So, what’s the most common mistake you see online firearms retailers making?
Hint: It’s not the same as in brick and mortar.
They ignore the importance of the payment process.
The firearms industry generated $91.65 billion in economic activity in 2024 but many dealers still have outdated or subpar checkout flows.
Here’s the problem:
If your firearms payment processing isn’t optimized, you’ll lose sales as fast as you can say “high-risk merchant account.”
In this guide, you’ll learn how top firearms retailers plan for and create payment experiences that are not only compliant but also drive conversions.
Ready to level up?
Let’s jump right in.
What you’ll discover:
- Why Planning for Success in Firearms Payment Processing Matters
- The Hidden Costs of Poor User Experience
- 5 Key Elements of Optimized Payment Flows
- How to Choose the Right Payment Partner
Why Planning for Success in Firearms Payment Processing Matters
Think of firearms payment processing like it’s just like any other high-risk business category.
It requires strategic planning from day one. That’s why, when working with secure merchant accounts for the firearms industry, 2Accept and other specialty processors are ready to go from day one.
Unlike basic or medium-risk payment solutions, which often include firearms sales as one of many categories, 2Accept builds payment processing systems from the ground up specifically for firearms retailers.
Here’s the thing…
The firearms industry deals with a unique set of challenges like federal regulations, age verification, and more scrutiny from payment processors.
The average firearms dealer’s transactions are in the hundreds and thousands of dollars.
One glitch in your payment process and the sale is gone.
Here’s the truth about payment friction most people don’t realize:
Not only do you lose that sale, but your brand reputation takes a hit and sends customers to a competitor who got their system right.
The Hidden Costs of Poor User Experience
Ok, here’s one that might surprise you.
Terrible payment experiences cost the firearms industry more than lost sales. Did you know 16.1 million firearms were sold in the United States during 2024?
Even a small boost to conversion on your payment flow can translate to hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars in revenue.
Every second that your customers sit in a payment flow that’s not fully optimized, you’re losing.
Inefficiency in the firearms payment processing leads to:
- Cart abandonment – Customers abandon the transaction when they feel like the checkout process is too difficult or unsafe.
- Increased support costs – More customers means more questions, which means more support tickets.
- Compliance issues – Rushed payment process integration could mean you miss critical legal requirements.
- Chargeback hell – Chargeback rates in the firearms industry average around 4% according to SRSGroup , much higher than the 1% that most merchants see.
Ready for the kicker?
Almost all of these issues are preventable through proper planning and optimization. You just have to know where to start.
5 Key Elements of Optimized Payment Flows
Ok, you’re ready to transform your firearms payment processing experience.
Every high-converting payment flow in the firearms industry has five key elements in common. Nail these areas and you will beat 9/10 of your competitors.
Here’s the 5 key features that top payment flows have:
Transparent Pricing & Fees
No one likes surprise fees at checkout.
List everything upfront, including base price, taxes, shipping, and processing fees. Transparency equals trust and helps significantly reduce cart abandonment.
Streamlined Verification Process
Age verification is an absolute requirement in firearms sales.
But it doesn’t have to be a deal breaker in your conversion rate.
The most optimized firearms payment systems integrate the verification process directly into the checkout experience without making the buyer jump through hoops.
Automated background and credentials checks that happen in seconds instead of minutes are key.
Multiple Payment Options
Here’s one that might surprise you.
Not all firearms buyers want to or can use credit cards.
Your payment system should accept all major credit cards and debit cards, ACH transfers, and digital wallets where allowed.
The more payment options you have, the less likely you are to lose a sale over a payment method.
Mobile-Optimized Experience
Did you know 42% of Americans either own firearms or live with someone who does firearms?
Many of those people are using their phones or tablets to browse and make purchases.
Your payment flow should be flawless on mobile devices. Buttons need to be large and easy to tap, forms simple and easy to fill out, and error messages clear and helpful.
Test your mobile checkout experience on a regular basis.
Clear Communication & Security Indicators
Trust is a major issue in firearms payment processing.
Your customers need to feel like their data is safe at all times. Have security badges and trust logos visible. Use SSL and show verified payment processor logos.
Send immediate confirmation emails with clear next steps, tracking, and anything else the buyer needs to know.
How to Choose the Right Payment Partner
Ok, last thing before we wrap up, what’s the truth about firearms payment processing?
Hint: It’s a highly regulated business category that is typically avoided by most mainstream payment processors.
Square, PayPal, Stripe — all these brands classify firearms and ammunition sales as “prohibited” in their terms of service.
All of which means you need a high-risk payment processor with specialized knowledge of the industry and the right relationships.
But not all high-risk payment processors are the same.
Check these 3 requirements when you evaluate processors:
Industry Experience: The ideal processor has years of experience working exclusively with firearms payment processing. They need to know the rules around FFL, individual state regulation, and how to maintain compliance.
Transparent Fee Structure: Hidden fees will be the death of your margins. Look for an honest, transparent pricing structure with no surprises.
Dedicated Support: When payment processing goes wrong, you need humans who understand your business and can help. Your processor should offer a live, dedicated account manager.
Integration Capabilities: You want a payment solution that easily integrates with your current e-commerce platform, inventory management, and accounting tools.
Chargeback Protection: With higher chargeback rates in the firearms industry, you want a processor who offers tools and support to minimize disputes and protect your account.
Planning for end-to-end payment process success is a continuous journey.
Firearms retailers that plan from the start and iterate on their experiences over time get the best results. Start by mapping out the entire customer journey, including all interactions from product page to order confirmation.
Identify any friction points where users might abandon the checkout. Test different solutions and measure the impact.
Don’t be in a hurry to skip steps in the optimization process.
A small 5% increase in checkout completion could be equal to thousands of extra sales per year.
Wrap Up
Ok, here’s what you should remember from the section above on optimizing your firearms payment processing.
Plan to treat your payment system as a core part of your business.
Invest in a processor who knows the firearms industry and offers tools to help you not only start off right but also continue to get better over time. Look for these 5 key features to maximize conversion in your payment flow: transparency, simplicity, multiple payment options, mobile optimization, and clear communication.
The firearms industry has no signs of slowing down anytime soon. With the proper strategy in place around firearms payment processing, you can capture more of that lucrative market share while also providing the smooth, secure experience modern consumers expect.
Don’t let payment friction be your downfall. Take the time to evaluate your current payment flow and identify areas for improvement.