If you are in a business that the financial industry considers particularly high risk, you are likely to run into a few bureaucratic snafus when trying to obtain a merchant account or credit card processor. Certain industries, such as the adult industry, gambling industry, and travel industry tend to fall into the high risk field due to a high degree of fraud, money laundering, et cetera in these fields, and ethical businesses in these industries unfortunately get tarred with the same brush. If you are an ethical businessperson and would like the typical financial accounts and processing services that others are able to obtain more easily, start seeking out high risk merchant account providers as soon as possible.
This does not mean, however, that you should settle for a high risk merchant account provider that charges outrageous fees and percentages for payment processing. While you are going to typically pay a bit more to a high risk merchant account provider in order to mitigate their risk, an ethical businessperson should still be able to find a reasonable rate from a decent high risk merchant account provider out there. Fortunately, the advent of the web has made it easier than ever before to find the right high risk merchant account provider for you.
To find out what you should be paying in fees and charges to a high risk merchant account in your situation, use the web to first do your research on the matter. Look up how much similar industries in your general area are likely to pay their high risk merchant account providers on average, and do not let any company talk you into paying significantly more than the average rate. Never be afraid of a polite negotiation, as this can set you on the track to a much lower rate overall, and better terms for yourself and your customers by extension.