Thenumberx.com Reviews

Based on checking the website, Thenumberx.com presents itself as a comprehensive solution for digital goods commerce, aiming to simplify international transactions, tax compliance, and overall operational complexities for online businesses.

It offers a full-stack approach, positioning itself as a Merchant of Record MoR that handles payments, checkout, and back-office functions.

The platform targets a wide range of digital products, from AI wrapper subscriptions and indie videogames to e-learning and mobile apps.

While the platform details various technical and logistical benefits, it’s crucial to evaluate whether the business model aligns with ethical and permissible practices, especially concerning its role in facilitating the sale of potentially problematic digital goods like certain videogames or entertainment content that might promote undesirable behaviors or themes. Lekkerbikes.us Reviews

Businesses should always prioritize alignment with moral and religious principles, opting for platforms that strictly support products and services that are beneficial and permissible.

Find detailed reviews on Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org, for software products you can also check Producthunt.

IMPORTANT: We have not personally tested this company’s services. This review is based solely on information provided by the company on their website. For independent, verified user experiences, please refer to trusted sources such as Trustpilot, Reddit, and BBB.org.

Thenumberx.com Review & First Look

Thenumberx.com positions itself as a robust Merchant of Record MoR, a pivotal service for businesses selling digital goods globally. This means they handle the complexities of payment processing, taxation, compliance, and even some aspects of customer support, allowing merchants to focus solely on their product. The core promise is to simplify cross-border sales by taking on the legal and financial liabilities that often burden online businesses. Brokereo.com Reviews

Understanding the Merchant of Record Model

A Merchant of Record is the legal entity that sells goods or services to the end customer.

This entity is responsible for collecting payments, handling taxes, ensuring compliance with local regulations, and managing chargebacks.

For businesses, especially those expanding internationally, this model significantly reduces administrative burden and legal exposure.

• Legal Compliance: Thenumberx.com claims to manage diverse regulations like GDPR, CCPA, PSD-2, and I-PIN.
• Tax Remittance: They handle sales tax collection, filing, and remittance globally, eliminating the need for businesses to register with multiple tax authorities.
• Payment Processing: They claim to offer 900 alternative payment methods APMs and manage currency conversion.

Initial Impressions of the Platform

The website highlights a clear value proposition: “Forget about declined international transactions, tax fines, global compliance and seats in your customer support.” This directly addresses major pain points for digital product sellers. They emphasize cost savings and efficiency, suggesting that by leveraging their infrastructure, businesses can achieve significant reductions in overhead costs and international expansion budgets. However, the exact types of digital goods they support need careful scrutiny to ensure alignment with ethical guidelines. For instance, if the platform facilitates the sale of content that promotes violence, inappropriate themes, or gambling-like mechanics in games, it raises ethical concerns for businesses committed to moral principles.

Thenumberx.com Features

Thenumberx.com boasts a suite of features designed to cover the entire digital goods ecosystem, from payment processing to compliance and anti-fraud measures. Forestgatetravel.co.uk Reviews

Their approach aims to provide a “full stack” solution, encompassing financial, legal, and operational responsibilities.

Payment Solutions & Global Reach

One of their primary selling points is the extensive payment method coverage and enhanced authorization rates for cross-border transactions.

• Number X Checkout: This feature allows businesses to accept over 200+ payment methods in 100+ geographies. This broad coverage is critical for reaching a global customer base, as payment preferences vary significantly by region.
• GATE Suite: Specifically designed for cross-border sales, the GATE suite aims to improve authorization rates by 10-25%. This is vital for reducing abandoned carts and increasing successful international transactions, a common challenge for online merchants.
• 900 Alternative Payment Methods APMs: Beyond traditional credit cards, they claim to activate hundreds of APMs from day one, allowing businesses to “break into new markets faster.” This includes local payment options preferred in different regions.

Compliance, Anti-Fraud, and Operational Support

Their MoR model inherently includes comprehensive compliance and anti-fraud services, crucial for mitigating risks associated with global digital commerce.

