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High-risk payment processing
Tasker Payment Gateways LLC in South Portland, ME, helps e-commerce businesses process credit card payments for restricted or regulated goods. Founded by Matt Tasker, Tasker Payment Gateways offers payment gateway integrations and merchant account recommendations to USA-based tactical, premium cigars, vape, pipes and glass, indie video game makers, and other online merchants that struggle to find credit card processing.
Tasker started the business two decades ago when he noticed a gap in the credit card processing industry. “I've been doing this for over 20 years. I did retail—regular credit card processing, and it became obvious that there was a real need for merchants selling high-risk products that the major credit card processors wouldn’t service. People don’t always realize that processing credit cards is something you need to be approved for.”
The business owner further explained that some of his customers invested significant money into online stores only to learn later that the credit card processor denied their business for one of several reasons. “It can be catastrophic for lots of real people. And they're not always doing something that's regulated. Sometimes it's just an industry or service that the bank doesn't have a lot of history on, and they don’t know what the risk is.”
When asked for an example business, Tasker said that collectible knives and swords are considered high-risk products. “I see a lot more collectible knives and blades. If you sell collectible Japanese swords, it would never occur to you that you can't do that. You might sell all sorts of other collectible things, but you get shut down because you're selling collectible knives and swords and things like that on the internet. Merchants have no idea that those are prohibited by most major credit card processors.”
At the heart of Tasker Payment Gateway’s business is helping other small business owners make a living. Twenty years ago, Tasker started out serving businesses selling nutritional supplements and online coaching services. “It was people that needed help, nutritional supplements and online coaching, and things like that that would get lumped with pyramid scheme businesses. The payment processor didn't want to expend the resources to determine whether or not the business was legitimate. So, they just blanket say no, which, again, is a pretty big deal to somebody who's running a legitimate business and has employees and loans, and all of a sudden declined. Or one of my most common phone calls is a business that has been up and running for years and got shut down. The payment processor got purchased, or their terms and conditions changed, or they had one complaint that raised the flag.”
Tasker helps high-risk merchants with credit card processing by connecting them to independent agents, payment processors and software companies that will get their credit card processing sorted out. “High-risk payment processing is complex and involves many moving parts,” Tasker said. Therefore, he takes time to understand each client's unique needs and provides personalized support throughout the process. “Our commitment is to make accepting payments stress-free for our clients," he said.
Additionally, Tasker noted that one concern many merchants have is the ability to use their preferred site builders, such as Shopify or WooCommerce. Tasker Payment Gateways provides them with compatible payment processing solutions.
Twenty-plus years of business ownership is an accomplishment. And Tasker attributes his success to building solid relationships and his vast industry knowledge, using the premium cigar industry as an example. “So, over the years, I've built up over 20 years of relationships and industry knowledge that says, hey, if you want to sell premium cigars, that's actually one of the biggest things we do right now. Premium cigar-businesses can't sell cigarettes on the internet. You can't sell cheap cigars on the internet, but you can sell premium cigars on the internet legally. So those people call me, and I place them with a payment processor that not only takes their business but appreciates it.”
Originally from Buffalo, NY, Tasker enjoys his life in Maine. “My wife and I, we've been together for 20 years. My family's here. And it's really a lovely place. I enjoy being able to go and stare at the ocean and listen to the waves on a stormy day.”
For more information about Tasker Payment Gateways LLC, check out their BBB profile. To learn more about BBB and read more stories like this, visit Behind the Business Stories with BBB in Eastern MA, ME, RI & VT.
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