Shows / Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis
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…
Episodes
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#259 Stripe vs Shopify Payments: The Differences That Could Cost You Money
Is Shopify Payments the same as Stripe? Not exactly. While Shopify Payments uses Stripe's payment infrastructure, there are important differences in fees…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#258 Free Trial Customers Not Paying? It Might Be Your Setup
Free trial customers signing up but not paying? Before you blame cancellations, check your payment setup. Some of those failed rebills may be declines you can…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#257 Which Online Business Bank Account Is Best? Mercury vs Slash vs Airwallex vs Novo
Which online business bank account is best for your business? In this episode, I compare Mercury vs Slash vs Airwallex vs Novo, including their banking…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis256 How to Stop Losing Money on Chargebacks
Chargeback prevention starts before a customer disputes a payment. Learn how to prevent chargebacks, reduce dispute losses, and protect your ecommerce profits…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#255 The Problems That Start When Your Shopify Store Hits $1M
Scaling your Shopify store toward $1 million in revenue? Your payment processing setup may need to change before your sales do. As ecommerce volume grows…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#254 Make More Profit Than 99% of Business Owners
Most online business owners know how much revenue they're generating. Far fewer know how much money they're unnecessarily leaving on the table. After more than…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#253 Whop vs Skool: Which Is Better for Courses, Coaching & High-Ticket Sales?
In this episode, I compare Whop and Skool for online courses, coaching programs, communities and high-ticket offers. We look at the differences in features…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#252 Shopify vs WooCommerce: Which Is Better as Your Business Grows?
Shopify or WooCommerce—which is the better choice for your ecommerce business? Shopify offers an integrated, easy-to-manage ecommerce ecosystem, while…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#251 How I Increase ROAS 25% Without Touching Ads
Your ROAS might look great—but your business could still be leaving serious money on the table. The problem may have nothing to do with your ads or traffic. In…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#250 Best Stripe Alternative for a Non-Resident US LLC
If you're a non-US resident with a US LLC and Stripe suddenly puts your funds on reserve, holds your payouts, or shuts down your account, finding another US…
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#249 I Helped Build a 9-Figure Business... Here’s What Actually Helped Us Grow
What happens to your business when you step away? If every important decision still needs your approval, growth eventually becomes harder — no matter how…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#248 The Real Reason Some Businesses Generate 10x More Revenue
Same product. Same customer. A $900 difference. Two businesses can sell almost identical products to almost identical customers, yet see completely different…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#247 The Real Reason Your Business Stopped Growing
Every month, I see which businesses are about to stop growing before they even notice it. Most founders blame marketing first. More ads, a new funnel, a better…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#246 7 Settings Stopping Card Testing Attacks (Turn These on NOW)
Someone could be testing stolen credit cards on your website right now — and your payment processor isn't going to stop it. It's called a card testing attack…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#245 She Had 48 Hours to Save Her Business (Shopify Did This)
Shopify shut off her Shopify Payments entirely — with less than 48 hours' notice before she'd lose the ability to take payments at all. They flagged her…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#244 Why Your Payment Processor Treats You as High‑Risk (Even If You’re Legit)
Are Stripe, Shopify Payments, PayPal, or another processor delaying payouts, adding reserves, or asking a ton of questions about your business? In this…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#243 The Revenue Leaks Most Businesses Never Find
You could be losing thousands of dollars a month — and your marketing dashboard would never show it. Most founders respond to slow growth by launching new…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#242 Is Your Checkout Scaring Customers Away? 7 Trust Fixes That Increase Sales
If customers are reaching checkout but not completing payment, your checkout page may be missing the trust signals, payment options, and clarity buyers need…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#241 Is Your AI Agent Quietly Increasing Chargebacks?
You added AI support agents to save money. It might be why your chargebacks are climbing. For ecommerce brands, AI support chatbots are an easy sell — fewer…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#240 Stripe Withheld Your Funds – 4 Steps That Actually Work
Your Stripe account closed and Stripe is still holding your funds? Here's what's actually happening and how to recover Stripe money faster. When Stripe shuts…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#239 The Silent Revenue Killer: Fixing 'Do Not Honor' Declines
Your customers are trying to buy. Their cards are valid. Yet the transaction still gets declined. Do Not Honor is one of the most misunderstood credit card…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#238 What Happens If Stripe Shuts You Down Tomorrow?