• Merchant of Record Service: This is the core offering, taking on legal and financial responsibilities including tax registration, collection, filing, and remittance, as well as global compliance GDPR, CCPA, PSD-2, SCTC.
• Guard Global Compliance: A dedicated service to ensure adherence to ever-changing international regulations.
• ANTI-FRAUD: Touted as the “#1 Revenue protection tool for digital business,” it includes chargeback protection and preventative refunds.
• Backoffice Support: They claim to manage customer support queries, fraud management, and refund processes, reducing the operational burden on merchants by 100% on customer support queries, as claimed on their site.

Commercial Solutions & Marketplace Offerings

Beyond core payment and compliance, Thenumberx.com offers tools to help businesses expand their reach and boost revenue.

• Number X Console: A digital goods marketplace allowing users to “top up the balance” for games or apps. This could be concerning if it encourages excessive in-game spending or features games with problematic content.
• Number X Shop Creator Economy: A marketplace for showcasing online courses.
• Brick Webstore Builder: A 100% white-label, fully customizable storefront for digital goods, designed to help businesses “ditch high fees of platforms and legacy Appstores” by selling direct-to-consumer D2C. This offers flexibility and potentially higher margins.
• Performance Marketing Coming Soon: A future feature promising 6% cashback on media buying and access to “industry-leading performance marketing tools.” While this could boost sales, businesses must ensure that marketing strategies remain ethical and avoid deceptive practices.

Thenumberx.com Cons

While Thenumberx.com presents numerous benefits, a critical evaluation reveals several potential drawbacks, particularly concerning the types of digital goods it facilitates and the implications for businesses seeking to maintain ethical operations. Startupsvisionboard.com Reviews

Lack of Content Vetting

One significant concern is the apparent lack of explicit content vetting or a clear policy on the types of digital goods permissible on their platform.

While they list “AI wrapper subscriptions to Indie videogames” as examples, the broad categorization of “digital goods” could include content that:

• Promotes gambling-like mechanics in games.
• Features immoral or explicit content.
• Encourages excessive or unproductive consumption, especially in games or entertainment.

A platform that acts as a Merchant of Record effectively endorses the goods sold through it.

Without stringent content guidelines, businesses using Thenumberx.com might inadvertently associate themselves with products that conflict with their values or religious principles.

This is a critical point for any business prioritizing ethical conduct. Lysisparis.com Reviews

Dependency on a Third-Party MoR

While outsourcing compliance and payments can be convenient, it also creates a significant dependency on a third-party MoR.

• Loss of Direct Control: Businesses cede direct control over critical financial and legal processes. Any issues with Thenumberx.com’s compliance, security, or service delivery could directly impact the merchant.
• Data Sharing: Sharing sensitive financial and customer data with a third party requires immense trust. Businesses must thoroughly vet Thenumberx.com’s data security protocols and privacy policies to ensure compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR or CCPA.
• Platform Lock-in: Migrating away from an integrated MoR solution can be complex and disruptive, potentially incurring significant costs and downtime if a business decides to switch providers in the future.

Fixed Fee Model vs. Revenue Alignment

Thenumberx.com charges a fixed fee of 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction, with “no setup or monthly fees.” While this seems straightforward, it’s worth comparing against other models.

• Potential for Higher Costs on Low-Value Transactions: For very low-priced digital goods, the 50¢ fixed component could represent a disproportionately high percentage of the transaction value. For example, on a $1 digital good, the fee is $0.55 5% of $1 + $0.50, which is 55% of the transaction.
• Lack of Tiered Pricing: Many payment processors offer tiered pricing or volume discounts, which might be more beneficial for high-volume businesses or those with varying price points.
• Transparency of Hidden Fees: While they claim “No setup or monthly fees,” they also highlight how other processors have hidden fees. It’s crucial for businesses to fully understand all potential costs with Thenumberx.com, including FX fees, chargeback fees, and any other surcharges that might not be immediately apparent from the advertised fixed fee. They explicitly mention “Processors’ fee breakdown” to show others’ hidden fees, but a full breakdown of their own potential variable fees or charges beyond the fixed fee would offer greater clarity.

