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FINE & FASHION JEWELRY

HIGH RISK MERCHANT ACCOUNTS FOR FINE & FASHION JEWELRY.
FASTER APPROVALS. COMPETITIVE PRICING. BETTER SERVICE.

Payment Processing for the Jewelry Industry

The international jewelry market has rebounded following the global economic recession with an estimated 5 percent year-over-year annual growth. Worldwide jewelry commerce growth reached $310 billion in 2015, exceeding industry analysts’ predictions. Research and Markets’ Global Gems & Jewelry Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2019 anticipates global gems and jewelry commerce will continue to achieve a 6 percent compound annual growth rate through 2019, largely driven by growing income levels in India, China, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates.

DigiPay Solutions has created a “Jewelry Industry Primer” with important information about setting up a merchant account, controlling chargebacks, managing risk and keeping merchant accounts in good standing.

Who is DigiPay Solutions?

DigiPay Solutions is a recognized payment processing brand among jewelers, suppliers and wholesalers. The company’s extensive network of partner banks, payment experts and elite portfolio of tailored solutions has helped launch entrepreneurial start-ups and take enterprise organizations to the next level of corporate growth.

Thousands of merchants, from start-ups to enterprise-scale organizations, leverage DigiPay’s curated knowledge of high-risk payments to securely process hundreds of millions across an array of vertical industries. DigiPay works closely with the jewelry industry and supply chain, providing tailored solutions and timely advice to national and regional service providers, and helping them maintain the highest standards of banking and payment card industry compliance.

DigiPay’s team of experts, combined with our partners’ expertise in the diversified jewelry space, can help new companies launch and existing businesses grow and scale.

Fine Fashion & Jewelry Payment Processing Primer

A Brief Guide to the Jewelry Industry:

Enabling Commerce in the Jewelry Industry:

Managing Alerts, Refunds and Chargebacks:

Choosing a Payment Gateway:

Growing and Scaling Your Jewelry Business:

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A Brief Guide to the Jewelry Industry

The Jewelry Industry: An Economic Overview

Ecommerce, rising incomes and changing lifestyles are driving global jewelry market growth, according to recent studies by Research and Markets and TechSci Research cited the United States as the dominant player in diamond sales, and China and India as the largest consumers, manufacturers and processors of gold jewelry products. China accounts for 29 percent of jewelry and watch sales worldwide, followed by 20 percent in the United States and 13 percent in India, according to Euromonitor. Worldwide jewelry sales were $310 billion in 2015, and watch sales reached $64 billion, respectively achieving 5.5 percent and 4 percent increases.

Consumer adoption of precious gems and gold jewelry remains high among growing urban populations. Gold jewelry was a top-selling category in 2013, and diamond, platinum and costume jewelry consistently gain market share. Sales of fine jewelry and costume jewelry have been migrating to ecommerce platforms, especially in Asia, where online sales have achieved a 62.2 percent compound annual growth rate. McKinsey & Company expects online luxury jewelry sales to grow from 6 percent to 12 percent by 2020. The report predicts ecommerce will represent 18 percent of an estimated $79 billion in annual international sales by the year 2025.

SIC, NAICS & MCC Codes

Jewelers, industry consultants and service providers are categorized by SIC Code, NAICS Code and Visa Merchant Category Code (MCC) to comply with payment card industry requirements. Proper classification is vitally important to prevent funds from being held in reserve for misrepresentation. Following are some examples:

SIC Codes: The international jewelry market is growing, with strong performance across all categories, which include the following:

NAICS Code 44831: Jewelry Stores

MCC Codes: Jewelry industry MCC codes can be classified under different general industry codes, depending on the nature and focus of services. For example, MCC Code 5944 covers Jewelry Stores, Watches, Clocks, and Silverware Stores.

Additional information on Visa MCC can be found in this downloadable guide.

Leaders and Rising Stars

Jewelry companies range from independent specialists to enterprise-scale organizations, providing abundant choices in jewelry product and service categories. Here are some leading companies in the space:

  1. Signet Jewelers Ltd.:

    The largest specialty jewelry retailer in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, with nearly 3,000 stores in all 50 states under diversified name brands, including Kay Jewelers, Zales, Jared, The Galleria Of Jewelry, and Piercing Pagoda. Signet operates approximately 500 U.K. stores under H.Samuel and Ernest Jones brands, and nearly 200 stores in Canada mostly under the name Peoples Jewelers.

