If you happen to own a business in a select few industries, you might find your business identified as “high risk.” Being involved in the travel industry, for instance, can be enough to qualify your business for high risk credit card processing services, even if you’ve done everything else right along the way.
What Does It Mean to Be a High Risk Business for Merchant Services?
Your travel company, if listed as a high risk business, could experience strict limitations on the number of transactions you can process in a month, along with a few other potential challenges, not the least of which is that some credit card processing services will simply refuse to work with you. Other challenges you could experience as a high risk merchant include:
- Higher payment processing fees
- Mandatory cash reserve requirements
- Larger chargeback fees
Some merchant services providers offer better terms than others, so you might want to shop around and see what your options are before you choose the high risk credit card processing service you’re going to work with.
However, as a high risk merchant, you aren’t subject to some of the limitations for doing business in-country only that other businesses are subject to. In the travel industry, in particular, being identified as a high-risk merchant can be a benefit.
Why are Travel Businesses Considered High Risk?
There are many reasons travel businesses often carry the label of high risk businesses. One of the primary reasons is that many of the transactions occur long before the product or service actually reaches the customer.
Why does this matter?
A variety of reasons actually. The long span of time between the transaction and the date of travel leave plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong, leading to chargebacks, cancellations, and more. All of which place you at a higher risk to payment processors.
- Travel plan cancellations by buyer
- Personal emergencies
- Hurricanes or wildfires force cancellations
- Vendors or service providers (hotels, restaurants, tour groups, entertainment venues, etc.) go out of business
Any one of these things can present chaos for credit card processors and leave your business in the realm of a high risk merchant for many payment processors.
What Should You Look for in a Payment Processor for Your Travel Business?
Since it is quite likely that your travel business falls within a list of high risk industries, you should explore your options for high risk credit card processing —especially since it does offer you an advantage when dealing with vendors and service providers in foreign countries. Just make sure the payment processor you choose offers the following:
- PCI compliance and EMV readiness
- A thorough understanding of your industry and your unique needs as a travel provider
- Fraud and chargeback solutions to assist you when these occur
- Acceptable rates for your credit card processing needs that are clearly defined and easy to understand
- Policies that allow your business an adequate amount of available cash flow to keep things running and fuel your growth
At BankCard Services, our primary concern is helping you grow your business. We offer a wide range of services to help you do just that. More importantly, we offer fair and transparent pricing plans that are easy for you to understand and anticipate from month to month, with no long-term commitments. Contact us today to learn more about the services we provide and how we can help you with all your high risk credit card processing needs today and as your business grows.