Thenumberx.com Alternatives

For businesses looking to sell digital goods globally while maintaining ethical standards and control, several alternatives to Thenumberx.com exist.

These often vary in their approach to compliance, payment processing, and the level of direct responsibility retained by the merchant.

1. Direct Payment Gateways with In-House Compliance

Instead of a full MoR, businesses can opt for traditional payment gateways and handle compliance, tax, and legal aspects themselves. 1oakcare.com Reviews

• Stripe: A leading payment processor offering a vast array of features, including global payments, subscriptions, and invoicing. Stripe provides tools like Stripe Tax to help with tax calculation and reporting, but the ultimate responsibility for compliance remains with the merchant.
  • Pros: High level of control, extensive API for custom integrations, supports over 135 currencies.
  • Cons: Requires significant in-house expertise for global tax and legal compliance. higher administrative burden.
  • Typical Fees: Varies by region, typically around 2.9% + $0.30 for online card transactions in the US, with additional fees for international cards or specific features like Stripe Tax.
• PayPal: A widely recognized platform, especially for international transactions, offering familiar checkout experiences for customers.
  • Pros: High customer trust, easy setup for basic payments, robust buyer and seller protection.
  • Cons: Higher fees for international transactions, potential for holds on funds, limited control over checkout experience compared to custom solutions.
  • Typical Fees: Around 3.49% + fixed fee for online transactions, higher for cross-border.

2. Specialized Platforms for Ethical Digital Goods

For businesses focused on specific types of digital goods, particularly educational content or software, specialized platforms might offer more tailored services with inherent ethical alignment.

• Teachable / Thinkific: Platforms designed specifically for creating and selling online courses. They handle payments, course hosting, and student management, providing a focused ecosystem.
  • Pros: Built-in tools for course creation, community features, marketing integrations.
  • Cons: Not suitable for all types of digital goods e.g., games or software licenses.
  • Pricing: Subscription-based models, often with transaction fees on lower-tier plans.
• Gumroad: A simple platform for creators to sell digital products directly to their audience, including ebooks, podcast, and software.
  • Pros: Easy to use, low barrier to entry, supports a wide range of digital files.
  • Cons: Higher transaction fees compared to some full-scale payment processors, less robust compliance features than a dedicated MoR.
  • Typical Fees: 10% for free users, decreasing with higher sales volume.

3. Building an In-House Solution for Large Enterprises

For very large businesses with significant resources and unique requirements, building a custom payment and compliance infrastructure might be a viable, albeit costly, alternative.

• Pros: Maximum control, tailored solutions, potential for long-term cost savings by eliminating third-party fees.
• Cons: Extremely high upfront investment in development, legal, and financial expertise. ongoing maintenance and security burdens. requires a dedicated team.
• Example: A major software company might have its own global legal team to manage entity creation and tax compliance in different regions, alongside direct integrations with various local payment gateways.

Key Considerations When Choosing an Alternative:

• Ethical Alignment: Ensure the platform’s policies and typical content align with your business’s values.
• Compliance Responsibility: Understand who is responsible for tax, legal, and regulatory compliance.
• Cost Structure: Compare transaction fees, monthly fees, setup fees, and potential hidden charges.
• Scalability: Can the platform grow with your business and support your future expansion plans?
• Integration Ease: How easily can it integrate with your existing website, e-commerce platform, or accounting software?

Ultimately, the best alternative depends on the specific needs of the business, its scale, the types of digital goods being sold, and its commitment to managing compliance and ethical responsibilities directly or through a specialized partner.

How to Cancel Thenumberx.com Subscription

Based on the information provided on their homepage, Thenumberx.com operates on a “fixed fee 5% + 50¢ per Checkout transaction” model with “No setup or monthly fees.” This implies that there isn’t a traditional recurring “subscription” in the sense of a fixed monthly or annual charge. Instead, their fees are transaction-based.

