they’ve got your processing AND software needs taken care of. Even if you don’t want to (or can’t) change your current POS system but want to move processors, we can help you. We will be a one stop shop for you & save you money no matter which POS system you use.

But aren’t we a Zero Fee processor? So then what’s up with the $19.99 a month for the POS system software? I’m glad you asked! Dual Payments has worked hard to eliminate your processing fees and also offers free equipment. However, we don’t have our own POS software that we can offer you. The $19.99 month fee is passed on to us from the equipment manufacturer. We are working hard on a solution to make the monthly software cost as low as possible and (fingers crossed) hopefully $0 in the near future.

Square POS System starts at $60 a month after you buy the equipment, and only the first month of Clover POS software is free after you buy an expensive register. The Shopify POS system starts at $29 a month. So $19.99 is still a low price to pay, especially when you don’t have to pay processing fees, equipment fees & the tons of other fees that credit card processors like to hit you with.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most common questions we come across when we are talking about the best credit card processing.

Which credit card processing is cheapest for small business?

The “Zero Fee” pricing model is cheapest for small business owners. There are no fees charged to the business owner with the zero fee model or the cash discount processing model, making these the cheapest options on the market. See how much money we can save you!

How does this work? The processing fees are passed on to the customer by offering a cash discount if they choose not to pay with a credit card. This is what we do here at Dual Payments – work hard to save you money!

There are TONS of factors that contribute to getting the lowest price for credit card processing – it has everything to do with your type of business & how much volume you process! And it’s not just the cost per swipe you have to consider (see how much we can save you in transaction fees) – there are other costs that might not be obvious up front – like will you have tons of monthly fees even after you get a good rate? Will you have access to great customer service? Determine the value of what you are paying.

The lower rate, the better – and generally, the more you process, the lower you rate will be. The lowest rate out there is interchange. Mark up from a processor is always on top of interchange, whether it’s a small cost per swipe combined with a hefty membership fee or all bundled together for a flat rate- processors make their money somewhere. A really good processing rate is the lowest processor mark up you can negotiate, since you can’t negotiate the interchange. Interchange is set by the card brand.

Compare your rate with the top processing players’ rates or switch to Dual Payments to make your rate ZERO. Use our savings calculator to see how much we can save you in fees.

Dual Payments is among the top payment processing companies, including: Payline Data, HelCim, Square, PayPal, Quickbooks, Stripe, Due, Payanywhere, Clover & others. See our link here as we compare the top payment processing processing companies in the credit card processing industry. If you’re looking for information on mobile processors like Square & Clover Go – click here for our comparison on mobile processors.

The cheapest way to process credit cards is to use a processor that uses the “Zero Fee” pricing structure – which is what Dual Payments does best! This works by transferring the cost of the credit card transaction onto the consumer – you do this by giving them a choice: offer a cash discount or pay the current price – most people will still pay with credit cards. You still get the business by offering this way to accept payments, but with none of the additional costs or fees that go along with it.

In Conclusion

Whew- what a wild ride it’s been! Hopefully, you have learned a lot through reading the Complete Guide To Credit Card Processing. We’ve talked about how credit card processing works & the major players in the game, plus how to avoid processing fees. We’ve covered online processing, mobile processing, high risk accounts, how to choose the best credit card processor (Get our free information guide!), compared the top companies & finally made some recommendations for you based on your business type!

Credit card processing involves a lot of moving parts and, despite our best efforts, answers won’t always be cut and dry. Make the best decision you can with the information you have so you can save the most money & get the best service. Trust us, it’s out there. And remember, you can download this entire guide as a PDF to refer to later – and, as always, you can contact Dual Payments today so we can start saving you money!

Request A Call From A Dual Payments Representative

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Example of High Risk Merchants

