Feature Articles

opinion

An Ethical Approach to Global Tech Staffing

One thing my 24-year career as a technologist working to support the online adult entertainment industry has taught me about is the power of global staffing. Without a doubt, I have achieved significantly more business success as a direct result of hiring abroad.

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Finding the Right Payment Partner

Whenever I am talking with businesses that are just getting started, one particular question comes up a lot: “How do I get a merchant account?” It’s a simple question, but it has a complicated answer.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The Taxman Cometh for Every Business

February may be the month of romance, but it is also a time when we need to think about something that inspires very little love: taxes. April is not far away, and the taxman is always waiting. This year, federal and most state income taxes are due Monday, April 15.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

The Continuous Journey of Legal Compliance in Adult

The adult entertainment industry is teeming with opportunity but is also fraught with challenges, from anticipating consumer behavior to keeping up with technological innovation. The most labyrinthine of all challenges, however, is the world of legal compliance.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

New Year, New Tools for Tackling Chargebacks

Happy New Year! Looking back, 2023 saw some important developments for the industry. Visa lowered the limit on credit card surcharges to 3%, AI continued growing fast and Mastercard published an update to its Business Risk Assessment and Mitigation (BRAM) program.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The Next Frontier in Computing, Storage Is Here

While I typically steer clear of diving too deeply into the technical nitty-gritty, in this month’s column I’m making an exception, because there’s a technological evolution underway that has the potential to fundamentally enhance technical outcomes and, more importantly, grow revenue.

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Raising Awareness and Taking Action Against Financial Discrimination

While foes of the adult entertainment industry often focus on “moral” concerns and perpetuate social stigmas, another form of attack can be equally or even more damaging: financial discrimination.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Beyond DMCA Takedowns: Exploring Alternative Avenues

Most content creators recognize that inevitably, their content will be leaked on pirate sites, forums and file lockers. The most responsible and successful creators have therefore implemented a strategy to protect their valuable intellectual property.

Lawrence Walters ·
opinion

The Mainstreaming of Pleasure Products: Boom or Doom?

Not all that long ago, the idea that you might pick up a sex toy at the same drugstore or big box store where you do the rest of your shopping seemed unlikely at best. But today, with attitudes toward sexual wellness shifting, our category has hit the mainstream.

Sean Quinn ·
opinion

The ABCs of KYB and KYC

As a payment processor, we devote a lot of time and energy to applying two crucial principles: Know Your Business (KYB) and Know Your Customer (KYC). If you’ve engaged in this process, you know how difficult it can be, but we go through it to be sure we are onboarding a good merchant.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Navigating the Ever-Evolving Needs of Your Customers

Since it’s your customers who keep you in business, understanding as much as you can about them should be at the core of your strategy. That’s true whether you’re marketing to attract new customers or making logistical improvements to ensure your current customers are satisfied.

Juicy Jay ·
opinion

Guard Against Credit Card Fraud During the High Season of Sales

Along with the spike in sales, however, December also sees an unfortunate increase in credit card fraud. In this article, we will explore why that is, as well as provide tips on how to safeguard your business and customers against potential threats.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Beware of Social Engineering Hacks

In case you’ve never heard of social engineering hacks, they are cyberattacks that prey on individual people. The intent is to get victims to divulge private information or take actions, precisely planned by the attacker, that will lead to a security breach.

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

How to Stay Off the Compliance Naughty List

No reward comes without a little work. For merchants taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by payment processing, that work includes the underwriting and compliance processes — which can be a bit of a challenge.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

Ensuring Subscription Billing Is a Win-Win for Businesses, Customers

Subscription billing is one of the fundamental cornerstones of our industry. Marketing practices and processing technologies have evolved, but the basic concept has remained unchanged.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

The Importance of a Modern Tech Stack

You’ve built your website or platform. It is a fantastic piece of software, it works — and even better, your customers love it. You’re done developing, so now you can fire all your developers and not renew your contractor agreements. Right?

Brad Mitchell ·
opinion

Unpacking Mastercard's Enhanced Communication Path

Sharing information is important between card associations and service providers like payment facilitators and independent payment operators. In those relationships, information typically flows from the card brands to the acquirers, and then to service providers.

Cathy Beardsley ·
opinion

A Steady Pace & Realistic Goals Are Vital for Empire Building

I’ve seen countless websites and businesses fail to launch because the project exceeded the budget for development, and nothing was left for marketing or building a team. The dreaded cash crash.

Juicy Jay ·
opinion

Unveiling the Future With Mastercard's New AI Rules

As technology advances at an unprecedented pace, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in driving innovation across industries has become crucial. The financial services sector, in particular, has recognized the potential of AI to improve efficiency, accuracy and customer experience.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Eyes on the Site: Strategies for 24/7 Website Monitoring

Back in the 1990s, there were all sorts of companies that would scan your website and let you know if and when it ever went down. Ah, the memories. Site monitoring has since advanced far beyond those humble beginnings. Today, most websites are more complex, and checking whether one is online or not is not as simple as it used to be.

Brad Mitchell ·
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