  2. Tiffany & Co.:

    New York City-based Tiffany & Co. has been in business since 1837, providing premier jewelry and décor and manufacturing and selling jewelry and luxury accessories. The company has 300 stores in 28 countries.

  3. LVMH Moët Hennessy:

    LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, an international luxury brand, sells fine jewelry and watches around the world, with its largest markets in China and Europe. Its family of brands include TAG Heuer, Carrera, Hublot and a next-generation watch category marketed by Aquaracer and Formula 1.

  4. Your Name Here:

    With your great brand story and DigiPay Solutions as your processing partner, there’s no limit to how far you can scale your company. DigiPay’s diverse, extended family of jewelry professionals process anywhere from $20,000 to millions in monthly revenue.

Interested in learning more about Publicly Traded Jewerly Companies listed on Major U.S. Exchanges? Use this link to view by Large-Cap Stocks, Mid-Cap Stocks and Small-Cap Stocks.

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Opportunities and Challenges

The jewelry market is fiercely competitive, and each industry category faces its own set of challenges and opportunities. Following are some examples:

Improve online presence: Established jewelry brands are under pressure to enhance their online presence, as consumers worldwide increasingly shop online for fine and luxury jewelry.

Improve efficiencies: Both new and emerging players compete to provide good quality, great service and proficiently fulfilling orders. To solve their logistical challenges, some companies have partnered with third-party ecommerce platforms such as Net-A-Porter or Etsy.

Innovate or perish: All jewelry retailers and eCommerce providers are feeling the pressure to innovate, as hybrid start-ups introduce new methods of selling. BlueStone and Carat Lane have introduced try-at-home business models, with in-home sales representatives who enable customers to shop in the comfort of their homes and try on jewelry before making a purchase.

Others, like Plukka, use a marketplace model to curate thousands of designs from craftspeople and their own in-house collection.

Build brand integrity and credibility: Reputation is everything in the jewelry business, because most customers buy from recognized and trusted brands, whether they are investing in fine jewelry or participating in a fast fashion trend. It takes time for a business to gain this trust. Newcomers must demonstrate credibility with quality products backed by excellent service.

Market fluctuations: The jewelry industry is subject to international trends and the fluctuating prices and value of gemstones and precious metals. For example, gold jewelry consumption fell 2.6 percent to 2,397 metric tons in 2015. Worldwide demand for gold fell the following year due to rising wholesale prices.

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Enabling Jewelry Commerce

How do I create an eCommerce Merchant Account?

Establishing a merchant account to process payments is the first step in enabling commerce. The jewelry business is classified as high-risk, making it difficult for industry service providers to qualify for merchant accounts at numerous sponsoring banks. DigiPay’s expanded network of banking relationships accepts the jewelry business category and provides competitive rates, terms and conditions.

Jewelry retailers, wholesalers and service providers find it advantageous to work with processing partners who are familiar with their industry, jargon and common business practices. Payment processing sales representatives who are not familiar with the industry may be less effective at managing relationships, due to their learning curves. By working with knowledgeable processing partners, jewelry merchants can save time and money, improve efficiencies and attract and retain more customers and followers.

Why are Jewelry Merchants Considered High-Risk?

Many banks will not accept jewelry merchants due to the industry’s higher-than-average chargeback ratio. Jewelry businesses, especially entrepreneurial start-ups, may be unfamiliar with related risks of selling high-ticket items to consumers. Related risks include fraud, refunds, chargebacks and defaults on installment plan payments due to inability to pay or misunderstanding terms and conditions.

Here are some risks commonly associated with selling jewelry:

  1. Subscriber Remorse:

    Consumers who purchase high-ticket items frequently opt in to installment plan payments. Changes in relationship or employment status may affect their ability or desire to continue reoccurring monthly payments for engagement rings or watches. Some may forget that their credit card will automatically be billed every month. Others may dispute a charge that appears on their credit card statement. Many card issuing banks require consumers to contact the merchant before they process a chargeback request.

