Hey there, I’m Samuel Colt and some of you might know me from the TV show Supernatural or from firearms manufacturing, but I’m sorry to disappoint you. I’m the one that has done gay porn since 2009. I’ve been a long-time lurker of this forum, as I run a blog and use affiliate sales. However, recently I’ve started doing merchandise sales and digital content (webcam stuff).
And I was doing just fine until… PayPal seized my account. Okay whatever, I was stupid to do that. That’s not the main problem.
I need someone to process international credit cards… like right away. Suggestions? I’m thinking about going with CC Bill as it looks like they integrate with wooCommerce, which I have built an entirely new website on, to be launched at the end of the month. But… all my payments went through PayPal, so I need to re-do it all quickly.
Meanwhile, I have merchandise order piling up and since I have not processed the payment, I’m worried they will go away.
So… in my frenzied hunt to find a payment processor (preferably one that integrates with wooCommerce/wordpress) I thought I’d ask here and search this forum.
Welcome. I see on your Twitter page that you’re in NYC. So am I as is Damian of PPV Networks and Lloyd from Stunner. Seems you met Damian a couple years ago. Even before Damian told me that I was pretty sure you guys would hit it off. He does do credit card processing - though mostly just for sites he runs - but he may have pointers for you, etc. Anyway, if you want to meet up for drinks sometime, it could be fun
If you are only selling tangible goods I would recommend NetBilling, which is who I use for my tangible goods sales. They have lower rates than CCBill.
CCBill is good if you are selling memberships.
As a side note, selling adult tangible goods is no longer against PayPal rules HOWEVER it looks like you are selling “used” clothing which would be why they closed your account.
I am not sure what the rules are with NetBilling or CCBill regarding “used” clothing - it may be against their policies as well.
But it’s just “used” clothing! Theoretically not much different than an online garage sale ð¸ right??
Doh… I know. It’s frustrating that’s for sure. And I even had a few people tell me “don’t use Paypal, don’t leave your money in that account” etc. and I never intended to.
Samuel… the reason there are issues with used clothing is because it’s generally prohibited to sell used and uncleaned underwear which is what most fetish buyers want. It’s a regulation that most credit card processors have. (Something to do with health risks and potential trafficking of human tissue aka semen/vaginal fluid)
So I have revised the language and a few basics of my page relating to gear and underwear sales. It seems almost every card processor seems to forbid sales of used underwear, but used clothing is fine. Okay that sucks. I won’t sell used underwear… as there is also question whether it violates federal law and postal regulations. That sucks, because I LOVE underwear and I know a lot of other guys that do.
So instead I’ll focus on clothes, sports gear, gym gear, socks, etc. The law is clear on that… it’s acceptable. Some card processors (such as CC Bill) state in the AUP:
All used clothing items must include a statement that the item has been properly cleaned
Used under garments are prohibited
Fine, I’ll do that too. I’ve changed all references to underwear and strictly refer to them as new underwear. I removed all pictures of me ejaculating on underwear. Every place I refer to getting fucked, covering the stuff in cum or the gear is available for purchase, I even added a disclaimer:
All items are sold as a novelty and as a fantasy for the buyer.
All used clothing items include a statement that the item has been properly cleaned.
All under garments are sold as new.
Now… would THAT make me compliant?
My big concern is regarding the “Fuck-Pig Jocks” that I spend a lot of time making. Are they an “undergarment” and therefore can only be sold as new? Or are they sports gear? The dictionary does not specify a jockstrap is an undergarment. The manufacturer’s clam-shell packaging does not anywhere refer to a jockstrap as an undergarment. I know I’ve even seen used or vintage jockstraps for sale in second hand stores that cater to the gays (like Worn Out West in the Castro). I would hope from a legal standpoint that jockstraps are not considered an undergarment as well.
My other concern is, all that aside, does the wording I use on the page seem deceptive? I definitely value trust and have developed great relationships with the guys who by from me. All the feedback I’ve received has been positive. Most importantly, I don’t want to jeopardize that trust. But I do need a way to handle payment or it’s all a moot point!
I definitely need to speak to someone who has already dealt with this before.
I’ve looked into that and that is unclear. Although I can find no statute that explicitly prohibits it, the is one federal law that has been cited in a few legal cases. The 1873 “Comstock Act” makes it illegal to send any ‘obscene’ materials through the mail, including contraceptive devices and information" from wikipedia. This law can also be used in regards to pornography.
As that is an important question I have been seeking clarification on, I’ve made a few changes to how I offer this service until then.
I had the same issue with pay pal. Fortunately I always emptied the account at low levels, so did not loose much. I have had reasonable success with paxum but sales have never recovered to the level when i accepted paypal.
I have high hopes for google wallet if/when its ever launched in the uk.
I used to import jockstraps for a client and I had to pay import duties and taxes. According to the harmonized system by the World Customs Organization, jockstraps are listed in the underwear category. I don’t know what kind of system a credit card company would use, but I expect that they use an existing commodity description and coding system, like the one from the World Customs Organization.
Maybe you can contact ccbill or other payment processors and ask them if your site is compliant ?
