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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

19:36

#223 Shopify Payments Isn’t Your Only Option (Keep...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/02/19

Shopify Payments ≠ Shopify. If Shopify Payments isn’t right for your business, you don’t have to rebuild your store. You can keep your Shopify storefront and connect your own 3rd party payment gateway to take payments your way.In this video, Maria busts the myths: Shopify Payments isn’t the only option, and it’s not built for every business. Whether you’re selling subscriptions, running a creator business, dropshipping, or just want more flexibility, she shows how to add a 3rd party payment gateway

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15:32

How to Add ACH Payments to Boost Your Sales

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/02/12

More ways to pay = more money in your business. ACH payments lower processing fees, reduce chargebacks, retain clients longer, strengthen your checkout, and handle recurring billing or subscriptions with ease.In this episode Maria busts the myths: ACH is no longer slow, clunky, or outdated—modern ACH is fast, reliable, and cost-effective. She walks through the top benefits of offering ACH and gives you 4 quick steps to start accepting ACH on your cart, so you can set it up fast and start winning on

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20:24

#221 The Hidden Reason You Can’t Get a Merchant Account

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/02/05

Merchant account applications denied over and over? You might be on the MATCH / TMF blacklist. MATCH / TMF list is the payment processing blacklist that can silently block individuals from opening merchant accounts. In this video, Maria breaks down what the MATCH list is, why people get placed on it, and how it impacts your ability to process credit card payments. She explains how to find out if you’re listed, what steps you can take to get removed, and what to do if there’s no way off the list

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24:19

#220 The Best Payment Setup For Your Business

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/01/29

Merchant of Record, Stripe, or your own merchant account — what’s the real difference, and why does it matter?In this video, Maria breaks down the key differences between using a payment service provider like Stripe, a Merchant of Record setup, and having your own merchant account. While all three allow you to accept credit cards, they are fundamentally different in how risk, liability, control, and scalability are handled.Maria explains how each option works, when each makes sense, and why the “as

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15:52

#219 Too Good to Be True? Payment Processing Red Flags

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/01/23

The FTC has proposed $52.9 million in penalties against Cliq Bank, alleging the company failed to comply with prior court-ordered payment processing safeguards.Maria breaks down what the FTC action against Cliq Bank means for merchants — and why “too good to be true” payment processor claims like instant approval, no reserves, and ultra-low rates are red flags, especially for high-risk businesses.Payment processing isn’t instant or effortless when done correctly. Legitimate processors follow strict

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19:37

#218 How to Get a US Merchant Account as a Non-Resident

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/01/22

Non-US residents are rejected by payment processors every day — even with an ITIN.Maria explains why platforms like Stripe approve non-resident businesses quickly but shut them down just as fast, and why an ITIN alone doesn’t solve the real risk issues processors care about. From chargebacks and collections to credit exposure and compliance, Maria breaks down what actually determines whether a non-resident can keep payment processing long-term — and what to do if you don’t qualify

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16:17

#217 Subscription Churn Starts Earlier Than You Think...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/01/15

If customers are canceling after month one, your subscription isn’t failing — something in your setup is. Early churn usually comes from attracting the wrong buyers, confusing checkout experiences, or billing details customers don’t recognize. Maria breaks down why subscriptions lose customers fast and what you can change — from pricing and buyer alignment to checkout flow and billing clarity — to keep the right customers longer.🟩 Key ConceptsCustomer Avatar – The type of customer your subscription

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24:52

#216 Fix Your Checkout to Unlock Growth in 2026

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2026/01/08

If you’re serious about scaling in 2026, your payment stack and checkout flow can’t be an afterthought. Outdated payment setups lead to cart abandonment, unnecessary declines, and lost revenue for online businesses.Maria breaks down the exact steps to modernize your payments for the new year — optimizing checkout, expanding payment options, and building a setup that supports growth, stability, and higher approvals.____________________________________________📌Must-Read Resources to Upgrade Your 2026

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16:54

#215 Don’t Let Stripe Kill Your Holiday Sales

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/12/30

Your holiday sales are booming — but what happens when Stripe freezes your account right in the middle of peak season? You’re not imagining it: Stripe is more sensitive during the holidays. Spiking fraud, unusual transaction patterns, and seasonal chargebacks make accounts more likely to be flagged.In this video, Maria breaks down why Stripe freezes happen, how to spot early warning signs, and the proactive steps you can take to keep your payments flowing and your holiday revenue safe.Whether you’re

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27:55

#214 Holiday Payment Declines Are Killing Your Sales

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/12/18

If you’re running an ecommerce store, subscription business, or online shop, you’ve probably noticed December declines spike during the holiday season. Banks tighten risk in Q4 because disputes, chargebacks, and fraud claims historically rise in Q1 — which means more transactions can get declined right when you’re trying to maximize holiday sales.In this video, Maria breaks down:✅ Why declines spike during December and the holiday rush✅ Most common causes of payment declines during this season✅ How