  2. Consumer Complaints:

    Consumers may complain about quality or conditions of jewelry, or a business owner’s attitude. They do not have to prove that a representative was disrespectful. A simple complaint about a jeweler or specialist can prompt regulatory agencies to launch an investigation, creating additional exposure and negative publicity for a jewelry merchant.

  3. Lack of Infrastructure:

    Jewelry industry start-ups in the early stages of setting up their businesses may not have appropriate customer service support to deal with consumer complaints and inquiries. Consumers who are unable to communicate their concerns to merchants are more likely to turn to their payment card issuers for refunds and chargebacks.

Can DigiPay Acquire Jewelry Merchant Accounts?

Yes, at DigiPay jewelry is in our DNA. As financial services specialists, we are familiar with the industry’s unique framework and diversity of categories, business models, SIC and NAIC codes and VISA MCC. We underwrite our merchants before sending their applications to our sponsor bank.

Once new merchants establish credibility and trust with DigiPay banking partners, they receive personalized attention and ongoing risk management from DigiPay’s team of payment specialists. This personalized service, coupled with the sheer volume of transactions we process through multiple banks, ensures our merchants receive the highest level of service and support.

Choosing the right payment processing partner is critical, because without the ability to accept payments, merchants are out of business. DigiPay’s merchant onboarding process combines sophisticated technology with human oversight. Experienced underwriters who understand the jewelry industry, and have expertise in payment card brand and banking industry compliance, bring a refreshingly holistic approach to new account set-ups.

The diversified jewelry industry is rapidly expanding and DigiPay can help jewelry merchants grow and scale their businesses, with a one-stop shop for all their processing requirements. The first order of business is eliminating any barriers to progress. Look no further than DigiPay Solutions, where getting a merchant account will open doors to a bright and prosperous future.

Why is so much Information Required when Opening a Jewelry Merchant Account?

Because of the higher risk associated with the jewelry industry, more due diligence is required during the new merchant onboarding process. This means underwriters need to review a range of documents to assure the business is compliant, financially sound, and a good credit risk. DigiPay is unique because we underwrite merchants in-house before we submit their applications to the bank. Because our team of underwriters is experienced in high-risk, your business is presented to the bank with all required documents and full disclosure, to engender trust and stability.

Presenting your business in the best possible light from point of first contact is important because merchant accounts are essentially a line of credit from a processor. High-risk merchants tend to have higher chargeback ratios and increased regulatory exposure. Financial institutions are cautious about approving accounts that may violate card brand rules, laws and regulations. Complaints to the FDA and the FTC against a merchant create liability not only for merchants, but can also hold processors accountable under Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations.

DigiPay’s in-house team of underwriters and risk managers have curated knowledge in all areas of high risk. We are best qualified to guide you through the process efficiently and painlessly while helping to present your business to increase approval and gain credibility.

How do I increase my processing limits?

Once a high-risk jewelry merchant account is approved, payment processors set monthly processing limits, typically between $10,000 and $30,000 per month, for the first three-to-six-months. This gives processors time to develop a customer risk profile by evaluating payment flows, average ticket sizes, processing levels and chargeback ratios.

Jewelry businesses that maintain a stable, consistent performance throughout their initial trial periods can usually increase their processing limits. DigiPay’s risk management team works with merchants and sponsoring banks to shorten trial periods and raise processing limits.

Managing Alerts, Refunds and Chargebacks

Maintaining a low chargeback ratio is key to maintaining a healthy merchant account. When chargebacks exceed card brand maximums, your merchant account is at risk of being shut down. If a merchant category has consistently excessive chargebacks, banks will sometimes shut down an entire vertical industry. For this reason, it is critical for high risk verticals to self-regulate and work collaboratively to establish industry best practices.

DigiPay brings a deep level of understanding and expertise when it comes to chargeback management. Keep reading for advice from our industry veterans.

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How can I track my chargeback and refund ratios?

Keeping track of your Transaction Chargeback Ratio as well as your Volume Chargeback Ratio is critical because this is what Visa, Mastercard and payment processors monitor. Payment processors with high chargeback ratios in their merchant portfolios can trigger unannounced audits by Visa or Mastercard. For this reason, DigiPay, powered by TranZlytics, closely monitors chargeback and refund ratios, reacting quickly to spikes in activity. Excessive refunds, frequently the result of alerts, can be a sign of fraud or poor business practices, information the card brands and banks may consider when assessing risk.

