Credit card processing for dating sites presents a higher level of risk for payment service providers. This is mainly due to the fickle nature of the customers who use these sites, which may cause headaches for the merchant when trying to obtain online dating credit card processing. Some customers may pay the monthly fee, only to be unimpressed with the selection available or the overall results. Others may find a match quickly and no longer have use for the site, and thus want to cancel their memberships. Some folks have negative experiences with other users that make them want to abruptly cancel membership and obtain a refund. In all these cases, chargebacks become an issue. Unfortunately, any chargeback negatively affects an online dating merchant account, regardless if it was valid or not. A customer might have such a bad experience with a site that, instead of cancelling and requesting a refund, he or she just calls his or her bank to charge back the order.
High chargebacks can result in fines for the merchant, and if the problem gets large enough, its online dating merchant account could be terminated. If this situation happens, the merchant may struggle in the future to obtain additional credit card processing for dating sites. To avoid this serious problem, merchants must offer their members a clean and easy refund policy. If members are able to cancel with a click of a button, chances of them disputing a charge that may hurt a site’s dating merchant account are greatly diminished. Online dating sites are also advised to credit partial refunds for the ultimate positive customer service experience. Another method to help keep customers happy is to offer a free subscription trial before signing up for the site. This way, customers get the feel of the site and see if it’s what they are expecting before committing to a monthly membership.
Another challenge for merchants trying to obtain online dating credit card processing is when they use a recurring payment model. Recurring payments of any type can be an issue for merchants, since their customers are automatically charged each month. Some customers may not be aware they are signing up for a monthly membership and end up disputing the charge, which negatively affects that merchant’s online dating merchant account. Site owners must ensure their customers are properly informed of the membership terms and the cost of the monthly membership. Merchants would be wise to have a recognizable descriptor or name, as well. This way, when customers see the charge on their credit card statements, they know who has submitted the fee.
Another issue that online dating merchant accounts may experience with running their site: Their online reputation might be tarnished by unhappy customers. Once customers have a bad experience with a site, they are more likely to post this “feedback” to an online community. Dating sites need to be sure they are offering every member the best possible experience to avoid damaging the service’s reputation.
