Increasing Global Approval Rates To Over 90% With Reach – Sideshow's Success Story

Sideshow is a creative powerhouse specializing in high-end pop culture collectibles. With a mission to connect fans with premium representations of their favourite characters, Sideshow has established itself as a global leader in the collectibles industry. Guided by their passion for art and storytelling, the company has always considered itself a global brand.

Increased approval rates

to over 90% and decreased false declines

Eliminated buyer friction

by offering their international customers a localized checkout experience

Gained operational peace of mind

to focus on core offerings and not payment complexities

Collaborative development

to solve issues specific to their product and industry

“

"Reach really has been that rock for us. It lets us focus on how to better serve and interact with our customers, knowing that the payment side is handled — and handled well."”

— Rob Hammond - Co-CEO of Sideshow

The Situation

In the early nineties, Sideshow relied on phone and fax orders. As they expanded online, more customers began shopping from abroad, but the checkout experience created friction for international buyers.

Before partnering with Reach, Sideshow only accepted credit cards, lacked localized payment options, and processed all transactions from the U.S., leading to high foreign transaction fees, and false declines - these issues deterred global customers. Sideshow was also limited by the standard refund policies available through previous payment service providers.

These policies did not fit Sideshow's pre-order-based business model in a way that satisfied their global consumer's needs. To maintain their reputation for exceptional experiences, Sideshow needed a solution that aligned with their premium products and met the needs of their diverse audience.

The Solution

In 2014, Sideshow partnered with Reach to level up their international ecommerce capabilities. Reach, through their Merchant of Record (MoR) model, greatly improved Sideshow's checkout in all the countries they serve. This allowed Sideshow to:

Localize Their Checkout Experience

Enable cross-border customers to pay via payment methods & currencies local to, or preferred by them.

Reduce Cross-Border Fees

Significantly reduce cross-border transaction fees for their international customers.

Reduce Purchase Friction

Streamline the checkout process to reduce friction and enhance the buying experience for their global audience.

Custom-Build Collaborative Solutions

Regular collaboration with developers at both companies provided Sideshow with bespoke solutions to the pre-order refund challenges inherent to their industry and product.

The Outcome

High Transaction Success Rate

Sideshow unlocked a localized checkout, which led to a worldwide average approval rate of 92.60% and a significant decrease in failed transactions.

Reduced Fees

Reach minimized or eliminated international transaction fees, creating a better experience for customers and boosting conversions.

Localized Payments in 70+ Markets

Sideshow's customers gained the convenience of paying in their local currencies & payment methods, eliminating checkout friction and increasing their overall satisfaction.

A Partnership That Scales

With Reach managing the complexities of global payments, Sideshow can focus on growing its product offerings and strengthening customer relationships.

Watch Testimonial Video

See how Sideshow leveraged Reach's solutions to transform their international payment processing and achieve record-breaking approval rates.