Listen to this articleBelow is our recent interview with Matt Fields, Vice President of AgeChecker.Net:
Q: For those who haven’t heard of it, what is the best way to describe AgeChecker.Net?
A: We specialize in age verification technology for ecommerce stores selling age-restricted products, such as tobacco, electronic cigarettes/vape, CBD, alcohol, etc.
We saw an opportunity to streamline regulatory compliance for these online businesses so that they could prevent underage sales. Checking IDs face-to-face in store is fairly straightforward—and we aim to bring the same efficiency to the online space.
Before our age verification software became widely adopted, an “age gate” (a simple box that asks the website visitor to self-certify that they are of legal age by checking a box or entering any birthdate) was the standard for the industries we now serve. And while an age gate lets consumers know that the website is age-restricted, there’s nothing there to deter minors from entering a false age and purchasing products that are meant for adults.
AgeChecker.net prevents this scenario by using customer information we collect at checkout to confirm the buyer’s age before their payment is authorized. We are partnered with several of the largest U.S. data providers, and use the customer’s name, address, and date of birth to cross-reference against extensive identity networks in search of a match. We’re able to instantly verify about 90% of customers using this method.
For the remaining 10%, we’ll authenticate the customer’s age by prompting them to submit a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, state-issued identification card, or passport, which is manually verified by our 24/7 live team. We never store IDs, but our software will recall these customers based on their name, address, and date of birth, so they won’t have to upload an ID for subsequent orders on any website using AgeChecker.net.
Minimally invasive and built into the checkout process, AgeChecker.net is designed to protect businesses from the liability of potential underage sales and promote social responsibility in age-restricted industries, without being so intrusive that it causes websites to lose customers during the process.
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Q: Can you give us insights into your features?
A: Our customizable features allow businesses to create their own rules-based verification workflow. We offer advanced localization tools, so our clients can set varying minimum ages or block purchasing entirely from specific regions.
Clients can isolate broad regions, such as all international orders, or narrow it down by state, county, city, or zip code. This is perhaps our most prominent feature because laws are constantly changing in the U.S. surrounding the vape/tobacco industry, and not just on a state-wide basis, as many cities and counties are enacting their own laws as well.
So a business could, for instance, set a minimum age of 18 for some states, 19 for others, 21 for others, and choose to require an ID for international orders or block them entirely.
Some of our other features include:
• 24/7 phone and email support for clients and their customers, so they can outsource the entire age verification process
• Industry Presets, so businesses can implement our out-of-the-box solution that is up to date with current laws
• Complimentary installation by our developer team
• Access to our flexible API for custom development
• Customizable popup, so you control the look and placement of AgeChecker.net to match your website design
• Pre-authorization verifications, so you don’t have to worry about refunding or voiding sales if the buyer is found to be underage after they’ve purchased.
• Secure and encrypted (256-bit AES) verification process
• Detailed verification logs
Q: Why is age verification important in the world of ecommerce?
A: Age verification allows age-restricted industries to remain viable online. Selling to minors is against the law in many markets, and we’re seeing the most prominent example of enforcement in the electronic cigarette industry this year. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Trump Administration, and governing bodies of individual states and municipalities are all taking measures to prevent underage sales of certain nicotine products as we face what the FDA calls a teen vaping epidemic. As statistics for underage use only continue to rise, age verification becomes an indispensable compliance tool for businesses selling these products online.
As we see other markets offer more online buying options—such as CBD, cannabis, weapons, alcohol, adult products, and more—we’re seeing a broad increase in demand for age verification software that actually works to replace the obsolete age gate. Regulatory pressure on the nicotine market is serving as a strong warning flag to other industries who are responsible for preventing underage use of their products.
Q: What types of integrations do you offer?
A: AgeChecker.net comes as a plug-in for 15 major ecommerce platforms: Shopify, Volusion, Magento, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, 3DCart, OpenCart, X-Cart, ZenCart, Weebly, PrestaShop, Wix, Warhead, Lightspeed, and PinnacleCart.
We offer self-installation guides for each platform or complimentary, same-day installation by our team of experts.
Our flexible API can also be used for custom integrations.
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Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: While AgeChecker.net currently offers a plethora of integration options, we are working to increase its accessibility to an even broader range of platforms. We are striving to make our software compatible with new apps, delivery services, and in-store POS systems, to name just a few examples.
Our underlying objective will remain the same as we move forward: to promote social responsibility and regulatory compliance in age-restricted markets by offering a solution to keep their products in the right hands.
We will continue to adapt our product and release new features to meet the needs of business owners, regulators, consumers, and developers alike.
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