What alternative payment providers can I use for selling CBD in Europe?

[Liutkut]

Hello. 

Paysera will no longer be available after July 31, 2022. My shop sells CBD products in Europe. What are the alternative payment providers that I could use for selling CBD products? 

[Rick]

Hey @Liutkut 

That is a great question. 

I understand you have been selling CBD products on your store using Paysera, but have recently been informed that you cannot use it after July 31st, 2022.

This help doc about selling CBD is aimed at US merchants, however you may still find some helpful information there. We would usually recommend Digipay and Bankful as suitable payment gateways for CBD, however as you are based in Europe it is possible that those gateways will not be available in your country. Feel free to select your region from this list of payment gateways to see all available gateways to you. CBD is still considered a high risk industry by many payment providers, and as such you do need to be particular about your choice of payment processor.

All gateways will have their own Terms of Service, and may be subject to change at any time, so although we can offer suggestions for potential gateways you could use, ultimately the decision on which gateway to use is up to you. Any specific questions on things such as eligibility, policy, fees etc. should be directed to the respective gateway directly. 

Other gateways that often support high risk industries include:

• Sagepay UK
• Securepay
• Authorize.net
• Merchant Account Providers

Most gateways will have their own CBD/Shopify landing pages which you should sign up through. Signing up for a gateway account with these providers through your Shopify admin may result in you being rejected, so if in doubt reach out to the payment provider first. Also, account approvals from payment gateways for restricted products, such as CBD, will generally take longer than standard account approvals.

Lastly, it's important to note that the legality of selling CBD in different jurisdictions can be nuanced and context specific. You as the merchant need to ensure that you are complying with all applicable laws and regulations (both in your jurisdiction and in your customers'). With that in mind if you haven't already done so, you may want to speak to your own legal counsel to ensure you are selling products in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. We cannot offer any legal advice, and can simply only provide you with resources and payment provider recommendations.

*edited by Moderator to reflect Pinwheel payments name change to Bankful

[learningtheshop]

Hi,

like Rick mentioned there is always Authorize.net, SagePay, and Securepay to consider.

There are others like Bankful and eMerchant brokers - see a more exhaustive list here.

*edited by Moderator to reflect Pinwheel payments name change to Bankful

[Liutkut]

Thank you. Paysera finally contacted me and told that they are working on the update and will continue to work as payment provider in Shopify 🙂

[wecann]

Hi @Liutkut,

How are things going with your CBD store?

Over the past two years, many retailers have been pulled from pillar to post with their banking facilities. I recently heard that a certain provider was holding back funds, and only allowing access to a certain percentage. They claim it was for possible chargebacks, yet holding back £1000s. Have you experienced any issues in Europe or are you flying now?

When we first entered the space, there were much fewer options available and Shopify was certainly not on the list due to not having a compatible gateway. A huge number of brands started up with Shopify but soon found themselves migrating over to WordPress. 

Are you still using Shopify, and if so how is it going? 

Do you have any restrictions in terms of functionality or SEO etc?

If you fall into any problems in the future, do reach out to me. I use a London-based merchant account provider that supports most of Europe. We've had no issues since we opened the account in 2019. Would be happy to connect you with them. 

I hope all is going well for you.

Regards

David @ wecann. 

[Bernardo65]

Hallo David,

wie sind die Gebühren bei Wecann? Wir lassen  einen CBD Online Shop mit WordPress Woocommerce erstellen und suchen noch einen Zahlungsanbieter. Wir liefern in ganz Europa und unsere Firma ist eine Bulgarische EOOD.

bernardus.barber.seyberth@gmail.com

Gruß Bernardo

[MelaniTryst]

By law, you can use all payment systems available in Europe if they are registered in your country. Otherwise, you will have to look for alternative methods. At https://hub420.shop/product-category/edibles/ I buy and pay by card or through e-banking, which is quite convenient for a foreign citizen. But you have to rely on the laws related to your tax system.