Take back control of your payments before Stripe, Shopify Payments, PayPal, or Square take control of your business. Many ecommerce brands build their entire…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#237 Why Having Low Chargebacks Is No Longer Enough to Keep Your Account Safe
Your account can get flagged long before you ever hit a 1% chargeback rate. For years, 1% was treated like the magical chargeback threshold. As long as your…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#236 Your Payment Processor Is Silently Blocking Sales
AI fraud scoring systems may be silently declining your transactions without you realizing it. Most online businesses see higher failed payments or lower…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#235 How to Reduce Stripe Chargebacks in 3 Steps
Stripe chargebacks are not just costing you money — too many disputes can put your entire account at risk. If customers are filing disputes, calling their…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#234 5 Checkout Fixes That Will Grow Your Shopify Sales
More traffic will not grow your Shopify business if your checkout is costing you sales. If you’re running ads, getting traffic, but not seeing revenue, the…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#233 Stripe Payout On Hold? Fastest Way To Get Paid
Stripe holding your money? This video shows you how to speed up the process and get your funds released. Stop making the common mistakes that delay Stripe…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis232 Shopify Is Holding Your Money (Here’s Why It’s Worse in 2026)
Shopify has quietly changed reserve amounts and extended payout delays—and health & beauty brands are being hit the hardest. Shopify reserves are becoming a…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#231 Why Your Best Launch Month Could Be Your Last
Most product launches don’t fail because of marketing. They fail because of how payment processors interpret sudden revenue spikes. If you run an online…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#230 What Are You Actually Paying For? Your Merchant Statement Explained
What if you’ve been overpaying on your merchant statement without even realizing it? Most businesses don’t actually read their merchant statements — they just…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#229 5 Subscription Revenue Leaks Hiding in Your Payment Setup
What if you could increase subscription revenue without spending more on ads? When revenue stalls, most businesses try to fix it with more ad spend. But real…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#228 Stripe Is Shutting Down AI Businesses — Is Yours Next?
Your AI business could be one risk review away from losing everything. Stripe has been shutting down AI companies with little warning — freezing funds…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#227 Scaling Your Business? Stripe Might Shut You Down
Your sales are scaling, ads are working, orders are flooding in — then Stripe freezes your account. It happens more than you think, and Maria shows you exactly…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#226 Business Identity Theft and the MATCH List (What Merchants Should Know)
Your business identity could be stolen — and you won’t even know until your merchant account application is declined. In this episode, Maria explains MATCH…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#227 How to Get a Merchant Account FAST (High Risk Business Included)
Applying for a merchant account online doesn’t have to take weeks. Most delays happen because applications are incomplete, inconsistent, or unprepared. In this…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#224 Stripe Restricted Business List: Avoid Frozen or Held Payments
Stripe Restricted Business? Payments Frozen, Paused, or Held? Even legal businesses can trigger a Stripe risk review, leaving funds inaccessible. Small spikes…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#223 Shopify Payments Isn’t Your Only Option (Keep Your Store)
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#222 How to Add ACH Payments to Boost Your Sales
More ways to pay = more money in your business. ACH payments lower processing fees, reduce chargebacks, retain clients longer, strengthen your checkout, and…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#221 The Hidden Reason You Can’t Get a Merchant Account
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#220 The Best Payment Setup For Your Business
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#219 Too Good to Be True? Payment Processing Red Flags
The FTC has proposed $52.9 million in penalties against Cliq Bank, alleging the company failed to comply with prior court-ordered payment processing…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#218 How to Get a US Merchant Account as a Non-Resident
Non-US residents are rejected by payment processors every day — even with an ITIN. Maria explains why platforms like Stripe approve non-resident businesses…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#217 Subscription Churn Starts Earlier Than You Think — How to Fix Month-One Cancellations
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#216 Fix Your Checkout to Unlock Growth in 2026
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#215 Don’t Let Stripe Kill Your Holiday Sales
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#214 Holiday Payment Declines Are Killing Your Sales
If you’re running an ecommerce store, subscription business, or online shop, you’ve probably noticed December declines spike during the holiday season. Banks…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#213 Do Not Honor, Pick Up Card & Other Issuer Declines Explained
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#212 Order Insights: The Only Alert That Saves the Sale
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…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#211 - Stripe Holding Your Money Hostage? Do THIS Next
Stripe holding your money or freezing payouts? Here’s why reserves happen — and what ecommerce brands, subscription businesses, and online sellers can do to…
Click & Convert with Maria Sparagis#210 Stop Paying for Invoicing Software You Don’t Need
Are you sinking thousands into third-party invoicing tools — when your accounting software and payment gateway can handle everything without extra fees or…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisBNPL Crackdown: Rising Fees, Stricter Rules & Fewer Sales
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…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisBefore You Rely on Stripe Payments — Watch This
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…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisHow to Get a High Risk Merchant Account
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…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisHow to Instantly Improve Your Credit Card Approval Rates
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…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisVisa’s New Fraud Rules Are Live — How to Protect Your Business from VAMP
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…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisHigh-Risk Merchant Accounts Explained: Do You NEED One?
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…
Click & Convert with Maria SparagisDon’t Be Next: FTC’s $2.5B Amazon Case Targets Subscriptions
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…
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Visa’s New Chargeback Rules Every Online Seller Needs to Know
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…
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The Tariff Survival Guide for Online Businesses
Are tariffs eating into your profits? Import duties, trade talks, and sudden tariff changes are creating chaos for online businesses, dropshippers, and…
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How to Stop Losing Money to Friendly Fraud
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…