While the adult industry is quite like the broader entertainment industry in many aspects, it is fraught with far more obstacles, especially when it comes to payment processing.
Like any business, adult sites need all the typical technology and assets working behind the scenes to ensure optimum functionality: a back end, front end, design, visual assets, marketing, branding, payment processing and more.
Without heightened security, potential customers might not feel comfortable completing payments even after they have already been convinced to buy your adult goods or services.
All types of adult businesses have the potential to generate hefty profits due to the world’s never-ending thirst for pornography — and yet, mainstream B2B services often turn down the opportunity to earn a share of those profits because of stigma and legal complications.
Those services that do opt to work with the adult industry are often less known than the major players that serve other industries. That’s why it is critical to thoroughly vet payment providers to ensure smooth, safe and speedy operations.
There are many things to consider when evaluating providers, but three critical points stand out as the key components to consider above anything else: speed, trust and security.
EVERY TRANSACTION SHOULD BE UNCOMPROMISINGLY SECURE
Many payment processors falsely claim they are “secure” just to get business from potential merchants who may be too trusting and naïve about this type of service. They may advertise seals of approval or guarantees that are not attached to real standards.
The best way to be sure your payment processor is truly secure is to confirm they adhere to the highest standards of encryption and handling of sensitive information, like AES-256, which is nearly uncrackable via brute-force methods.
Another important consideration related to security is the flow of each transaction and the ease-of-use your customers will experience. Transactions should feel comfortable and satisfying to your customers rather than produce a sense of fear or worry. The best payment platforms assure users of their security without intimidating them with jargon they do not understand.
To ensure security and user comfort, the world’s best payment services employ tools like the following:
- SSL connections
- PCI certificates
- Card tokenization
- Three-domain secure authentication
- Anti-fraud detection
According to payment processor Merchant Savvy, as quoted by Finances Online, “Global payment fraud has tripled, rising from $9.84 billion in 2011 to $32.39 billion in 2020. It is projected to exceed $40.62 billion in 2027 — 25% higher than in 2020.” Without heightened security, potential customers might not feel comfortable completing payments even after they have already been convinced to buy your adult goods or services. If users feel their information may be mishandled or transmitted in an insecure manner, they will likely change their minds and leave your site, never to return.
YOUR PAYMENTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE HANDLED SWIFTLY
Website load times are critical in maintaining your user base, and payment transfer times are no different. According to Econsultancy:
- One in four people abandon a website that takes longer than four seconds to load.
- 46% of users do not revisit websites that perform poorly.
- 64% of paying users who were dissatisfied with their experience on a site will discontinue paying and find another source.
- A one-second delay in a website feature reduces satisfaction by 16%.
Depending on the type of business, users are typically trying to access your adult content through a paywall, purchase sex toys or pay for other such goods and services. If they have to go through multiple steps to complete a transaction, they may get frustrated or impatient and move on to another site. Losing potential customers at this stage of the process can be devastating for a business. These pitfalls can usually be avoided by working with a provider that rapidly sends user payment information to a verification service, with approvals received in a couple of seconds.
Paying by card is by far the fastest and most common form of payment, but not all customers want their online purchases recorded with their banks. To work around this issue, it is becoming increasingly popular to use cryptocurrency to pay for adult ecommerce transactions. However, not all providers support crypto payments. Only specialized payment processors are equipped to quickly, securely and efficiently handle both traditional and modern forms of payment.
PROCESSORS SHOULD BE KNOWN AND RESPECTED ACROSS THE INDUSTRY
No part of a business is more important than its reputation, because its reputation is proof that it has performed honestly and ethically, and with high-quality results for its clients and customers.
Yet finding information about providers within the adult industry can be difficult simply because some of the most popular services usually fly under the radar. This is where having a network of trusted contacts is useful. Learning about proven solutions and finding out which providers other successful sites are using is a great way to gauge trust and decide which providers to work with.
Next time you are looking to onboard a new service provider to handle your financial transactions, be sure that you've found a speedy, secure and ethical provider before sealing the deal. This will protect your business' health and profits, leaving fewer obstacles in the way of your success.
Ilya Firsov has a background in the automotive, finance and various adult industries, with experience in sales, affiliate marketing and IT projects. He is currently the head of sales for Certus Finance and responsible for marketing and branding. With a background in high-risk processing, Certus has the ability to process for companies in the U.S., EU, Australia and other regions around the world.