The formulas shown below use simple math to derive Transaction Chargeback, Volume Chargeback and Refund Ratios:

  1. Transaction Chargeback Ratio:

    Add total monthly number of chargebacks and divide by total monthly number of transaction. For example – if during a month you processed 500 sales, and there were 10 chargebacks, your chargeback ratio would equal 10/500, or 2.00%.

  2. Volume Chargeback Ratio:

    Add total monthly dollar amount of all chargebacks and divide by the total monthly sales volume.
    For example – if during a month, you processed 500k in sales, and your chargebacks were 10k, your chargeback ratio would equal 10/500, or 2.00%.

  3. Transaction Refund Ratio:

    Add total monthly number of refunds and divide by total monthly number of transactions.
    For example – if during a month you processed 500 sales, and there were 10 refunds, your refund ratio would equal 10/500, or 2.00%.

  4. Volume Refund Ratio:

    Add total monthly dollar amount of all refunds and divide by the total monthly sales volume.
    For example – if during a month, you processed 500k in sales, and your refunds were 10k, your refund ratio would equal 10/500, or 2.00%.

How do I maintain low chargeback and refund ratios?

It is important not to ignore chargebacks, because win/loss ratios matter. Visa and Mastercard can impose penalties and fines in the tens of thousands on payment processors and their sponsoring banks for continuing to process transactions for merchants that exceed the permissible 2 percent chargeback ratio. Non-compliant processors and banks may also be subjected to further scrutiny and potential shut-down by card brands and regulators.

Here are some recommended ways to maintain low chargeback and refund volume ratios:

  • Stop fraud before it happens:

    Proactively identify fraudulent and stolen cards and suspicious behavior when possible. Having items like an SSL certificate, additional billing details, and other fraud detection tools.

  • Be accessible to customers:

    Dissatisfied customers who have access to live support will frequently be satisfied that they had the opportunity to air their grievances. They may be satisfied with a simple return or refund and find it unnecessary or initiate a dispute or chargeback.

  • Maintain a high transaction count:

    Companies with high levels of credit card transactions are in a better position to absorb chargebacks. Low-volume merchants can find themselves in the dubious position of having a high chargeback ratio with just a few chargebacks.

  • Maintain excellent logistics and fulfillment:

    In the always-on, always-connected world, customers expect immediate confirmations and emailed receipts. A good CRM program can automate this process. The DigiPay TranZlytics Gateway is preconfigured to display a merchant’s contact information and customer service number.

  • Use email marketing:

    Follow up with a simple survey or thank you email. This simple gesture will improve brand recognition when customers receive their credit card statements and make it easy for them to contact your company to complain.

  • Initiate pre-chargeback and refund alerts:

    Create instant notifications of incoming requests for refunds, chargebacks and assorted customer inquiries. These services can be implemented in-house or outsourced to third-party providers. Merchants have a small window to react to customer disputes before card brands rule in favor of consumers. Automated chargeback and refund alert systems help merchants mitigate risk.

  • Implement a billing support hotline:

    Providing customers with a dedicated, toll-free number and email address will alleviate their concerns and build good will. Jewelry businesses that are responsive to customer inquiries have been shown to decrease chargeback and refund ratios.

  • Create an easy refund process:

    Refunds are a reality of life and a cost of doing business in the jewelry industry. By accounting and budgeting for refunds, jewelry merchants can accommodate dissatisfied customers, avoid chargebacks and improve transaction flows.

Chargeback Mitigation Companies for Jewelry Businesses

Merchants can handle chargebacks in-house or outsource to a Chargeback Mitigation Specialist. The following companies are experienced in identifying all forms of fraud, including friendly fraud. They will investigate chargeback claims and retrieval requests on behalf of merchants:

Chargeback Mitigation Companies:

  • MIDigator*
  • Chargeback Guru*
  • Chargebacks.com
  • Chargebacks 911
  • Chargeback 360

*DigiPay Preferred Provider

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Choosing a Payment Gateway

How do I choose an eCommerce Payment Gateway?

Many jewelry merchants rely on eCommerce and Mail Order/Telephone Order (MOTO) sales to scale their businesses. Credit card payments transacted online or by phone are called Card Not Present (CNP) transactions. Online CNP transactions involve credit card gateways that transmit payments from merchants to their payment processors.