However, if a business has signed up for their service and wishes to discontinue using it, the process would likely involve a formal cancellation of their merchant account or partnership agreement. Tranglo.com Reviews

Since there are no explicit cancellation instructions on the homepage, the general steps for discontinuing a business service like this would apply:

1. Review Your Agreement and Terms of Service

The first and most crucial step is to locate and review the service agreement or Terms of Service ToS you accepted when you onboarded with Thenumberx.com. This document will outline the specific cancellation procedures, any notice periods required, and potential obligations upon termination.

• Key information to look for:
  • Required notice period for termination e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days.
  • Any termination fees or penalties.
  • Procedures for data retrieval or transfer.
  • Final settlement of outstanding balances or payouts.

2. Contact Thenumberx.com Support Directly

Given the lack of a self-service cancellation portal mentioned on their public site, the most direct approach is to contact their support or sales team.

Their homepage prominently features a “Talk to sales” button and implies direct communication is their preferred method.

• Recommended communication channels:
  • Email: Look for a dedicated support or account management email address.
  • Contact Form: Use any “Contact Us” or “Support” forms on their website.
  • Direct Sales Contact: If you have an assigned sales or account representative, reach out to them.

Clearly state your intention to discontinue the service and request instructions on the formal cancellation process. Viggo.dk Reviews

Be prepared to provide your merchant ID or account details for verification.

3. Prepare for Account Closure and Transition

Before initiating cancellation, ensure you have a plan for transitioning your payment processing and compliance to an alternative solution.

• Migrate Payment Processing: Set up and test your new payment gateway or MoR alternative to ensure a smooth transition for your customers.
• Data Archiving: Download any necessary transaction data, reports, and customer information from your Thenumberx.com console for your records.
• Notify Customers If Applicable: If the change impacts customer experience e.g., a new checkout flow, consider notifying your customers in advance.
• Settle Outstanding Balances: Ensure all pending payouts are received and any outstanding fees or charges are settled before the account is fully closed.

It is always advisable to get written confirmation of your cancellation from Thenumberx.com, including the effective date of termination and confirmation that all obligations are met.

How to Cancel Thenumberx.com Free Trial

The Thenumberx.com website does not explicitly mention a “free trial” in the conventional sense.

Their pricing model, “Fixed fee 5% + 50¢ per Checkout transaction. Tshirtbar.se Reviews

No setup or monthly fees,” suggests that businesses only pay when they make a sale.

This eliminates the need for a “free trial” that automatically converts to a paid subscription after a set period.

However, if you have engaged with Thenumberx.com in a capacity that feels like a trial e.g., a pilot program, an initial integration phase, or a limited-time offer not publicly advertised as such, and you wish to disengage before fully committing or processing live transactions, the steps would largely mirror those for discontinuing their service.

Understanding the “Trial” Context

Since no explicit free trial is advertised, any “trial” period would likely be informal or part of a customized onboarding process.

This means there isn’t a standard “cancel trial” button. Winnyskitchen.com Reviews

Your approach should be based on ceasing your engagement before full operational launch.

Steps to Disengage if in an informal “trial” or onboarding phase:

1. Communicate Your Intent to Discontinue:

   • Contact your assigned sales or integration representative immediately. This is the most direct channel if you’ve been in a setup or onboarding phase.
   • Use general contact channels if no specific rep is assigned e.g., sales inquiry form, general info email.
   • Clearly state that you will not be proceeding with the integration or launching with their service.

2. Cease Integration Efforts:

   • Stop any ongoing technical integration work.
   • Remove any code snippets, APIs, or SDKs related to Thenumberx.com from your website or application.
3. Confirm No Financial Obligations:

   • Since they claim “no setup or monthly fees” and only charge per transaction, there should ideally be no financial obligation if you haven’t processed any live sales.
   • Get written confirmation from Thenumberx.com that there are no outstanding charges or future obligations, especially if you shared any banking or billing information during setup.

4. Data Deletion/Privacy: Vastlog.com Reviews

   • If you’ve uploaded any data or shared sensitive information during the setup process, inquire about their data retention and deletion policies. Ensure any data you provided is properly removed from their systems once you disengage.

