According to Statista.com, it is predicted that by the year 2024, there will be almost 280 million customers using online dating platforms. The “global revenue” of matchmaking dating services is forecasted to reach well over $2.5 billion, also by the year 2024.
Allied Market Research cites that this growing trend in the last twenty years is a result of the increasing number of singles worldwide. This is especially the case in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.
Another major factor that was attributed to the growth was the “surge in internet penetration” worldwide.
Why Is The Online Dating Industry Considered High Risk?
Although all the data points towards a highly lucrative industry, the online dating industry is certainly not without risk.
There is no question that online dating services have faced a myriad of challenges, mostly tied to their less-than forthcoming users.
Reports of catfishing (luring someone online by using a fake persona), scams,
ghosting, and even abuse are rampant on many of these online dating platforms.
All the aforementioned issues lead to an unusually high number of chargebacks, fraud, consumer complaints, and even legal problems.
Customers may not be too keen on being charged subsequent payments in the form of recurring payments or charges that are taken upfront. Chargebacks can be the result of this. If they don’t use this service as much or if they have already found a significant other, this could also result in a chargeback.
Married men and women have also been known to use these services, only for the one spouse to find out, leading to chargebacks.
When it comes to high chargeback rates, traditional merchant account providers do not want to work with these types of merchants. Most providers have developed partnerships with giants such as Visa and Mastercard, who have formulated more stringent rules and policies.
You Need A High-Risk Merchant Account
Even though traditional merchant account providers are opposed to providing online dating merchants with an account, this is not where things end.
On the contrary, online dating merchants simply need to find a reputable and trustworthy online dating merchant account provider that can best suit their business.
Before you set out to find the best provider for your online dating business, do a bit of sleuthing and look them up on the Better Business Bureau website, find reviews, and even ask your colleagues in the industry for their recommendations.
When you have found a solid provider, be sure that this provider offers its services at a fair and competitive price, offers many cards as payment options, has excellent customer support, and provides adequate chargeback mitigation resources.
Other items to look out for include: processing volume, rates and fees, multi-currency processing, and mobile payment processing.
Of equal importance is to ensure that the provider you choose has a considerable amount of expertise working with merchants within the online dating industry.
How To Apply For An Adult Dating Merchant Account
Although there are plenty of high-risk merchant account providers that can service your business, you must ensure that your establishment is operating legally at every possible level. Your business should not be guilty of engaging in any form of activity that could be considered fraudulent.
Furthermore, the security of your customers’ sensitive data should be of high priority. Therefore, you need to make sure your business follows the regulations and conditions like SSL/TLS encryption as well as PCI DSS Compliance. By following these guidelines, you can be confident that your customers’ data will be secure.
Once all of the aforementioned have been secured, it’s time to apply for your adult dating merchant account.
The process begins first with filling out an application. Most applications these days can be found directly on the provider’s website. They are quick and simple to fill out.
When you have completed your online merchant account application, get ready to have some important documentation to submit.
Depending on the provider, you may be asked to present the following documents:
- Personal or business bank statements for the last 3 months
- Your current EIN (Employee Identification Number) or Tax ID
- The DBA (Doing Business As), and legal name of your business
- Information that details the type of business you own, how you plan to charge customers, and all marketing tools used to draw in customers
After all the documentation has been properly verified, you will then be placed under what is called a “compliance process”. If you are approved, you will receive a notification that announces your approval in a few days.
Once you have received your approval, you will be partnered up with the provider in order to begin setting up your payment gateway. This will allow you to begin processing both debit and credit card payments via a shopping cart on your website.
You Can Get An Adult Dating Merchant Account
In spite of the challenges that the online dating industry is faced with, it should not deter you from acquiring an adult dating merchant account. It simply involves seeking a solid provider that has proven expertise in the high-risk industry, and if possible, the online dating industry.
With a little bit of research and knowing what you need to operate a legal operation, you should not have any problems taking part in this incredibly lucrative industry, now and for years to come.