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PODCAST

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis

Maria Sparagis has spent 20+ years helping online businesses find the revenue they didn"t know they were losing. As president of DirectPayNet and a payment solutions expert, she knows that the difference between a good business and a great one often comes down to how you handle payments and conversions. On Click & Convert, Maria shares the strategies, tools, and insider knowledge that ecommerce founders and online entrepreneurs need to scale to 6 and 8 figures — from optimizing your checkout flow

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

17:06

Don’t Be Next: FTC’s $2.5B Amazon Case Targets...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/09/29

Amazon’s $2.5B FTC settlement is a warning for subscription businesses. Learn the new rules and 5 compliance practices you need now.The FTC recently hit Amazon with a record $2.5 billion settlement over deceptive subscription practices — from unclear free trial terms to making it difficult for customers to cancel.This isn’t just about Amazon. The case highlights how the FTC is cracking down on subscription businesses and setting new compliance standards that every company must follow. If your

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15:37

Visa’s New Chargeback Rules Every Online Seller Needs...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/09/25

Visa has introduced new chargeback rules through its Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP). While it’s aimed at acquirers, merchants can’t afford to ignore it because, as acquirers scramble to protect their portfolios under Visa’s stricter fraud guidelines, merchants will be the ones who get cut off, restricted, or penalized.📥 Get your free downloadable guide to protect your business from VAMP here.In this video, Maria breaks down:✅ What VAMP is and why Visa launched it✅ How the fraud-to-sales

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16:26

The Tariff Survival Guide for Online Businesses

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/09/11

Are tariffs eating into your profits?Import duties, trade talks, and sudden tariff changes are creating chaos for online businesses, dropshippers, and eCommerce store owners. In this episode, Maria Sparagis breaks down practical strategies to stay profitable through the tariff mess while keeping your customers happy and avoiding costly disputes or chargebacks.You’ll learn:✅ How tariffs affect dropshipping and imported products✅ Why radical transparency with customers prevents chargebacks✅ Checkout

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19:44

How to Stop Losing Money to Friendly Fraud

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/09/04

Friendly fraud is one of the most frustrating challenges for business owners—and despite its name, there’s nothing “friendly” about it. In this episode, Maria Sparagis breaks down what friendly fraud is, why it happens, and how you can protect your business from rising chargebacks.With Visa estimating chargebacks will rise by 42% in 2026, business owners need to understand the real costs of disputes: lost sales, product costs, service hours, and even the risk of losing your payment processor

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18:01

Top 5 Shopify Alternatives

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/08/21

Thinking about starting an online store or want to swap services but not sure if Shopify is the right fit? In this video, we break down the best Shopify alternatives in 2025 — including WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Magento (Adobe Commerce), and Shift4Shop so you can choose the right eCommerce platform for your business.We’ll cover:✅ Why Shopify might not be the best option for certain businesses✅ Shopify Payments limitations & hidden fees you should know about✅ How WooCommerce gives you low-cost

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08:55

Stripe’s “2.9% + 30¢” Is a Lie

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/08/14

Think Stripe’s fees are just 2.9% + 30¢? Think again. In this video, Maria Sparagis (payment processing expert and owner of DirectPayNet) breaks down Stripe processing fees, reveals their hidden charges, and shows you exactly how to read your Stripe balance report so you can uncover the real cost of doing business.We’ll cover:Stripe transaction fees explainedHow to find Stripe’s additional feesUnderstanding foreign transaction & currency feesDispute & chargeback costsStripe fees vs. your

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24:48

Merchant Statement Breakdown

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/07/31

Confused by payment processing fees? In this episode, Maria Sparagis breaks down the real costs behind merchant account statements — beyond the advertised “2.9% + $0.30.”Whether you're using Stripe, Shopify, or have a standalone merchant account, this is the ultimate guide to uncovering hidden fees, understanding interchange rates, and negotiating better deals.🔍 Learn what "interchange plus" really means, how to spot PCI compliance penalties, refund and chargeback traps, and why your true

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17:51

Shopify Shut Down Your Store

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/07/17

Has Shopify Payments frozen or shut down your account out of nowhere? You're not alone—and you're not helpless.In this episode, Maria Sparagis, owner of DirectPayNet, explains exactly what to do when Shopify pulls the plug on your payment processing. From understanding why it happened to setting up real alternatives that can handle high-risk businesses like supplements, digital goods, CBD, coaching, and subscriptions—we’ve got you covered.✅ Learn how to:- Get clarity from Shopify (even when they

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23:35

Visa's New Fraud Rules Could Kill Your Store

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/07/10

Visa’s VAMP rules are here and they’re reshaping how online businesses handle fraud, chargebacks, and card testing. In this episode, Maria Sparagis (with over 20 years in payment processing) breaks down exactly what the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) is, how it affects merchants, and what you must do to stay compliant.What's Covered:✅ What Visa’s VAMP rules mean for your business✅ How acquirers are passing fraud liability to you✅ The tools you should already be using to prevent disputes and

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23:51

Stripe Settings That Sabotage Your Upsells

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/06/26

Why Stripe Declines Upsells & How to Fix It: Optimize Your Funnel for More ConversionsIf your upsells are getting declined—especially after the front-end sale goes through—this episode is a must-watch. 💳 In this in-depth breakdown, Maria Sparagis explains exactly why Stripe and other payment processors may be flagging your upsell offers, and what you can do to increase approval rates in your checkout funnel.🔍 Learn:- Why upsells and order bumps get flagged—even after a front-end sale- How

