Let there be cash - online

Head of marketing strategy and planning at Ukash, Abhishek Pandeya, talks about the knock-on effect that chargebacks have to affiliates and how the Ukash solution can help affiliates increase their revenue stream by overcoming this

Ukash considers itself to have a hugely significant presence in the online gaming and gambling market. Operating in 33 countries across six continents and processing millions of transactions every year, the company is opening up a valuable revenue stream to operators in this and many other sectors.

Ukash vouchers enable users to safely pay online using cash. Its solution is becoming increasingly popular among gamers around the world as it allows them to play and pay without the need to disclose sensitive information and their personal details.

Head of marketing strategy and planning at Ukash, Abhishek Pandeya, told iNTERGAMINGi: "The nature and flexibility of Ukash means that gamers can access new sites and make payments without making any commitment or divulging financial details, which could be compromised. By removing the concerns related to identity theft and online fraud, Ukash succeeds in attracting the digitally nervous. This results in increased traffic and ultimately increased revenue for website operators."

In addition to the overall effectiveness of Ukash as a payment method that increases traffic and revenue potential, there are two specific elements of the company's solution that are of particular interest and benefit to the gambling and gaming sectors.

"A unique aspect of the Ukash solution is that it guarantees payment to the merchant; this in turn guarantees payout for affiliates, making Ukash an attractive and lucrative proposition for all," said Pandeya.

"When online payments are made with cards, the cardholders occasionally dispute the unauthorised transactions, which results in the payment being reversed (this is particularly common in the gambling sector). This process is known as a chargeback but as Ukash guarantees payments there are no chargebacks, meaning that every time a transaction is made using Ukash, it results in a payment to the merchant, effectively allowing merchants to bank all sales and therefore a payment to the affiliate," he continued.

One of the negative impacts of chargebacks is the knock-on effect they have on affiliates, who are increasingly important to online trading. As they are often rewarded on a cost per sale or revenue share basis, however, they are liable to lose valuable revenue due to transactions being reversed. As perceived revenue is returned to the bank due to chargebacks, affiliates ultimately pay the price and lose valuable revenue.

"Not only can chargebacks lose merchants thousands of pounds in valuable income but consistent chargebacks can also result in heavy fines from payment providers. These can ultimately affect the affiliates as more stringent programmes are developed to control the chargebacks and can have a negative impact on the merchant/affiliate relationship and future revenues. It is therefore a matter of real importance to both merchants and affiliates that needs to be addressed immediately. By limiting or indeed eliminating chargebacks, both merchants and affiliates will see their profit increase," said Pandeya.

Another hugely important element of the gambling and gaming sector is the process of paying out. The primary function for Ukash historically has been to facilitate 'cash-in' to gaming and gambling sites, and introduce the lucrative cash consumer to the online world. Additionally, Ukash has also allowed for prepaid cards and the increasingly popular e-wallets to be loaded with cash, providing online gamers with far greater flexibility.

"We are constantly looking for innovative solutions and have now introduced Ukash PayOut, which simply pays out a Ukash voucher instantly, regardless of the deposit method used," said Pandeya. The company has completed the circle and now offers a 360-degree cash solution for online gaming operators and consumers.

These are just two of the ways in which Ukash's solutions can boost operators' revenue in the gaming and gambling sector. "Our extensive experience in this market has allowed us to refine our service, our global presence and our in-depth local knowledge, meaning that we can provide affiliates around the world with the tools they need to meet and exceed gamers' expectations while improving their bottom line," continued Pandeya.

"Our efficiently managed affiliate programme has been growing as the scope of our services and our geographical reach has expanded. We offer affiliates a robust, scalable opportunity that uses rapid payments to generate significant income," he added.

Ukash is continuing to innovate and provide new services for its clients to attract more customers, to simplify transactions and to maximise revenue, which has led to an increasing number of merchants adopting Ukash as an alternative payment solution on their site.

Pandeya told iNTERGAMINGi: "The Ukash payment method brings cash online, eliminates chargebacks and increases revenues and conversions on the back of the minimal effort required by the customer. It allows the customer to test multiple sites and find the best fit without the need to divulge their personal details everytime. As an affiliate it offers flexibility to your customers, it is proven to increase your revenue and lets you approach your base with a unique solution that caters to their needs and helps increase your bottom line number."