Frequently Asked Questions
-
- Do you have solutions for every industry?
- Do you have experience working with “high risk” businesses?
- What types of processing channels do you have available for business owners?
- Do you only work with American businesses?
- Do you have solutions for startups?
- How long does it take to open my merchant account?
- What documents do I need to apply?
- Does it cost money to apply?
- Can I accept all credit card brands?
- Do you provide payment gateways?
- Do you require rolling reserves to open high risk accounts?
- How can I increase my processing volume?
- What chargeback ratio will get me in trouble?
- Is a credit check necessary?
- Do I need a website?
- Can I reduce my rates in the future?
- What are the fees associated with a merchant account?
- What if my question isn’t answered in this FAQ?
1. Do you have solutions for every industry?
In short, yes. We have payment solutions for every industry that isn’t illegal, and even some that are only legal in certain countries/states/provinces.
2. Do you have experience working with “high risk” businesses?
Yes, we do. While we offer solutions to businesses from all across the risk spectrum, we specialize in opening high risk merchant accounts. Some industries we’ve found great payment solutions for include:
- CBD & Cannabidiol extract products
- Online Lenders (state licensed, choice of law, tribal)
- Nutraceutical and Nootropics Supplements
- Guns, Firearms & Ammunition
- Credit Repair and Evaluation
- Sports Betting, Online Casinos & Gambling
- Online & Brick-and-Mortar Collection Agencies
- Adult Entertainment & Related Services
- Travel Agencies of All Sizes
- Tech Support and IT
If you don’t see your business on this list and you’re certain your business falls under the high risk umbrella, don’t worry – we still likely have a solution for your processing woes. Reach out to us and we’ll be happy to evaluate to talk things through with you.
3. What types of processing channels do you have available for business owners?
We have a wide range of processing options and merchant services for our customers to choose from. Some of the major ones include:
- eCheck and Check 21
- Point of sale (POS) systems and terminals
- Debit and credit card processing
- Automated Clearing House (ACH)
- Merchant cash advances (if qualified)
- chargeback mitigation programs
4. Do you work with only American businesses?
No. We actually have a network of partner banks and processors from around the world, and we’re happy to serve legitimate merchants from all corners of the globe.
Currently, our merchant portfolio has footprints in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
5. Do you have solutions for startups?
Yes. However, make sure you have all your paperwork in order (the following question and answer describe that paperwork in detail).
6. What documents do I need to apply?
It depends on the industry and the bank that we’re working with, but 99% of the time the following documents are requested:
- Photo ID
- Business registration (e.g. Articles of Incorporation)
- 3 months of business bank statements
- 3 months of process statements
- EIN letter
- Proof of domain ownership
- Other industry specific documents may include: certifications, licenses, customer agreements, etc.
If some of these documents are not available (e.g. no 3 months processing statements because you’re a startup), we will work with you and the underwriter to come up with other alternative documents to supplement.
Our goal when working with you is to help you look better in the eyes of the underwriter – specifically by establishing you as a good and responsible merchant, and putting you and your business in the most positive light.
7. How long does it take to open my merchant account?
Unfortunately, this varies greatly from merchant to merchant. The better prepared you are though, the faster we can get things through the system for you.
8. Does it cost money to apply?
No, not at all. However, once you’ve been approved there are integration and setup fees.
9. Can I accept all credit card brands?
Yes and no. While we do work with all card brands, not every bank and processor we work with offers all brands to all types of merchants. It depends on your industry, reputation, processing volume, and more.
10. Do you provide payment gateways?
We don’t have our own private labeled gateway, but our customer solutions work with the most reliable and popular gateways on the market today.
11. Do you require rolling reserves to open high risk accounts?
Reserves are sometimes necessary. This depends on the merchant, the products they sell, and how they are sold. The bank underwriter will ultimately decide on whether or not this is necessary.
However, as a matter of practice, we are always advocating for our merchants, and do our best to eliminate or reduce the reserve requirement.
12. How can I increase my processing volume?
Call us if you see your business en route to blowing past its limit. Try to tell us in advance so that we can work with the bank, and make sure your limit is increased appropriately.
Often, banks use volume caps as a means to curb the risk of chargebacks and returns. However, having a good track record is the best way to ease that concern.
Alternatively, we can always try to get you a second, or even third merchant account. This would allow you to spread your volume across multiple accounts, and reduce your processing risk in the event something happens to one of your accounts. This is especially recommended in high risk industries where bank policies, laws/regulations, and markets tend to be very fluid and in a constant state of change.
13. What chargeback ratio will get me in trouble?
Normally, a chargeback rate of 1% or more will put a spotlight on you. Slightly exceeding 1% every now and then is probably not too big of a concern, as long as you can demonstrate that your business is taking measures to improve upon it.
The good news is that we at Motile understand how certain high risk industries and business types are more susceptible to chargebacks, and that a 1% or less chargeback ratio may not be achievable. Because of this, the banks we’ve chosen to partner with are generally more tolerant of higher chargeback rates.
Even more, we have chargeback mitigation programs to help you keep that number in check.
Ultimately, how well you treat your customers will be reflected in your chargeback rate. If you do right by your customers each and every time, then more often than not you won’t have to worry about chargebacks.
14. Is a credit check necessary?
Yes. From the bank’s perspective, approving a merchant account is akin to extending a line of credit to a business. Case in point, chargebacks can still occur up to 120 days after the initial purchase, but the money is settled in the merchant’s bank account way before that. A default can happen just like in a loan.
15. Do I need a website?
If you’re a brick and mortar business only, then you can probably get away with not having a website. Otherwise, having a website is a must. If you’re a startup and in the process of building one, underwriters MAY pre-approve you, but they will still need to see the completed website once it’s ready.
16. Can I reduce my rates in the future?
Yes. The two primary factors that go into this decision are,
- your chargeback rate
- your processing volume
A bank, like any type of for-profit business, is looking to increase its revenue AND make sure that it’s not exposing itself to increased risks/costs while doing so.
17. What are the fees associated with a merchant account?
Usually the fees consist of the following:
- Merchant discount rate: This fee is a percentage taken from your final sales, the vast majority of which goes to the Card brands (e.g. VISA), and the remainder going to the Bank and Processor.
- Per transaction fee: This is a fixed fee for every transaction made by your customers. Generally, it’s used to pay for the operational and IT costs incurred by the institutions that handle these transactions.
- Monthly statement fees This fee covers the costs incurred by the bank and processor for preparing a merchant’s monthly statements.
- Monthly gateway fee: This is used to pay for the upkeep and ongoing operational costs of a gateway that authorizes transactions between a merchant and their customers.
- Chargeback fee: This fee is accessed when a customer directs the issuing bank to initiate a chargeback on a merchant’s account.
- Refund fee: This fee imposed when a merchant issues a refund for an amount previously charged to a customer.
18. What if my question isn’t answered in this FAQ?
You can fill out this form and schedule a call with us – we’d be happy to answer any of your merchant-services-related queries!
