Payment Processors

[Funtimes]

So for a while I have used Paypal's Payflow payment processor to do some of my online stuff. However, I'm considering getting a FFL for a homebased business to do some minor gunsmithing / repairs / retail etc.

It kind of dawned on me that since I will actually be selling guns I cannot use paypal anymore. Previously, my stuff was mostly in the realm of 'training' so it was fine. Now, one thing that confuses me, I am using payflow - so I'm not sure if it falls under the same rules. I cannot for the life of me find a similar "acceptable use" policy like PayPal itself has.

What do you guys use for payment processing and/or have found to be the best option for processing?

[audiophil2]

You will either have to go with a high risk processor or sweet talk a small local bank. None of the majors will touch you once you tell them homes based and dealing guns.

Google high risk credit card processor and you will find many choices.

[ugimports]

There are a few out there:
Eureka Payments (here in the forums somewhere)
Transnational
EMS+
Payment Alliance International
TSYS

I'm sure there's others that I can't remember off the top of my head.

[Funtimes]

Thank you! The hate for firearms and payments sucks. Especially since I did all the work fixing the wordpress theme, shopping cart theme, and then linking that up with the current payment processor. To do all of it over again makes me want to cringe . But I already pay a monthly fee for payflow pro, so I might as well shift to someone who likes guns.

[swtjames23]

Hey, I know this is a few days old but I know one of the owners of Eureka Payments and he's a real good guy. Loves guns too. Used to race at the local raceway, pretty involved in the community. Just wanted to throw that out there. Good luck with your new business!

[acespawnshop]

Dumb question but I process all my credit card payments through BofA. Why not just go that route?

[audiophil2]

Dumb question but I process all my credit card payments through BofA. Why not just go that route?

Is your pawn shop in your home? Did you get your account recently?

Fewer and fewer banks and processing companies are taking gun dealers. The few that still take them are requiring the business to be in a retail storefront.

Home based gun dealers and internet based sales are usually cleared through high risk processors that lump online/home sales gun dealers in the same category as online porn and offshore gambling sites. That's why I inferred that the OP should talk to a local bank. Sometimes they will vouch for a customer.

[Funtimes]

Yeah it looks like I will be having to go with Payment Alliance through the NRA's program. Their prices don't look too - too different from what I am paying right now for Payflow pro.

But they seem like cars salesmen; I'm pretty sure they know our business is super low risk and just want as many people to sign up as possible lol.

[arcangelwis]

Check into your Costco or Sam Club, they have business services that offer cc through Firstdata usually. I recommend them because the contract and rates are pre negotiated through Samsclub. No surprises, cheapest way to go low monthly costs and $39 cancellation at any time. You must go through Sams CLub website to get the pre negotiated rates and contract. Kevin

[acespawnshop]

WOW really? I didn't know banks were being that much of a pain in the *** to deal with. Obviously my place is a storefront and I have never had to deal with not having a store. But wow! This is the first I've ever heard that this is an issue!!!

[ugimports]

WOW really? I didn't know banks were being that much of a pain in the *** to deal with. Obviously my place is a storefront and I have never had to deal with not having a store. But wow! This is the first I've ever heard that this is an issue!!!

You're also primarily a pawn shop. I bank with Wells Fargo and when CC processing came up I said I was firearms and they told me nope, can't do it. You should be careful in letting your bankers know you do firearms as well as they could drop your processing at their discretion.

[Funtimes]

Check into your Costco or Sam Club, they have business services that offer cc through Firstdata usually. I recommend them because the contract and rates are pre negotiated through Samsclub. No surprises, cheapest way to go low monthly costs and $39 cancellation at any time. You must go through Sams CLub website to get the pre negotiated rates and contract. Kevin

You know, I didn't even think about this. I wont' be doing high volume of sales, probably less than <10k for a while, so this was good to know. I'm an executive member so there no statement fees or application fees with costco's vendor.

I wonder what the bad part of not telling them I do firearms would be. Currently, I don't depend on the income to survive, so I guess if something happened it would be a big deal, but not really a huge deal.

[Canucky]

We used first data be warned they suck.

[ugimports]

...
I wonder what the bad part of not telling them I do firearms would be. Currently, I don't depend on the income to survive, so I guess if something happened it would be a big deal, but not really a huge deal.

Funds could get frozen and it could stop working with no notice.. may not suck too much, but if, for example, you collected 2k for a firearm and it got frozen you are out the 2k and still owe the firearm to your customer till you get CC Processing sorted out... that could be a single high end AR for example... if you have expendable cash to cover such an event then no big deal...all depends how you're going to run things.

[Canucky]

Funtimes google First Data Complaints.