If you are thinking about opening a web-based online pharmacy to be able to sell medicines online, then the first rule to get started with is to have a merchant account for pharmacy. Online pharmacy merchant account is the most secure and reliable way to create an online store and expand your eCommerce pharmacy globally. Readers may please note that pharmacy merchant accounts are different than normal accounts and it takes time to get the merchant account approved for smoother and seamless bank transaction which will accept online payments through debit or credit card.
Today, online pharmacies receive a strong competition worldwide and to be a successful online pharmacy it is always advisable to open an online pharmacy merchant account. Merchants receive payments 24 x 7when they accept credit and debit card payment and since online pharmacy merchant services give you an opportunity to include a virtual bank it becomes furthermore easier for the merchant to receive payments non-stop. Creating an online pharmacy account comes with an array of advantages.
Since the competition is so tough, it becomes rather necessary for the online pharmacy website to have a pharmacy payment gateway which allow them to accept transaction smoothly via debit and credit card. The key to ensure that you don’t get lost in the crowd is to get in touch with a reliable and genuine online pharmacy merchant account service provider who knows about the risks that are involved and creates a full-proof merchant account which is legal and will let you run your online business without any loops in it.
Why to open an online pharmacy merchant account and why is it important?
There is a plethora of benefits in opening a merchant account online pharmacy. Every business owner looks for ways which will bring in more profit. Having said that online pharmacy owners know that their business is considered to be a high-risk business, especially because they sell medicines and there is a strict FDA and Government rules which has to be followed in order to run their online business smoothly. When an online pharmacy creates a merchant account for online pharmacy, the owner will no longer have to worry about the virtual terminal for pharmacy. Most of the domestic banks don’t accept payments for high-risk transactions. They will look into a look of technical aspects. Banks will look into each and every transaction, will track your company’s transaction and also it becomes difficult when you deal with a bank regarding your high-risk online pharmacy account. That’s when offshore pharmacy merchant account comes into the picture. These service providers allow smooth transaction, even through credit and debit cards. The business owner will always want to run a seamless operation with less complication and would want to incorporate all kinds of payment gateway for pharmacy which will bring in more sale and generate more revenue for their business. Plus, customers also buy from those who gives them an array of payment options. They are looking for the easiest way to purchase products online as well.
That’s why you should always think about creating an online pharmacy merchant account for start-up. This will create a good impression on prospective buyers and will also create a gateway for your business to flourish more. A customer is always drawn towards an online business which gives them easier payment options.
Some of the challenges faced by high risk pharmacy merchant account
Extremely stringent FDA and Government rule
There are many reasons why your online pharmacy business is considered to be a high risk business. Every high risk business attracts a lot of reputation risk along with high credit risk too. The main reason to face this challenge is the product itself. Medicines, be it of any kind can have a huge impact on someone’s mental as well as physical health. FDA has created some strict disciplinary rules for pharmacy offshore merchant account who sells medicines and it is mandatory to follow those rules to be able to run an online pharmacy. The most important rule is not to sell any controlled drugs. You should never put someone’s health in jeopardy just because you want to earn money. If the online business is selling controlled drugs then please beware that your offshore merchant account for pharmacy will shut down permanently. Since, there some stringent law applicable to high risk accounts, it creates difficulty for the banks too to accept payments for such business and hence they avoid working with online pharmacy accounts.
High chargeback
Another challenge that online pharmacy often faces is high chargeback. Customers often files for a chargeback if they are not happy with a product and this happens pretty often with an online pharmacy who are not selling legit medicines. Credit Card understands the difficulty in chargeback and it ultimately creates a loss for both the merchant as well as acquire too. This is the number one challenge that you will face to apply for an online pharmacy credit card processing. You should always avoid chargeback and stick to the prescribed limit which is below 2 % only. If you receive chargeback more than 2%, then your online pharmacy merchant account will shut down.