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24:40

#213 Do Not Honor, Pick Up Card & Other Issuer...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/12/11

If you’re seeing “Do Not Honor,” “Pick Up Card,” Code 05, Code 04, Code 07, or “Issuer Decline” in your transaction logs, this video breaks down exactly what they mean — and how to fix them before they wreck approval rates and revenue.This video uncovers what these decline codes actually signal and why banks trigger them. Whether you run subscriptions, upsells, or a high-ticket funnel, these declines can quietly kill revenue if you don’t know what’s behind them. Maria explains what merchants can do

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13:20

#212 Order Insights: The Only Alert That Saves the Sale

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/12/04

Most “chargeback alerts” still make you refund the order, so you lose the sale anyway. RDR, CDRN, and Ethoca only notify you after a dispute is filed. Order Insights is the only alert that stops the dispute before it exists, giving the bank enough info to verify the charge instantly.Most alert programs (RDR, CDRN, Ethoca) don’t actually save the sale — they tell you a dispute happened and push you to refund it. That kills your revenue and can even hurt your VAMP ratio.Order Insights works

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20:06

#211 - Stripe Holding Your Money Hostage? Do THIS Next

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/11/20

Stripe holding your money or freezing payouts? Here’s why reserves happen — and what ecommerce brands, subscription businesses, and online sellers can do to get their funds released faster.If Stripe is suddenly holding your money, placing a “% reserve,” freezing payouts, or delaying transfers, you’re not alone. Thousands of ecommerce brands, subscription businesses, coaches, SaaS companies, and online sellers get hit with Stripe reserves every year. When Stripe thinks your business model, refund

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16:21

#210 Stop Paying for Invoicing Software You Don’t Need

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/11/13

Are you sinking thousands into third-party invoicing tools — when your accounting software and payment gateway can handle everything without extra fees or subscriptions?In this video, Maria breaks down the high costs of popular invoicing platforms like Bill.com, Chargebee, and Chargezoom — from monthly subscription fees to the extra percentages they take off every transaction. She explains how connecting your existing accounting software (like QuickBooks or Xero) directly to your own payment gateway

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21:34

BNPL Crackdown: Rising Fees, Stricter Rules & Fewer...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/11/06

The BNPL world just changed — and if you’re a merchant, you’re not as safe from it as you think.The CFPB’s new Buy Now, Pay Later regulations are aimed at BNPL providers, but the fallout will hit sellers next. Expect higher fees, tighter approvals, and more limits on who can use these services — especially if your store falls under “high-risk”.And it doesn’t stop there. These changes will also affect how customers see and use BNPL. As fees rise and approvals drop, BNPL could become a less appealing

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21:41

Before You Rely on Stripe Payments — Watch This

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/10/30

Using Stripe — or thinking about it? Here’s what most business owners don’t realize about how Stripe really works compared to a merchant account.If you process payments online, you’ve probably come across Stripe payments — one of the most popular tools for eCommerce stores, SaaS companies, and digital entrepreneurs. But is Stripe really the same as having a merchant account, or do they work differently behind the scenes? In this video, Maria breaks down everything you need to know about how Stripe

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16:32

How to Get a High Risk Merchant Account

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/10/24

Whether you’re applying for your first high-risk merchant account or looking to add a backup payment processor for extra stability, this video walks you through every step to set your business up for success.Maria covers exactly how to get a high-risk merchant account approved, what documents underwriters expect, and how to position your business to present the best first impression to merchant account providers. Even established merchants using Stripe, PayPal, or Square should maintain a secondary

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21:41

How to Instantly Improve Your Credit Card Approval Rates

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/10/16

Are your credit card declines climbing and your approval rate dropping? Every failed transaction means lost revenue. In this episode, Maria breaks down how to fix payment declines, boost approval rates, and recover more sales through smarter payment processing strategies.If you run an ecommerce store, sell online, or operate in a high-risk industry, this episode will help you uncover why payments fail — and what you can do to fix it.You’ll learn how to:✅ Read and interpret decline codes that

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22:50

Visa’s New Fraud Rules Are Live — How to Protect Your...

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/10/09

Visa’s new fraud monitoring rules are officially in effect — and the Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP) could put your business at risk if you’re not prepared.In this episode, Maria breaks down exactly what VAMP means, why Visa introduced it, and how to protect your business from fraud penalties and shutdowns.You’ll learn:✅ What Visa’s VAMP program is — and how it works✅ Why stricter fraud monitoring is rolling out now✅ The key metrics Visa monitors (and what they mean for you)✅ 10 practical

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14:35

High-Risk Merchant Accounts Explained: Do You NEED One?

Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis ·

2025/10/02

Most businesses only find out they’re high-risk after getting shut down. Learn what the label really means and how it impacts your ability to accept payments.Are you running an online business and wondering if you’re considered high-risk? High-risk merchant accounts are one of the most misunderstood parts of payment processing. The truth is, most e-commerce, subscription, and digital product businesses fall into the high-risk category — even if they’ve never had issues with payments before.In this

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225 results

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