  • 1-900 Phone companies – If you’re the type of company that charges people to have a chat on the phone, you’ll be considered high risk.
  • Adult Bookstores – Clearly a part of the adult entertainment industry, and an easy mark for the high risk tag.
  • Adult Entertainment – Any business labeled with the “adult” descriptor will automatically be assigned a high risk status.
  • Adult Toys – As “adult” is in the name, it’s an easy target for association with the adult entertainment market.
  • Airline Industry – Due to cancellations on high ticket purchases, this will put your airline company in the high risk category
  • Amazon Stores – By having a high rate of return, Amazon stores are seen as high risk.
  • Ammo Sales – Association with the weapons industry guarantees high risk status.
  • Annual Contracts – Any time an annual contract is involved it can be considered highrisk because most consumers forget they signed up and chance of chargeback can be high.
  • Antiques – With a high average ticket per item, antiques are considered a risky merchant type.
  • Astrology – The study of the celestial bodies and the influence on human affairs can be a chargeback target if customers feel like they aren’t getting the answers they want.
  • Auctions – Because of the nature of bidding on a product and not having a set price the risk level goes up.
  • Autographed Collectables – There is almost always a question as to whether an autograph is authentic, and therefore chargebacks are much higher in this industry.
  • Automotive Brokers – Brokers of automobiles have a very high average ticket are are therefore of higher risk.
  • Bankruptcy Attorneys – Since the people who are working with bankruptcy attorneys are usually in financial trouble, the odds that a payment would be charged back is higher.
  • Betting Services – In many states betting is illegal but for the legal states betting with a credit card has huge chargeback implications.
  • Brokering – When a third party is involved with selling a product the risk level goes up ten fold.
  • Business Loans (Merchant Cash Advances) – Loaning money is always risky, but with business loans and startup lending, high risk is present by the nature of the business.
  • Casino – Just like a betting service, if a customer gambles with their credit card the chargeback rate sky rockets.
  • CBD Products – CBD itself poses high chargebacks because of the legitimacy of the product and the health benefits promised.
  • CBD E commerce – CBD E Commerce has twice the charge back of retail CBD because many consumers don’t feel like the product they receive gives them the benefits promised.
  • Check Cashing (Check Processing) – The level of fraud in check cashing and cash advances is what gives this industry a higher risk consideration.
  • Cigarettes – With higher levels of risk for theft and criminal activity, cigarette sales are deemed high risk.
  • Collection Agencies (Collection Agency) – Many banks see collections as an unsustainable business model that is many times unreliable.
  • Collectible Coins – A higher level of chargeback in this industry gives it a high risk tag.
  • Collectible Currency – Due to the level of inauthentic collectibles, the risk of chargebacks are much higher with collectibles.
  • Copyrighted eBooks – When someone sells something copyrighted without permission many legal issues can arise.
  • Coupon Programs – With many coupon programs the coupons expire and once they expire the consumer wants the money back they spend.
  • Credit Counseling – Due to their clients usually being in financial problems, this industry is fraught with non-payment and fraud.
  • Credit Protection – Most people that need credit protection are bad with money so chargebacks abound.
  • Credit Repair – If a consumer needs credit repair then chances are they are a high risk for chargebacks.
  • Currency Sales – Many businesses that exchange currency do it at incorrect rates hence more chargebacks.
  • Dating Services – Dating is a volatile industry, and is also lumped in with the adult entertainment industry, making it a high risk account.
  • Debt Collection Services – As the collection of debt isn’t always possible, this industry retains the tag of risky.
  • Debt Consolidation Services (Debt Consolidators) – Consolidating debt is a challenging business and as debt is usually the problem, it’s seen as unsecure from a payment perspective.
  • Debt Repair Services – Since the clients of debt repair services are usually having financial challenges, it makes this industry seem a higher risk.
  • Discount Health Programs – Many people don’t feel they are really getting a discount so they try to get their money back and if they don’t the chargebacks sky rocket.
  • Discount Medical Care Programs – Just like the discount health programs if they don’t save the consumer wants their money back.
  • Drug Paraphernalia – Anything that is associated with the drug trade is considered high risk. Offshore merchant accounts are commonly used for this type of business.
  • E Commerce – As the source of the payment is unverifiable at the point of sale, any transaction without the card present has a higher risk of credit card fraud.
  • Ebay Stores – Many people sell items that aren’t as described so chargebacks can be an issue.
  • Electronic cigarettes – much like traditional cigarettes, e-cigarette sales are also deemed high risk.
  • Electronics – This industry has a much higher ticket compared with many other businesses. A chargeback for a $3,000 tv or two and your account can be in jeopardy rather quickly.
  • Escort Services – This is deemed a part of the adult entertainment industry and therefore needs a high risk merchant account and payment solution.
  • Event Ticket Brokers – If a customer buys a ticket and doesn’t use it they feel like they can charge the transaction back.
  • Extended Warranty Companies – Warranties are rarely used so people try to charge back the money that has been spent paying for them.