Following is a list of recommended attributes of payment gateways that address the unique requirements of the jewelry industry:

Support multiple merchant account IDs (MIDs):

Many jewelry companies need multiple merchant accounts to support their diversified array product offerings. Gateways should ideally help them manage multiple merchant I.D.s organized under one master MID relationship.

Simple integration:

Payment gateways need to seamlessly integrate into CRMs, POS systems, third-party software, and eCommerce shopping carts to facilitate all forms of online, MOTO and in-store commerce.

Enhanced reporting tools:

Jewelry professionals rely on a variety of real-time reports and transaction data to grow and scale their businesses and manage chargebacks and refunds.

Merchant Dashboard, with permission levels:

In addition to enhanced reporting, merchants need secure access to transaction data from anywhere they happen to be working, with built-in permission levels to facilitate all levels of employees and management.

Payment gateways must comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Ask your gateway provider if they are PCI DSS compliant and verify their certificate annually. Jewelry merchants also need a gateway with a data vault for tokenization of credit card numbers and encryption of customer personally identifiable information (PII).

Tokenization replaces a Primary Account Number (PAN) with a randomly generated set of numbers and records this in the data vault. This is to prevent hackers from accessing customer data. By storing PII and PAN in a highly secure, offsite location merchants shift their liability to the gateway provider. Encryption and tokenization keep your customer’s information safe while allowing merchants access to the data for future transactions.

TranZlytics Gateway:
Choosing the right gateway provider is critical for high-risk merchants and their processors. DigiPay’s chosen gateway is TranZlytics. TranZlytics offers high risk merchants a Gateway and HUB built from the ground up for high-risk and CNP merchants. The solution includes transaction analytics and fraud prevention and built-in advanced chargeback management.

TranZlytics also offers advanced real-time reporting for faster and better use of CRM data. Payment descriptors are registered with a Chargeback Alerts program; re-presentments are pre-integrated with the gateway.

With a single HUB for transaction management and an expert risk management team to monitor your data, you can focus on what you do best, growing your business. Think of Tranzlytics as a Jewelry Payment HUB with the IQ of Einstein and the memory of an elephant.

CRMs for Jewelry Businesses

Customer Relations Management (CRM) software is a basic requirement, both for large enterprises and small companies that want to scale and grow their businesses. These systems are designed to automate the lifecycle of product offerings and to facilitate payments. As with payment gateways, it is vitally important to validate the CRM is PCI DSS compliant if it is touching customer information. Unlike payment gateways, CRMs are not rigorously monitored for PCI DSS compliance; a security breach can devastate your business and erode customer trust.

Below are examples of CRMs used by jewelry entrepreneurs, small and midsize businesses and enterprise-level organizations:

  • Zoho CRM:

    Zoho, a generic and inexpensive CRM program provides tools for recurring billing, customer tracking, customer satisfaction emails and a customizable database. While the service is not specifically designed for the jewelry industry, it is affordable and supports multiple MIDs.

  • Google Sheets:

    Google Sheets is a free service that provides a basic spreadsheet for start-ups. Its biggest asset is that it is free.

Growing and Scaling Your Jewelry Business

It’s a Great Time to be in Fine Fashion & Jewelry

The Jewelry business is a highly competitive and rapidly expanding market, and DigiPay is excited to be part of it. Our extended family of jewelry merchants, with vastly different models and product sets, are equally committed to optimal results, performance metrics and profitability. All want affordable and easy high-risk payment card processing, which is our specialty

Mike Ackerman
Co-Founder, CEO, DigiPay Solutions

Get a Free Consultation about a Jewelry Merchant Account

Affiliate Marketing

What is affiliate marketing? Affiliate marketing is a partnership between merchants and affiliated individuals and companies that sell for them on the internet. Companies of all sizes, from leading global brands to start-up entrepreneurs, use the affiliate marketing model to great advantage, finding it an effective and lucrative ecommerce strategy. For example, thousands of Amazon.com affiliates promote products on their websites, redirecting buyers to Amazon’s site where they can check out and complete the sale. These sales are tracked by unique URLs that enable affiliates to earn commissions.

