The January InterNext is my favorite of the adult Web shows, and one reason is that since it is the largest, many companies use it as their venue of choice to announce new and innovative products and services – and this past Expo proved to be no exception. One of the most intriguing new offerings I found there was an alternative VISA-based billing mechanism dubbed “epassporte” – a unique service beneficial to both consumers as well as Webmasters, and brought to market by our friends at Epoch:
Over the past several months, Epoch has been working toward the launch of “epassporte” – a new product that will change the way business is done on the Internet. Today, this product has now become a reality; and a reality which promises a variety of benefits worth exploring. I had a chance to briefly review the epassporte program both before and during the show, but I was still left with a few simple questions; questions which I’ll be asking Rand from Epoch to shed some light upon in an upcoming XBiz exclusive interview. But first, a little background on epassporte:
A Brief Background
In it’s simplest terms, epassporte is a Visa debit card as well as a PLUS ATM card. Providing an answer to billing for previously blocked transactions, epassporte has a virtually unlimited number of potential applications; one of which is a solution for processing high-risk and previously blocked transactions that might not otherwise be accepted due to scrubbing.
It is also an anonymous way for consumers to buy adult entertainment, plus other products and services online, without the charges appearing on their regular credit card statement, and with the limited risk that comes from not using their ‘regular‘ credit card for online purchases from unknown vendors. Epassporte also includes peer-to-peer payment functionality, which has virtually limitless applications.
epassporte functions just like any other Visa card for online transactions and can be obtained in real-time in virtually seconds from epassporte's homepage. The epassporte Virtual Visa is to be used exclusively for online purchases, and is available for use immediately, since the card number, expiration date, and CVV2 number are obtained at the moment that the epassporte account is opened. Balance funds for this Virtual Visa account may be loaded or reloaded from any Visa or MasterCard. Once the epassporte is loaded with a stored value, the Virtual Visa is created instantly, totally online, and ready to use for online purchases.
Surfers who live in a country whose transactions have been blocked can now make online purchases using their pre-funded epassporte debit card. Since the surfers' credit card is charged using a special code to load the Virtual Visa, it is extremely difficult to perform a charge back. Additionally, using the epassporte will provide anonymity for the surfer because all online purchases will appear only in the epassporte electronic account statement – and never on a mailed credit card statement.
A companion product to the epassporte Virtual Visa is the epassporte Visa Electron card. A ‘physical’ card which arrives in about 10 days, the epassporte VISA Electron card allows users to get cash at ATMs bearing the PLUS and / or VISA logo, or to make purchases at PIN-based merchants anywhere Visa is accepted. epassporte lets consumers make purchases safely online or all over the world, using one account, with two unique numbers.
It’s Not Just for Consumers
epassporte is much more than a billing tool, it is also an innovative peer-to-peer payment mechanism which allows users to move funds to any other epassporte account holder around the world, at any time, with the click of a button. Using epassporte costs less than the price of a postage stamp to transfer funds from one account holder to another, with no minimum or maximum amount limits.
This means no more wire fees; no more checks to write, stamp and mail; no more Federal Express or UPS charges when you’re sending payments to your affiliates; no waiting for the check to arrive; and foreign webmasters will have no further problems with receiving funds in a timely manner and without unnecessary consequences or any additional costs. Webmasters can pay their affiliates, hosting providers, talent, or anyone that they normally send payments to, with this easy and convenient payment method.
Altogether, the epassporte system may help increase consumer confidence in using their credit card for the purchase of online erotica, and provide an easy way for Webmasters to reduce their charge back ratios and simplify their payment processes. Still, I (and many of you, I’m sure) have a few questions about this exciting new product. Stay tuned for my interview with Rand, and we’ll all learn the answers!