  • Federal Firearms License Dealers – Any organization associated with guns or firearms is automatically considered in this category.
  • Fantasy Sports Websites – Just like gambling, if a person starts to lose too often they try and charge back the transaction.
  • Finance Brokers – The entire financing industry is risky. By simply extending credit to other individuals, this business is betting that a majority of them will actually pay what they say they will.
  • Financial Advising/Consulting – The high risk tag on financial advisors isn’t about the advisors or their firm. It’s about the clientele and their current circumstances.
  • Financial Loan Modification Services – Due to a clientele in financial struggles, the high risk term is applied to any payments in this industry.
  • Financial Planning – Anything that includes risk for the consumer can have consumer implications with chargebacks.
  • Financial Strategy – Another risk and reward category, if money is lost, consumers try charging back making this a high risk industry.
  • Fortune Tellers – When a person doesn’t hear what they want to hear, or what is told doesn’t happen, the fortune teller can receive huge chargebacks.
  • Furniture Sellers – High risk only when its custom furniture.
  • Gambling – If money is lost the chargebacks rise.
  • Gaming – Chargeback levels skyrocket when consumers don’t win.
  • Get Rich Quick Programs – It’s rather common in this industry for an individual to purchase the training and then chargeback their purchase saying it didn’t deliver on what was promised.
  • Google Stores – With a high rate of return on their items, Google stores are considered high risk.
  • Gun Sales (Firearm Sales) – The gun and projectile industry is automatically associated with high risk credit card processing.
  • High Average Ticket Sales – With any high average ticket, just a couple of chargebacks can mean a massive shift in how risky the account is deemed by the processor.
  • Home/Vacation Rentals – Many issues with chargebacks can take place if the consumer decides not to travel.
  • Horoscopes – Many people believe this is hocum so will chargeback transactions.
  • How To Programs – A common practice in this industry is to purchase the program and charge it back with the description that it didn’t deliver what it promised.
  • Hypnotists – Many merchants will charge back these transactions if results they hoped for were not met.
  • Import/Export Business – Another example of taking goods over country borders which automatically brings in additional risk to any processing account.
  • Indirect Financial Consulting – When using a third party to consult, the high risk status gives the processor fraud protection.
  • International Cargo – Any time you introduce a multi-country element to credit card processing, the ability for fraud to be introduced skyrockets.
  • International Merchants operating in the US – Since the merchant isn’t operating from the United States, there are many unknowns about what is happening on the other side of their business, thus increasing the risk.
  • International Shipping – Transporting goods between countries is risky and introduces all sorts of elements to the financial stability of any transaction.
  • Investment Books – consumers get upset if the investor isn’t right which can lead to chargebacks.
  • Investment Firms – As investments are never a “sure thing” this is considered a risky industry for having a merchant account.
  • Investment Strategy – Anything with future promises can lead to chargeback.
  • Knife Sales – weapons of any kind are automatically given high risk status.
  • Kratom E Commerce – Accepting payments online is high risk, and Kratom is a substance in the health and wellness industry, which is also considered high risk.
  • Life Coaching – With no tangible goods involved in the transaction, life coaching is considered high risk.
  • Lingerie Businesses – Associated with the adult entertainment industry, chargebacks abound.
  • Lotteries – In most states you can buy lottery tickets with a credit card but if you’re allowed to and the ticket is not a winner, consumers try to chargeback the transactions.
  • Magazine Sales – Many magazine sales are recurring subscriptions, which can have issues with chargebacks.
  • Magazine Subscriptions – Same as magazine sales chargebacks can be huge when a recurring subscription happens. (often referred to as recurring billing.)
  • Mail Order Companies – When something is ordered through the mail chargeback risk can go up.
  • Marijuana Dispensaries – As marijuana isn’t a legal substance in every state, this is considered high risk due to the legality of the product. Cannabis credit card processing is available through Shift Processing.
  • Matchmaking Services – Another branch of the dating tree, and often associated with the adult entertainment industry.
  • Medical Devices – If a medical device doesn’t do what’s promised the purchaser may chargeback the transaction.
  • Membership Organizations – This is another instance of where the transactions don’t have any tangible product and are easily charged back to the merchant account.
  • Merchants on the MATCH list – If you are a merchant who has been reported to the MATCH list (Member Alert to Control High Risk Merchants) or the TMF (Terminated Merchant File) you are given high risk status.
  • Merchants with Poor Credit – Merchant accounts are given based on the credit score of the business owner. It’s assumed that the business owner is going to be making the financial decisions for the business, and a poor credit score reflects on the viability of any business transactions.
  • Modeling Agencies – At many agencies models are promised the world and it doesn’t happen. The consumer then wants their money back.
  • Movie Downloads – Transference of a digital product is considered of higher risk. Also, rarely is a physical card present at time of purchase.
