opinion

Revelations - Xbiz Summer Forum & Billing

As the Xbiz Summer Forum wrapped up last week I enjoyed the opportunity to moderate the panel focused on Visa regulations, good business practices, and the card associations’ rules, past, present and future. My panelists included card processing authorities Cathy Beardsley of Segpay/CommerceGate/DHD, Mitch Farber of Netbilling, Steve Bryson of OrbitalPay, Dennis DelaRosa of OnlineIPS.net, and Doug Wickes of CCBill.

Our discussions centered on recent new VISA rule enforcement emphasis, guidance on compliance issues, and understanding the regulations faced by merchants every day. Among others, attendee Daniel Hogue, camworld.com CEO, contributed some incisive questions eliciting detailed answers to specific compliance requirements across programs and sites. The depths of the combined panelists’ knowledge was certainly tested here. This Xbiz offering was not your typical vanilla tradeshow billing seminar.

Topics covered included internal and external cross sale limits and exclusions, affects on merchant account holders versus those using third party processors, differences between Visa and MasterCard on all topics, content guidelines and monitoring, history and significance of the Visa regions, descriptors, scrubbing, intentional and unintentional questionable billing practices, common merchant mistakes, and suspicious activity and freezing of funds. The bottom line was a mostly positive future outlook from a particularly well informed group delivering the real goods without hedging.

A post-Visa adult world was also discussed and the panelists unanimously agreed that VISA will not leave the space, but compliance enforcement, fraud prevention and vigorous monitoring of merchant relationships and activities would all continue to intensify to the benefit of cardholders.

I especially enjoyed the moderation, as Webbilling does not provide merchant accounts or process credit cards and therefore is not affected by card association rules; Webbilling provides a non-card payment platform for Europe to pair with and augment credit card processing for extra revenue from the same traffic. With knowledge of processing but no dog in the show, my questions generated a spirited hour of discussion and great attendee participation. For information and introductions to panelists and information on the Webbilling EU non-card payment solutions, write Marketing@Webbilling.com NOW, and watch for more straightforward relevant panels at future Xbiz events.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

From Compliance Chaos to Crypto Clarity: Making the Case for Digital Payments in Adult

These are uncertain times for adult merchants. With compliance tightening and age verification mandates rising, the barrier to entry keeps getting higher.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

How Managing Inventory With AI Helps Retailers Stock Smarter

If you’ve ever stood in a stockroom looking at a wall of unsold merchandise, then you know this basic truth: Your inventory is an asset — until it starts gathering dust. But how do we predict what customers want? That’s the eternal retail dilemma.

Zondre Watson ·
opinion

A Retail Guide for Boosting Sales in the Often-Overlooked Nipple Play Category

When it comes to sex toys, one area of the body that often gets overlooked by both consumers and salespeople is the nipples. Even though human nipples are packed with nerve endings and are sensitive and responsive across genders, they frequently get ignored as a focus for pleasure products — usually simply because nipple toys are small and come in tiny packaging.

Sara Gaffoor ·
profile

FSC's Valentine Leads Charge for Sex Worker Rights and Financial Access

Before ever stepping into a courtroom, Valentine already understood the power of presence. After all, they’ve shimmied on stages as a burlesque performer, consulted behind the scenes for creative businesses and moved through the adult industry not just as an advocate, but as a participant.

Jackie Backman ·
profile

Peppermint on Finding Beauty Beyond Breast Cancer

I never thought it would happen to me. After all, I had done all the “right things” to stay healthy, so in the summer of 2020 when I felt a lump in my left breast, I was convinced it was nothing more than a cyst. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. Yet a quiet voice inside still whispered, “But what if…?”

Peppermint ·
opinion

What Sexual Wellness Brands Can Learn From Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is an undeniable cultural force, but her superpower isn’t just music. From surprise album drops on podcasts to billion-dollar tours, the Swiftie empire has turned into a global movement in large part thanks to effective marketing.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

Frightfully Fun Ways to Boost Spooky Season Sales and Fan Interaction

Halloween is one of those magical marketing windows where fans are already primed for fun, costumes and a little mischief. For clip creators, that means October is a golden opportunity to drive engagement and boost income with seasonal promotions.

Megan Stokes ·
opinion

How Humor Breaks the Ice in Adult Retail

Laughter sells. That’s especially true in our industry. Where vulnerability and curiosity walk through the door together, humor can help turn hesitation into comfort.

Alexandra Bouchard ·
profile

Eva Maxim on Serving Tricks, Treats and Trans Power

Eva Maxim is fresh off a plane, running on no sleep — and still glowing. She gushes about a costume she’s planning for an upcoming photo shoot, all gold accents and attitude. She’s been scouting a location for it.

Jackie Backman ·
Show More