This post is in partnership with Reach, a new Connection partner that merchants on Primer can add in just a click. With Primer, merchants get a complete infrastructure to optimize for payment success and build the smoothest end-to-end buying experiences for their customers.

We sat down with Matt Steinbrecher, Reach’s VP of Partnerships, to learn more about merchant of record providers (MOR) and how they help businesses scale globally.

What are the key payment-related challenges merchants face when expanding to a new market?

There are three primary barriers to global expansion: localized payment methods, credit card approval rates and cost.

Localized payment methods are important because shoppers’ behaviors vary drastically between countries, with some preferring online debit-based payment methods like bank transfers and digital wallets, while others prefer credit cards, while some countries still use cash.

Despite the plethora of local payment methods available today, credit cards still dominate online transactions globally. When your shoppers use a credit card issued in a country that’s different from the one where your business is based, you typically see a 8-50% higher card decline rate at checkout. Shoppers are then asked to try again, use a different card or payment method. So, most would just abandon the checkout, which results in a loss of revenue for the business.

Finally, we’ve got the significantly higher cost of business associated with international transactions. Cross-border banking rails typically cost 30-300% higher than domestic ones, all of which impact the business’ bottom line.

The traditional way to address these issues is by opening local entities in new markets. Needless to say, this is an operational, very costly nightmare, especially for companies looking to focus on their core product rather than becoming a multinational corporation.

What’s the benefit of working with a merchant of record (MOR) provider?

By working with a MOR, you’re able to enjoy all the benefits of operating like a multinational corporation, minus the operational burden of global tax compliance, fraud, HR, legal limitations and many other burdens to the business. Reach helps you enjoy these benefits while maintaining direct control of your checkout and customer experience, increasing your total revenue and decreasing processing costs.

What should merchants keep in mind when working with a MOR provider like Reach?

When you partner with us, as the MOR, we share some liability and responsibility for the goods or services that you sell. While traditional payment providers aren’t always seen as partners, a MOR in your payment network is directly aligned with your business objectives to protect you from fraud, increase sales and decrease your costs.

What are the benefits of connecting Reach via Primer?

Having Primer as your payment orchestration platform is incredible for businesses that want to outsource their technical payment operations and increase their capabilities of payment routing and pricing efficiency. 

With a single integration, businesses can now access dozens of different payment and commerce services. Businesses that operate through a single entity yet transact globally can now unlock Reach’s global entity structure, and turn their cross-border payments into domestic payments. The data aggregated within Primer’s platform will clearly show superior results when processing payments domestically vs. cross-border.

How can merchants learn more about Reach?

Check out our website or drop an email at sales@withreach.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter for educational content on the payment space.

Ready to build a global payment stack with Reach and Primer? Connect with Primer’s product experts today.