Creating an effective affiliate marketing plan begins with identifying trusted and reputable affiliates with extensive networks and followers, retail analysts have noted. These sources can help introduce products and services to markets outside a company’s traditional marketing footprint. Some examples might be a blogger with thousands of followers, or an e-zine with a strong vertical industry focus.

Because affiliate marketers are ideally an extension of a company’s brand and salesforce, it is crucial for organizations to create an affiliate program with clearly articulated terms and conditions, leaving nothing to chance. Some companies may outsource most of their promotional efforts to affiliate marketers. Others may supplement their traditional salesforce with a few affiliate partners.

Companies need to consider their primary objectives and corporate culture when creating an affiliate marketing program. Companies that manage more than one sales force, such as telemarketers and outside sales, have learned to structure sales programs to ensure that different teams are not competing against each other. This principle is equally relevant when working with affiliate marketers, who have proven to be most effective when they are not in direct competition with internal sales teams.

What are Five Essential Components of an Affiliate Marketing Plan?

Payment acceptance: Affiliate marketing takes place on the internet, where payment methods vary. Merchants that only accept traditional credit cards will miss the opportunity to scale their businesses globally, by not accepting the most popular payment methods of other countries. Partnering with a company that specializes in cross-border payments and understands the unique regulatory environments of different countries around the world, will solve this issue.

Establish dedicated URL links: Targeted, accurate URLs are directly tied to affiliate marketers’ commissions and need to directly link to landing pages and product codes. Companies need to work with IT specialists to accurately track and promptly commission affiliate sales.

Create a coupon program: Considering how many consumers search for coupons and offers online, doesn’t it make sense to create coupon programs that help affiliate partners attract prospective buyers? Discount codes are one of the biggest growth hacks on the internet and show no sign of slowing down.

Stay in touch with affiliate partners: Establishing deep ties with affiliate partners means notifying them in real-time of any changes in inventory, pricing models and promotions. No company can afford the embarrassment of having an affiliate learn of a discontinued item or clearance sale through a third party. As sales representatives on the front lines of selling a company’s products, affiliate marketers deserve real-time alerts to keep them agile and motivated.

KPIs, banners: Affiliate marketers, like any sales professionals, need to know their key performance indicators, not only to track their closing rates but to be inspired to reach even greater heights. While there are multiple ways to do this, establishing a secure portal where they can log in and view their activity, commission status and current promotions will help them stay on track and cut down on customer service calls.

How can Merchants Prevent Affiliate Fraud?

  • Know Your Affiliate (KYA):

    Before you approve a new affiliate, your first step in preventing fraud is to fully vet them. Ask them about their current brand relationships and how they promote their products. Their responses will help you evaluate if their values and culture are consistent with your company’s image and brand. Ask how the affiliate will drive traffic & sales to your offer. Check to see if the affiliate has behaved fraudulently in other programs

  • Review the Affiliate Site to See:

    • Is their website(s) compatible with your brand standards?
    • What visual impression are they creating?
    • Is the copy written in a way that will enhance or cheapen your brand?
    • Are the product descriptions accurate?
    • How well are they promoting their site?
    • How well do they integrate with social sharing options?

  • Enforce Affiliate T&C and keep them updated:

    To stay apace with ever-changing rules and regulations, it is necessary to periodically update your affiliate terms and conditions. Let your affiliates know how these updates will be broadcast and request confirmation. Be sure to include a due date for compliance to the new terms as well as an enforcement strategy.

  • What is the best way to enforce Affiliate Terms?

    Monitor for violations using technology and human intelligence. Consider contracting with third-party service providers that use technology to monitor websites, or build those capabilities in-house. Ideally, machine learning coupled with human intelligence is the best way to ensure compliance.

  • Can Enforcement Be Outsourced?

    Yes, DigiPay powered by Tranzlytics provides high-risk merchants with Pro Managed Services to ensure compliance and to detect and prevent fraud. Tranzlytics fraud detection includes daily screen shots that identify changes to a website. In addition to monitoring for key word violations, Tranzlytics can monitor affiliates and sub-affiliates traffic to ensure compliance.

What is the best way to spot affiliate fraud?

