The merchant acquiring industry landscape is undergoing rapid changes. U.S. acquirers processed over $9 trillion in payment volume in 2021, according to the 2022 Directory of U.S. Merchant Acquirers. This article will help you with traditional and non-traditional merchant acquiring for niche markets.
Merchant Acquiring
Thanks to acquirers, merchants can accept card payments. Specifically, they serve as a link between merchants, issuers, and payment networks. As a result, you, as a merchant, get access to authorization, clearing and settlement, dispute management, and information services.
Namely, an acquirer is on the hook for receiving card transaction details from your terminal, passing them through to the card issuer via the authorization card scheme, and completing the transaction processing. Once a transaction gets processed, your terminal can forward the transaction details to the acquirer.
Acquiring as a business is built around low margins and large volumes. There are both lower and higher risk merchants operating in the industries like nutraceuticals, adult content, firearms, and gambling where risk factors can be more than one. So, it all depends on the risks involved.
This means some businesses meet government regulations and don’t receive sanctions. Others can put themselves and acquirers at risk by operating in a non-compliant fashion.
Traditional & Non-Traditional Merchant Acquiring
The mentioned risks make traditional acquirers shy away from certain business types and refuse to support them. These are the high risk businesses. The reason is that the acquirer wants to stay away from investing in risk management resources.
When it comes to non-traditional acquirers, these specialize in those niche markets that mainstream acquirers ignore. Thanks to such specialized acquiring services, many vertical markets have witnessed growth. These services allow consumers to feel confident using branded payment cards to make purchases.
The payments landscape is undergoing major changes, and it’s more critical than ever to look for the payment services that will enable you to grow instead of falling behind. If you’re a high risk business owner, consider working with a reputable high risk processor to open a bad credit merchant account with the cheapest possible rates in the space.
Traditional & Non-Traditional Merchant Acquirers: Niche Markets
Non-traditional merchant acquirers enable businesses in niche markets to grow. If you’re a high risk merchant, apply to a respectful high risk merchant services provider to get fast and quick access to the services you need for your specific financial needs.
Author Bio: Blair Thomas has been a music producer, bouncer, screenwriter and for over a decade has been the proud Co-Founder of eMerchantBroker, the highest rated high risk merchant account processor in the country that provides the safest and cheapest bad credit merchant account in the industry. He has climbed in the Himalayas, survived a hurricane, and lived on a gold mine in the Yukon. He currently calls Thailand his home with a lifetime collection of his favorite books.