  • Multilevel Marketing Sales – Often associated with pyramid schemes, MLM sales are considered a risky business.
  • Music Downloads – Purchasing any digital product is considered to be of higher risk than a physical transaction. Most of the time the card is not present in a digital transaction using a shopping cart.
  • Not A US Citizen Doing Business In The US – It’s possible to get a merchant account without a US social security number, but not having a SSN will increase the risk the processor will have in issuing a merchant account for your business.
  • Online Adult Membership Sites – If you’re running a website that is adult themed and requires payment for access, this is a highly volatile account and definitely high risk.
  • Offshore Corporations (Offshore Merchants) – The international element is what gives the high risk tag when looking for domestic merchant accounts.
  • Online Gambling (Online Gaming) – Without a card being present and gambling as the activity, there are two reasons why this would be on this list. Online payment alone is risky even without the gambling element.
  • Overseas Exporting Services – The introduction of the international element is what gains access to this list.
  • Pawn Shops – There’s a general stigma that goes along with pawn shops, and it’s reflected in their assignment to the high risk processors list.
  • Penny Auction Sites – Even though the customers are usually bidding at only a penny more per bid, users will commonly charge back the transaction when they don’t win.
  • Pepper Spray – Considered a type of weapon, pepper spray vendors are considered risky.
  • Points Programs – Points programs that cost money can cause chargeback issues if points are not used.
  • Pornographic Merchants – If you’re a part of the adult entertainment industry in any way, you’re considered high risk.
  • Precious Metals – Counterfeit metals can be a problem in this industry, making it more risky to accept payments for.
  • Prepaid Calling Cards – Anything prepaid that a consumer may not use increases chargeback issues.
  • Prepaid Debit Cards – When they expire or are lost consumers want their money back.
  • Psychic Services – “Honey, did you visit a psychic? No babe, I don’t remember visiting a psychic.” I’ll just reverse that charge then.
  • Real Estate – A common target for scams and identity theft is how real estate makes this list.
  • Replica Products (Watches, Handbags, Wallets, Sunglasses, Etc…) – As the product being sold isn’t authentic to the original manufacturer, the percentage of requests for refund is much higher than a traditional merchant.
  • Rewards Programs – If rewards are not spent, the consumer wants the money back.
  • Self-Defense – Since the payment provided is for instruction and not a physical product, the self-defense industry makes this list.
  • Self-Hypnosis Services – Yet another instance where the goods being transferred are of a service and not a physical product.
  • SEO Services – With a high rate of request for refund, SEO agencies make this list.
  • Social Networking Sites – Just like a dating site, if a consumer does not get what they want from it, they always like to chargeback.
  • Software Downloads – The software industry makes their way on to this list because of the digital nature of the goods being sold.
  • Sports Forecasting – An example of paying for information and not for a product, and usually not in person where the card would be present for the transaction.
  • Startups – Every startup is considered risky, and the percentage of startups that make it is quite small compared to the number that fail.
  • Student Loans – With the cost of a college education continually on the rise, so is the percentage of loans that default and never receive payment.
  • Strip Clubs – Associated with the adult entertainment industry gains the strip club access to this list.
  • Stun Gun Sales – considered a type of weapon, which makes it a high risk merchant.
  • Supplement Sales – The request for refund in this industry is quite high due to the nature of the product.
  • Sweepstakes – “Hey, I entered a sweepstake and I didn’t win. I’d like my money back please.”
  • Talent Agencies – “I paid thousands of dollars for headshots and glamorous outfits and I haven’t gotten any paid gigs. Pay me back my money please.”
  • Telemarketing Services – Telemarketing services many times do not have the results the purchaser would like to see, so the services are charged back.
  • Telephone Order Sales – Anything ordered over the phone has a increased risk of chargeback.
  • Timeshare Companies – When timeshares aren’t used, people want their money back.
  • Travel Agencies – If trips are not taken, consumers would like their funds returned.
  • Travel Clubs – Many travel club discounts aren’t what they were promised, increasing risk for chargebacks.
  • Vacation Rental Brokers – Third party brokers on prepaid vacation can have issues when customers cancel their trips.
  • Vape Shops – The level of criminal activity and theft is higher with vape shop merchants and therefore carries a high risk label.
  • Vitamin Sales – If the vitamins don’t provide the results the merchant would like to see they chargeback the transactions.
  • Web Designer – Because this service is prone to chargebacks, it has been classified as high risk.
  • Weight Loss – Considered risky because the results aren’t really up to the company, but rather the individual has to stick to the plan to get results, often resulting in chargebacks.
  • Yahoo Stores – Since the goods sold through Yahoo can easily be returned, they are considered a risky merchant.

Turn Your Residuals into Immediate Cash Today

Selling your residuals doesn’t impact your merchants—they’ll keep processing happily. So, if you need extra funds, explore a credit card residual buyout. It’s fast, easy, and a smart move for your financial game plan.