Many credit card processors do not accept digital streaming services as clients, for several reasons.
First, it is obvious, but most digital streaming services are eCommerce transactions. eCommerce sales, because they can’t involve a chip card or magnetic swipe, but instead have the customer typing in their credit card number, are more susceptible to fraud and friendly fraud chargebacks.
Second, because digital streaming services almost always involve recurring billing, which as a categorical type of credit card charge, is more susceptible to high chargeback rates.
Third, because digital services, whether they be mobile data streaming, data reselling, live-streaming, or other digital services are relatively new. Often, credit card processing underwriters simply do not understand the industry or the service being offered, and out of an overabundance of caution, simply prohibit the industry entirely.
Global Merchant Solutions , by contrast, has been proud to serve the digital streaming industry for over 10 years. Our extensive relationships with credit card sponsor banks and schemes who specialize in underwriting businesses perceived as “high risk” enables us to confidently support these businesses (including data streaming businesses, mobile streaming apps, and all types of streaming-related apps). Moreover, our fully integrated chargeback and fraud prevention solutions, uniquely position GMS Payments to help protect our merchants from some of the inevitable risks endemic to this industry.
Global Merchant Solutions accepts a wide range of digital streaming related businesses, including apps and online services that specialize in content streaming, providing unlimited data, data streaming, streaming advertising, cord cutting, gaming live-streaming, mobile TV, and so on.
To be approved, subscription or recurring billing-based businesses must meet the the following criteria: must not offer a 7 day or 14 day free trial (unless specifically approved by underwriting); must not offer “free plus shipping fee” deals bundled in with a free trial; unless specifically approved by underwriting the maximum recurring billing contract length must be 12 or fewer months; for providers who are reselling third party services the merchant account applicant must be able to supply reseller agreements with the service providers.