The adage, trust but verify, applies when monitoring affiliates. The following guidelines can help identify potential fraud:

  • URLS’s with multiple redirects: It is important to know if the affiliate is using an approved site for your offer or unapproved sites to send fraudulent traffic.
  • Look at referring URL’s for the original source of leads and sales. Check for trends to identify sub-affiliates associated with fraud and high chargeback ratios.
  • Multiple transactions from a single IP address. This could indicate an affiliate or sub-affiliate is running stolen credit cards to place multiple orders.
  • Use transaction history and trends to Investigate spikes in leads or sales.

What are common affiliate marketing words, expressions and phrases?

Affiliate software: Unique applications developed by companies to track and manage their affiliate marketing programs.

Affiliate link: This distinct URL, created for each affiliate marketer, enables companies to recognize, track and pay commissions to affiliates.

Affiliate ID: These unique IDs are sometimes used in addition to unique URLs on websites to identify affiliate marketers and ensure that they are compensated for sales.

Payment Mode: Pertains to the method of payment used by a consumer to complete an affiliate-referred sale. Most affiliate programs offer payment methods beyond traditional credit cards to appeal to global consumers.

Affiliate Manager/OPM: Affiliate managers, who specialize in all aspects of affiliate marketing, provide expert guidance on establishing and maintaining affiliate programs.

Commission percentage/amount: This refers to the percentage of each sale that companies provide in commissions to their affiliate marketers.

2-tier, or multi-tier, affiliate marketing: Like multi-level marketing schemes, this method rewards affiliate partners for referrals and recommendations, creating a second tier of sub-affiliates who can also earn sub-affiliate commissions.

Landing pages: This web page is used to promote a specific product and is frequently used to test a market’s receptivity to a product or service.

Custom affiliate income/account: Some companies reward top-producing affiliates by creating an elite sales program with higher-tiered commissions.

Link clocking: Link clocking shortens affiliate-identifying links, keeping them short and easy on the eyes.

Custom coupons: Custom coupon programs, directly linked to specific affiliates, help companies track and analyze affiliate sales.

A growing number of companies are working with DigiPay and TranZlytics to optimize and grow their affiliate programs. Contact us today for a no-obligation review.

Industry Associations

Numerous membership organizations and trade associations represent the interests of the jewelry industry. Following are some examples:

The American Gem Society: Established in 1934 by a group of independent jewelers, this trade association works to set and maintain high standards of ethics and professionalism in the jewelry industry.

American Gem Trade Association (AGTA): Founded in 1981, AGTA represents the interests of U.S. and Canadian members of the gemstone trade, promoting stability of natural gemstones, pearls and cultured pearls.

Jewelers of America (JA): Founded in 1906, Jewelers of America strives to advance jewelry industry professionalism and ethics. Its more than 8,000 members represent trustworthy, informed and professional jewelry businesses within United States.

Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA): Established in 1983, this networking association helps women in the jewelry and watch industries advance and develop professionally through networking, education, leadership development, and the provision of member services.

The World Jewelry Confederation (CIBJO): CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, represents the interests of all individuals, organisations and companies earning their livelihoods from jewellery, gemstones and precious metals. It is the oldest international organization in jewellery sector, having originally been established in 1926.

Annual Events and Conferences

Annual conferences and events provide jewelry professionals with networking and educational opportunities. Here are some examples:

July 6-8, 2018. International Gem and Jewelry Show, Los Angeles, California. At this event, you’ll be able to buy jewelry from designers, wholesalers, and manufacturers for extremely low, wholesale prices! If you’re looking to buy new gems and jewelry, then this is a great place to go!

Sept. 21-23, 2018. International Gem and Jewelry Show, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The competitive atmosphere at this event means that you can find gorgeous gems and jewelry for extremely low prices! Come to this event to find beautiful gems for less!

Join the growing community of jewelry companies that process with DigiPay Solutions

Thank you for taking the time to review this compendium to learn about available opportunities and solutions in the jewelry industry. We look forward to welcoming you to our growing merchant community.

Our online application takes minutes to complete. Once approved, our relationship managers will help you personalize your business management portal and leverage our full complement of secure payment gateway and chargeback management tools. They’ll help provision your processing account, ecommerce website and POS systems in brick-and-mortar stores.

DigiPay will also make it easy for your customers to find you, by helping you create an engaging online and in-store presence and seamless customer checkout experience. Take your jewelry business to the next level today at digipayinc.com.

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