In essence, without a formal “free trial” mechanism, “canceling” would simply mean informing Thenumberx.com that you will not be proceeding with their service and ensuring no active integrations are in place or financial obligations incurred.

Thenumberx.com Pricing

Thenumberx.com has a straightforward and transparent pricing model prominently displayed on its homepage: “Fixed fee 5% + 50¢ per Checkout transaction. No setup or monthly fees.” This structure aims to simplify cost calculations for merchants, allowing them to pay only when they generate revenue.

Detailed Breakdown of the Pricing Model

1. Transaction-Based Fee:

   • 5% of the transaction value: This percentage is applied to the total amount of each successful checkout transaction.
   • + 50¢ 50 cents per transaction: A flat fee added to each checkout.

2. No Recurring Fees:

   • No setup fees: Merchants do not pay an upfront cost to begin using the service.
   • No monthly fees: There are no recurring subscription charges, which can be attractive to businesses with fluctuating sales volumes or those just starting out.

Comparison to Traditional Processor Fees as presented by Thenumberx.com

Thenumberx.com explicitly contrasts its pricing with what it describes as “Processors’ fee breakdown,” highlighting potential hidden costs from traditional payment processors. Shdentistry.co.uk Reviews

They argue that while other processors might advertise lower base fees e.g., 1.5% + 30¢, these often come with numerous additional charges that drive up the effective rate.

Here’s a comparison based on their claims:

Feature/Cost Element	Thenumberx.com	Traditional Processors as per Thenumberx.com
Base Fee	5% + 50¢ per transaction	~1.5% + 30¢
Setup Fees	No	Often hidden
Monthly Fees	No	Common
Subscriptions Recurring	Included in 5% + 50¢	+0.5%
International Payment	Included in 5% + 50¢	+1%
Invoices Billing	Included in 5% + 50¢	+0.4% up to $2
ACH Payments	Included in 5% + 50¢	+0.8%
Tax Calculator Tool	Included MoR	+1% on each transaction
Dedicated Anti-Fraud Team	Included MoR	+0.4%
Alternative Payment Methods	Included 900 APMs	+0.8%
Disputes	Included Chargeback Prot.	+$15 fee
Custom Checkout Domains	Included Brick	+$10/month
Customer Support Seats	Included Outsourced	~$60k/per year
FX Fees	No FX fees wholesale rate	3-4% on each transaction
Declined Transactions	Not mentioned as fee	30¢ on each declined transaction
Card Type Surcharges	Not mentioned as fee	Up to 1% additional
Global Tax Filing/Accountants	Included MoR	$20,000/monthly
Effective Rate Claimed	Cheaper than ~7-8%	~7-8% or higher

Analysis of the Pricing Model

• Predictability: The fixed fee structure offers a high degree of predictability for businesses, especially those with consistent transaction values.
• Suitability for Different Transaction Sizes:
  • For high-value transactions, the 5% + 50¢ might be competitive, especially when considering the included MoR services that save significant costs on tax, compliance, and international payment complexities.
  • For low-value transactions, the 50¢ fixed component can make the effective percentage quite high. For example, on a $5 transaction, the fee is $0.75 $0.25 + $0.50, which is 15%. On a $1 transaction, it’s $0.55, or 55%. Businesses selling very low-priced digital goods should carefully calculate if this model is cost-effective for them.
• Value of Included Services: The value proposition largely rests on the extensive services included as part of the MoR model: global tax handling, compliance, anti-fraud, and diverse payment methods. For businesses facing significant international expansion hurdles, these integrated services could indeed lead to substantial savings compared to managing them in-house or with separate providers. They claim:
  • 3x faster onboarding due to legal advantages.
  • -40% declined international transactions.
  • -85% overhead costs.
  • -100% customer support queries handled.

Ultimately, the attractiveness of Thenumberx.com’s pricing depends on a business’s specific needs, transaction volume, average transaction value, and the true cost of managing global payments and compliance in-house or through multiple separate vendors.