You should always adhere to FDA policies and rules and ensure that your company is following the guidelines properly to avoid any kinds of problems. Stay safe and sell genuine medicines to people who need it. If you are following the law and giving your best then yes, your online pharmacy will remain safe and secure. Illegal practices should be avoided at any cost.
What makes an online pharmacy merchant account in the US illegal?
First things first, always remember that online pharmacy are considered to be high risk merchant accounts and can attract some challenges. In order to avoid these challenges, your company should comply with laws prescribed by FDA as well as local Government.
Now, let’s see why an online pharmacy account can be categorized as illegal. Just because yours is an eCommerce pharmacy set up doesn’t mean you will not accept valid prescriptions. There are many complications a customer can face if he or she consumes medicines without a prescription. An eCommerce pharmacy must have a licensed pharmacist. In case your company is found selling unapproved, controlled, and adulterated drugs, the company will be shut down and marked as illegal. If you are shipping medicines worldwide then you must have a valid license for that, if not, then the company will be considered illegal and you will end up facing dire consequences. You should never indulge yourself into fraudulent activities as well. Once an online pharmacy account is marked as illegal, your company will face the consequences and will be shut down for future operation.
The basic and the global rule for any pharmacy who are operating online be it in any country is to follow and comply with the laws and policies of that particular country. Every country has their own set of rules and regulations and it is important to adhere to them.
What rules to be followed to avoid challenges?
Sell medicines with prescription only
If your business sells medicines and other healthcare products then it’s a must to know why a certain person wants to buy it from you. You cannot allow anyone to medicines from your site just because someone has placed an order. Readers may note that some healthcare products do not necessarily need prescriptions, but if the medicines require supervision, always ask the customer to submit his or her prescription online. You should never play with anyone’s health and it is better to be safe than sorry.
Have proper pharmacy licensure
If you want to sell prescribed medicines, to other countries, then ensure that you have legitimate pharmacy licensure. You must follow the jurisdiction norms and rules.
Do not violate drug importation rules
Prescription drugs which are sold online from one country to another are generally considered to be unapproved. If your eCommerce business is selling medicines from a supplier and selling it to another country, then this could be counted as illegal.
The pharmacy must be licensed
If you have set up an online pharmacy then your company must comply with strict FDA and government rules before being able to sell it online.
The online pharmacy industry is undoubtedly booming. If you go by the reports there are around 27 million hits just for online pharmacy. This will tell you how many people prefer buying from an online pharmacy. Medicines which are being sold online are usually cheaper than physical stores. Having said that, online pharmacy which is considered to be high risk merchant account pharmacy are closely monitored. This is because when you are selling online you are reviewing the prescription and not actually meeting the patient in person. As per the National Association of Boards Pharmacy, there are around 1100 online pharmacies who are operating illegally. Now, that’s a huge number.
Few last words
If you want to start an online high risk processing pharmacy account, then follow some simple guidelines. This way you will be able to get approval for the high risk merchant account for online pharmacy easily. Make sure that your site doesn’t attract a lot of chargeback, don’t let it exceed 2% chargeback rate. Don’t sell any controlled drugs and always choose a reliable online pharmacy merchant account provider who will create a seamless merchant account for smooth pharmacy payment processing. Be safe and stick to FDA guidelines to avoid any complications later.
If you are looking for licensed wholesale pharmacy merchant account service provider, then ensure to submit all the KYC documents. The documents will include business license and plan, utility bills of the owners, valid ID proofs, supplier or vendor agreement, address proof of all the owners, cancel check and a non-expiring valid ID and password of the official site.
Pharmacy account service provider creates a bespoke payment processing for online pharmacy and also create a secure, high risk payment gateway for pharmacy too. You should always try to look appealing to your customers and should let them have a safe and reliable payment gateway to do the transaction easily. Don’t lose any opportunity to create a payment gateway for online pharmacy. Just stick to the guidelines, operate legally and contact a reliable pharmacy credit card processing service provider today.