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22:01

Best Payment Processor for Your Business

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/06/19

Choosing the Best Payment Processor for Your Online Business in 2025Wondering which payment processor is right for your online store? In this episode, Maria Sparagis (CEO of DirectPayNet) explains the crucial differences between popular PSPs like Stripe, PayPal, Braintree, and getting your own dedicated merchant account.What you’ll learn:- How Stripe and PayPal work for startups vs. scaling businesses- Hidden fees you might be ignoring- Why your business might outgrow Stripe sooner than you think-

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34:54

Webinars Aren’t Dead?! Affiliate Expert Says They’re...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/06/12

Are webinars really making a comeback? 🤯 In this episode, I sit down with Gia Liossis of GIAffiliate Management to find out why webinars might be your brand’s untapped goldmine—especially if you’re in health, beauty, supplements, or coaching.We get into:- Why webinars still work in 2025 (and who they don’t work for)- The best affiliate audiences for webinar conversions- Tips to get people to actually show up live (hint: it’s not just giveaways)- Live Q&As vs. product discounts – which builds

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28:18

The Brutal Truth About Hiring: 97% Failed This Simple...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/06/06

In this episode, Alex and get into the wild world of hiring — and what happens when 350 people apply for a job... but only eight follow simple instructions.Whether you're a job seeker wondering why you're not landing interviews, or a small business owner trying to avoid the chaos of recruiting, this conversation offers raw insights, real numbers, and a surprisingly effective hiring hack that saved thousands in recruiter fees.💡 Topics Covered:- Why 97% of job applicants failed instantly- The simple

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38:14

Recession-Proof Your Business in 2025

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/05/30

Worried about the looming recession and how it might impact your online business? In this episode, we're diving deep into recession-proof strategies for e-commerce and direct response brands.I’m joined by Alex to explore how businesses can thrive, not just survive, during economic uncertainty.We cover:✅ Why building a brand matters more than ever in 2025✅ How micro-influencers can boost conversions and protect your PR✅ Must-know payment trends: Buy Now, Pay Later, Apple Pay, ACH & more✅ How to

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18:40

Stripe’s NEW Dispute Fees Are Outrageous

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/05/23

💸 Stripe’s NEW Dispute Fees Are Outrageous — What You *Must* Know to Protect Your BusinessStripe just changed the game — and not in a good way. Business owners now face a $30 fee to fight disputes, and if you let Stripe’s “Smart Disputes” AI win them for you, they’ll keep 30% of the recovered amount. Seriously.In this episode, I pull no punches, breaking down why Stripe's new policy is deeply predatory, how it's forcing sellers into a lose-lose scenario, and what you can do to protect your

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18:17

Discover Is Now Capital One's Secret Weapon

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/05/09

In this episode my media guy Alex and I dive deep into the implications of Capital One's recent acquisition of Discover. We get into how this major shakeup could affect business owners who accept Discover cards, including potential changes to processing fees, merchant account structures, and overall payment dynamics.There are parallels to Amex's OptBlue program, which might show how Capital One aims to streamline Discover's merchant onboarding process—potentially increasing costs but also making the

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19:01

Visa's New 2025 Rules That Might Destroy Your Sales

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/05/01

🚨 Visa’s New Chargeback Rules Could Shut You Down – Are You Ready? 🚨Visa is flipping the script on chargebacks—and if you're an online business owner, this affects you. I'm breaking down the new VAMP (Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program) regulations that are already live in Europe and heading to North America.From stricter chargeback thresholds (dropping to 0.9% in 2026) to new penalties for merchants who ignore card testing fraud, Visa's changes are tightening the noose on risky behavior. Even if

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08:57

Stripe's New License and How It Affects Your Business

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/04/25

Stripe has officially applied for a Money Transmitter (MALPB) license in Georgia. It's a move that will change what we know about Stripe in payment processing...at least in the U.S.But what does this really mean for your business?In this episode, I, Maria Sparagis, payment processing expert and founder of Direct Payment, break down the real implications of Stripe becoming its own payment processor.From bypassing big banks like Wells Fargo and Barclays to potential changes in who Stripe approves (or

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15:42

9 Ways to Optimize Your Mobile Checkout Page

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/04/19

Your mobile checkout page NEEDS to be optimized. Mobile is rocketing past desktop for sales, which means more people are tapping around on your mobile site than ever before. If you've left your mobile checkout page unchecked, you're LOSING MONEY.In this video, I'm covering 9 ways you can optimize your mobile checkout to secure sales and bump your bottom line.Need a merchant account? Get in touch! ➡️ directpaynet.com/contact-us0:00 Intro1:08 Mobile Checkout Stats2:10 #13:05 #23:43 #34:28 #45:30

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21:10

Forcing Stripe Radar to Work for Your Business

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/04/10

Stripe Radar is the built-in fraud tool Stripe offers directly through the dashboard. But if you leave this tool unconfigured, you'll either block valid payments or accept fraudulent ones. So here's how you can tweak Stripe Radar to fit your business better and convert more sales, no matter what region you're in.Need a merchant account? Get in touch! ➡️ directpaynet.com/contact-us0:00 Intro1:15 Stripe Radar Flags4:41 Business Impact5:53 How It Works11:46 Configuring Stripe Radar20:48 Outro

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