Businesses should conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis, factoring in both direct fees and the indirect savings from outsourcing complex operational burdens.

Thenumberx.com vs. Competitors

When evaluating Thenumberx.com, it’s helpful to compare its Merchant of Record MoR model against other prominent players in the digital goods commerce space, which primarily fall into two categories: other MoR providers and traditional payment processors. Usinfobiz.com Reviews

The key differentiators often revolve around pricing, geographical reach, included services, and the types of products supported.

Thenumberx.com vs. Paddle Another MoR

Paddle is a well-known Merchant of Record specifically designed for software and digital product businesses. It offers similar comprehensive services to Thenumberx.com, including payment processing, tax compliance, subscription management, and fraud protection.

• Pricing Model: Paddle typically uses a percentage-based fee structure, often around 5% + 50¢ per transaction, similar to Thenumberx.com, but with variations based on volume and specific services. Paddle’s model sometimes offers more tiered pricing as volume increases.
• Focus: Paddle has historically focused heavily on SaaS and software companies, offering features tailored for recurring billing and licensing. Thenumberx.com appears to have a broader “digital goods” focus, including AI wrappers, indie games, e-learning, and mobile apps.
• Global Reach & APMs: Both aim for extensive global payment method coverage. Thenumberx.com claims 900 APMs and superior authorization rates for cross-border transactions, which is a strong competitive point.
• Marketplace/Webstore: Thenumberx.com offers “Number X Console” and “Number X Shop” digital goods marketplaces and “Brick” webstore builder, which are more pronounced than Paddle’s direct-to-consumer tools, giving Thenumberx.com an edge in offering direct sales channels.
• Customer Support Outsourcing: Thenumberx.com explicitly highlights “100% Customer support queries” reduction due to their service, implying a higher level of outsourced customer care. Paddle also offers support, but the emphasis on offloading all queries might be a differentiating factor for Thenumberx.com.
• Ethical Considerations: Both platforms serve a wide array of digital products. For businesses focused on ethical adherence, it’s crucial to examine the types of “indie videogames” or “mobile apps” that each platform typically supports to ensure they align with permissible content.

Thenumberx.com vs. FastSpring Another MoR

FastSpring is another strong MoR contender, particularly for global software and SaaS sales.

• Pricing Model: FastSpring’s pricing is typically custom-quoted, often a percentage of revenue, and can be more flexible for high-volume clients. This can make direct comparison difficult without a specific quote.
• Specialization: FastSpring is highly regarded for its robust subscription management, global tax handling, and compliance, especially in complex B2B SaaS scenarios.
• Onboarding & Integration: FastSpring is known for its comprehensive API and integration capabilities. Thenumberx.com also emphasizes powerful APIs and SDKs, suggesting similar technical flexibility.
• Chargeback Management: Both offer strong fraud and chargeback protection. Thenumberx.com specifically mentions “-40% declined international transaction cross-border sales” and “Chargeback protection Preventative refunds,” which are significant benefits.

Thenumberx.com vs. Traditional Payment Gateways e.g., Stripe, Adyen

Traditional payment gateways like Stripe or Adyen handle payment processing but do not act as the Merchant of Record. This means the merchant retains full responsibility for tax, compliance, and legal liabilities.

• Pricing: Base transaction fees are often lower e.g., Stripe’s 2.9% + $0.30 for online card payments. However, these lower rates don’t include the costs of managing international taxes, compliance, legal entities, or dedicated fraud teams—all of which can add up significantly.
• Responsibility: This is the key differentiator. With Stripe, you are the merchant of record. with Thenumberx.com, they are.
• Complexity: Using traditional gateways for global sales requires significant in-house expertise or additional third-party services for:
  • Tax Compliance: Implementing solutions like Stripe Tax or engaging tax consultants for global VAT/sales tax.
  • Legal Entities: Registering separate legal entities in various countries.
  • Fraud & Chargebacks: Managing these internally or through separate fraud prevention tools.
  • Customer Support: Handling all support inquiries yourself.
• Control: Merchants retain more direct control over their payment stack and customer experience with traditional gateways.

