Automotive Merchant Accounts driving you to the edge?

Let’s say that when you start out setting up your eCommerce platform, you choose a company like PayPal for your credit card processing. However, this option doesn’t quite work out.

But why is that? The simple answer is that PayPal, Square, and Stripe (also called payment aggregators) as well as institutions like Wells Fargo or even TransFirst (examples of low or no risk credit card processors) simply do not want your business.

They are developed to serve very specific kinds of retailers, which, unfortunately, do not consist of high risk merchants. This is because they do not have the underwriting or risk management processes in place that high risk credit card processors like PayKings do. These features help mitigate the probability of loss.

The hard part, however, is that the sales representatives at low risk credit card processors and the auto-approval department at payment aggregators do not inform you that they cannot approve your business. In some instances, they approve your small business, and then, just when the company starts processing payments, the processor drops you in just a few weeks.

That’s because those very low risk processors and aggregators perform their underwriting once you have started accepting payments, unlike high risk credit card payment processors who take care of that on the front end. And while the procedure is easier and usually cheaper going through an aggregator or low risk processor, plenty of automotive businesses fall into the trap of applying using a low risk provider.

Getting An Auto Merchant Account

If you conduct a legit organization and pay bills when they’re due, why would your business still be considered high risk? Well, in certain verticals like automobile parts, high risk comes with the types of times you sell.

The automobile industry can be filled with people selling fake parts or trying to create a new scamp. The reason for this is that historically if you’re selling car parts, truck gear, or other items for your vehicles, your business has a higher risk of loss exposure for your sponsor bank and credit card processor.

Automobile Warranty Payment Processing

If you sell auto parts by means of a credit card, the client has six weeks to dispute the charge. Alternatively, you may be selling warranties. As you know, your extended warranty does not cover everything. So, when a client has purchased a warranty simply to learn it does not cover their particular problem, they are likely going to file a chargeback.

As the extended warranty company owner, it’s your job to respond to that chargeback and acquire it. If you do not have sufficient money in your bank account to pay to avoid those chargeback funds being pulled out, then it comes to your credit card processor and their sponsor bank to cover the refund.

When there’s a good deal of chargebacks, it can mean a great deal of financial risk for the auto warranty company’s credit card processor. And that is why auto warranty businesses are considered to be high risk.

How Can PayKings Help With My Automotive Merchant Account?

The difference between an automotive company that can accept credit cards regularly for years and one that loses their automobile merchant account after a matter of weeks depends greatly on how well they operate to minimize and manage chargebacks.

Because the automotive parts industry is dominated by relatively small companies, many don’t acknowledge this fact until it’s too late. Therefore, their merchant accounts cannot be saved, leaving them unable to accept credit card payments in the future.

Auto companies are one of the biggest high risk businesses in terms of chargebacks because they get attacked by and are susceptible to what’s called a “friendly chargeback.”

What is a friendly chargeback? It pertains to situations in which the consumer has officially used their credit card to make a purchase. Afterward,  they decide to dispute the charge. Normally, in the context of auto warranties, this is because the client was dissatisfied with the service provided or considers that a claim should have been covered, but was not.

An automotive merchant account has a danger of cascading friendly chargebacks.

Used Car Dealership Merchant Accounts

For instance, a used dealership business might provide annual loans to their customers. A natural disaster in that region might cause hundreds of clients to submit legitimate claims at precisely the exact same moment. That might bankrupt the automobile provider and they might be unable to support everyone’s claims to repair their used vehicles.

This might lead to a cascading effect where dozens or hundreds of other clients begin to initiate chargebacks. Ultimately, bankrupting the company and leaving the credit card processor liable for your losses.

In any case, save yourself the time and hassle of applying and then promptly getting dropped, or being set up to accept credit card payments. Lastly, they get shut down due to excessive chargebacks. Apply with a high risk merchant account supplier that accepts automotive merchant accounts. Choose a reputable and reliable company like PayKings.

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