High risk

eCommerce merchant accounts

Card-not-present sales carry more fraud risk than in-store sales, especially for new or fast-growing stores. We place online stores with processors that knowingly accept them, then stay on the account with you after approval.

Why underwriters look closely at eCommerce

Card-not-present fraud

Online sales carry more fraud than in-person sales, and new stores are a favorite target.

Little or no history

Without past statements, underwriters have nothing to judge you by, so they start cautious.

Delivery promises

Long shipping times, backorders and preorders lead to “not received” disputes.

A payment setup that fits

How we usually set up online stores. Your consultant tailors it to how you actually sell.

  1. 1

    A gateway that fits your cart

    Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and most carts connect to a dedicated merchant account through a gateway.

  2. 2

    Fraud tools from day one

    Address and CVV checks, 3-D Secure and velocity limits.

  3. 3

    Tracking sent automatically

    Shipping emails with tracking cut “where is my order” disputes.

What you’ll need to apply

Have these ready and your application moves faster. Your consultant confirms the exact list for the processor you’re matched with.

  • Government ID for every owner with 25% or more
  • Voided business check or bank letter
  • Recent business bank statements
  • Recent processing statements, if you have taken cards before
  • Articles of incorporation and EIN letter
  • A website with clear pricing, refund, cancellation and contact details
  • Supplier or fulfillment details
  • Business address and customer-service contact shown on the site

Why applications get declined, and how to avoid it

  • Replica or trademark-infringing products
  • No contact details or physical address on the site
  • Shipping times not stated

We review your website, policies and statements against these before anything is submitted.

Get startedFor online stores. Two minutes to start, and a consultant calls you back.
Get started

Keeping the account healthy after approval

Getting approved is half the job. These habits keep your account in good standing, and our platform tracks the numbers behind them for you.

  • State shipping times on every product page
  • Send tracking automatically
  • Answer “where is my order” emails within a day
How our consulting after approval works See how we’d watch an account like yoursClick through the hub with sample data: the dispute ratios, approvals, fees and deposits we track for online stores.Try the demo

eCommerce: common questions

Can I keep my Shopify store?

Yes. Shopify works with third-party gateways, though it adds its own fee when you don’t use Shopify Payments. We’ll compare the total cost with you.

Why is my new store considered high risk?

No processing history and card-not-present sales. A few clean months on a dedicated account usually improves your terms.

What if Stripe or PayPal froze my funds?

We’ll get you onto a dedicated account and help you document orders and refunds to speed up the release.

What happens after I’m approved?

We keep working with you. Our platform gives you one view of every account, and we review your chargebacks, approval rate, fraud tools and fees with you so the account stays healthy and gets cheaper over time.

Related industries

Talk to a payments consultant

Tell us about your business. We’ll tell you which processor fits, what it should cost, and how we’ll keep it optimized after you’re approved.