By Peter Berton
TEMPE, Ariz. – Internet payment services provider CCBill likes the concept behind bitcoin, but the company is unimpressed with the virtual currency’s stability. According to CCBill Vice President of Product Development Jason Kirk, now may be too soon to embrace the crypto-currency as either an individual or a corporation.
Some pay sites and affiliate programs agree with Kirk; others disagree — vociferously. Kirk sat down with YNOT.com to explain why CCBill won’t back bitcoin, at least right now.
YNOT: Where do you stand on bitcoins: love ’em, hate ’em or ignore ’em?
Jason Kirk: Bitcoin and other virtual currencies are important to monitor, and I believe in the future they will become more significant. The global anonymity offered by virtual currency will ensure it stays relevant, especially to the adult industry.
However, today I don’t see any [crypto-currency] being viable. They’re not stable, and the market share is not on the same level as credit cards and other payment options. We will continue to watch and weigh the risk factors and [bitcoin’s] overall stability. In the future, with the right partner, security, vetting and lower risk to users, we could be open to a virtual currency option.
What is the biggest challenge site operators face today?
According to what we’re hearing from our merchants, the biggest challenge is how to engage and retain the newer generations — those with a shorter attention span. “Online ADHD,” I call it. With new methods to connect with consumers, sites are now battling to stay above the clutter and noise created by all of the new online channels. They are also struggling to retain those they connect with, as the basic affiliate model is not enough anymore.
True business partnerships promoting cross-sales are becoming a means to better leverage continued sales. Those that use social media and cross-selling partnerships are seeing more success, in our experience.
As one of the only adult billing processors engaging with others on social media, I know from my own experience that [social media is] a tool to assist in building a company’s brand positively. It helps CCBill to connect with our clients and, in turn, their consumers. We offer security and consistency while being accessible and available through Facebook, Twitter and our blogs.
How is business going for CCBill? What’s the secret to your long-term success?
Business is booming. We’re proud to say our portfolio continues to expand globally within adult and mainstream businesses. We are so successful, in large part, due to our continued effort to build a solid infrastructure that can grow and expand with our merchants’ needs and consumer demands.
The past two years have been especially crucial for us. Most are not aware that we have spent a generous amount of money and tireless hours building the proper foundation to sustain and grow business for the year 2020, not just 2015. As an established and trusted brand, we felt it was our duty to stay relevant and adaptive to best serve our clients’ global billing needs, and with our new business intelligence tools, security and one-click purchase options, we are exceeding our clients’ expectations.
What new products have you brought to market recently?
2013 was a busy and very productive year. CCBill furthered its e-commerce platform innovations with several major updates to the payment forms, as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to provide new ways for merchants to connect and resonate with consumers while accepting payments. CCBill also launched an interactive set of business intelligence support tools called FlexStats, with a series of interactive reports to track details and trends in transactions, regions and forecasts.
What’s great about the changes in these reports is the ability to see graphical data, especially trends, through timeframes. We’re offering merchants tools to see instant results and quickly shape their business, mirroring users’ desires. Rounding out the year we launched new, progressive pricing packages, further cementing our reliable and innovative billing solutions in all markets.
What new products are on the horizon?
Our most groundbreaking product soon to come is FlexForms. It’s been in the making for some time now, and our merchants have gotten a glimpse of some of the offerings with the new FlexStats reporting systems.
FlexForms will provide easily integrated features and self-service tools to simplify billing for a sole proprietor or Fortune 500 company. We want to even the playing field, offering seamless integration for merchants while providing the best consumer experience with responsive forms on any device.
Looking ahead, how is 2014 shaping up for the online adult industry?
It’s an interesting time in the online adult industry. New technology is changing business models rapidly. Tablet and mobile devices are affecting the way many adult online businesses connect with their consumers, and harnessing that power is crucial for businesses. Building stronger [business-to-business] partnerships beyond affiliate interaction is also beneficial to our industry’s growth and stability.
CCBill sees online purchases continue to rise; however, security is a hot-button issue after several huge data breaches in recent years. Consumers are nervous and concerned. The dichotomy of using the internet and fearing for their security is an issue CCBill is and always will be focused on. It’s the backbone of our business. We have created more merchant tools to combat this issue.
