What Is Payment Orchestration and Who Should Use It?
In March 2021, one of the largest global payment processors experienced a four-hour outage. Businesses faced lost revenue, with no backup or failover, and customers were unable to complete transactions. This is a good example of viewing payments as a basic utility rather than as critical infrastructure. Payments may appear simple; a customer clicks “Pay,” […]
Declined Card Retries: The Dos and Don’ts
If you’ve ever managed a business you’re familiar with that sinking feeling associated with a customer at checkout entering their card and getting a decline message. Worse, the customer abandons the cart and the opportunity disappears. In a situation where tiny improvements in authorization rates can move the revenue needle substantially, dealing with declined cards […]
Choosing the Right Processor for Embedded Payments
Embedded payments used to be a feature tucked somewhere between “nice” and “eventually.” In 2025, they sit at the center of platform strategy. Modern SaaS companies, marketplaces, telehealth providers, and service platforms increasingly rely on embedded payments not simply as infrastructure but as a core revenue engine and a competitive moat. The market has shifted: […]
How to Identify a Reliable Payment Processor
Five things most companies don’t check soon enough Choosing a payment processor isn’t like picking another software vendor. For most businesses, especially in SaaS, fintech, healthcare, or regulated markets, it’s a foundational decision. Your processor connects revenue to every other part of your operation. One clause, one misclassification, or one missed filing can create real […]
High-Risk Essentials: How to Get Approved for a Merchant Account
Why approvals are harder, what underwriters look for, and how operators in regulated or complex markets can set themselves up for success. If you operate in a high-risk industry, the merchant-account approval process can feel opaque. One provider says yes. One says no. Another says yes but only if you change your checkout flow, your KYC integration, or your […]
How to Prevent Chargebacks and Win More Disputes
Chargebacks are one of the most persistent and expensive challenges in modern commerce. They disrupt cash flow, create operational overhead, and, if left unmanaged, can trigger increased scrutiny from card networks. For industries like telehealth, digital pharmacy, hospitality, and subscription-based services, dispute rates can rise even faster due to strict compliance expectations and the complexity […]
What is a high-risk merchant account?
A high-risk merchant account is a type of payment processing account for businesses that are more prone to chargebacks, fraud, or regulatory scrutiny. High-risk merchants often operate in industries like adult entertainment, CBD, supplements, online gambling, and travel. These are sectors that banks and traditional payment processors view as risky. If you’ve ever had your […]
Credit Card Industry Laws
In addition to the Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards enforced by the major credit card brands, federal regulations dictate how credit cards are allowed to be issued, processed and handled. Under section 6050W of the IRS tax code that came with the Housing Assistance Act of 2008, payment processors are required to submit an annual 1099-K […]
Supplement & Nutraceutical Merchant Account
Learn about the risk factors associated with supplement/nutraceutical businesses and how to shield yours from financial loss to maximize profits when setting up a merchant account. “Nutraceutical” is a buzzword in the supplements industry, but what exactly does it mean? It’s a combination of the words “pharmaceutical” and “nutrition,” and a category of the umbrella […]