Conclusion on Competition

Thenumberx.com’s competitive edge lies in its: Ezydog.com.au Reviews

• All-in-one MoR approach: Consolidating payments, tax, compliance, fraud, and even some customer support into a single, straightforward fee.
• Stated cost savings: The promise of significant reductions in overhead, international expansion budget, and FX fees by offloading complex responsibilities.
• Broad digital goods focus: While competitors might specialize, Thenumberx.com aims to serve a wider array of digital product types.
• Emphasis on global payment methods 900 APMs: This is a strong selling point for reaching diverse international markets.

For businesses that prioritize simplicity, significant reduction in operational burden, and want to expand globally without the complexity of managing multiple legal entities and tax registrations, Thenumberx.com presents a compelling alternative to handling these aspects in-house or piecemeal through various providers.

However, businesses must remain vigilant about the nature of digital goods they sell, ensuring they adhere to ethical and permissible standards, regardless of the platform chosen.

Recommended Alternatives for Ethical Commerce

For businesses committed to ethical practices and principles, especially when navigating the complex world of digital goods, choosing the right platform is paramount.

While some platforms may offer broad services, their permissibility often hinges on the type of content they facilitate.

It’s crucial to opt for alternatives that actively support ethical and beneficial products, rather than those that might inadvertently promote harmful or unproductive content.

Here are some recommended alternatives focusing on ethical commerce, emphasizing tools that enable positive contributions to society:

1. Platforms for Knowledge & Education E-Learning

Instead of facilitating entertainment that might lead to distraction or unproductive time, focus on platforms that empower knowledge acquisition and skill development.

• Teachable and Thinkific: These platforms are purpose-built for creating, hosting, and selling online courses. They handle payment processing, student management, and content delivery, making it straightforward to share valuable knowledge.
  • Why they are good: They inherently promote learning, skill development, and self-improvement. Businesses can create courses on Islamic finance, beneficial sciences, language learning, or practical skills.
  • Ethical alignment: Directly supports the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth, which is highly encouraged.
• Podia: Similar to Teachable, Podia allows creators to sell online courses, digital downloads, webinars, and even build communities. It’s an all-in-one platform for knowledge entrepreneurs.
  • Ethical alignment: Facilitates sharing beneficial content like educational materials, practical guides, and insightful lectures.

2. Marketplaces for Practical Digital Tools & Software

Focus on software and digital tools that aid productivity, organization, creativity, or solve real-world problems.

• Direct Sales via Website with Ethical Payment Processors: For software, templates, or design assets, setting up a direct sales channel on your own website using ethical payment gateways is ideal.
  • Stripe with careful implementation: While a general payment processor, Stripe is neutral regarding content. Businesses using Stripe are entirely responsible for vetting their own digital products. Pair it with a strong internal compliance policy.
  • Gumroad for creators: If the digital good is a beneficial e-book, a productivity template, or educational audio, Gumroad offers a simple way to sell these.
  • Why they are good: They provide infrastructure for useful, value-adding digital products. Businesses have full control over what they sell.
  • Ethical alignment: Encourages innovation in tools that enhance daily life and work in permissible ways.

3. Platforms for Ethical Content Creation e.g., Islamic Media

For those creating beneficial digital content like lectures, educational videos, or documentaries, specialized platforms or self-hosted solutions are preferable.

• Vimeo OTT / Uscreen: These platforms allow creators to build their own subscription video-on-demand SVOD services, ideal for educational series, documentaries, or ethical children’s content.
  • Why they are good: Provides a dedicated space for high-quality, curated video content without the distractions or problematic algorithms of mainstream entertainment platforms.
  • Ethical alignment: Enables the dissemination of valuable, enriching, and permissible audio-visual content.
• Self-Hosted Solutions: For maximum control and adherence to ethical guidelines, hosting your own digital content e.g., e-books, audio lectures on your website and managing downloads directly, integrated with a basic, secure payment gateway.
  • Ethical alignment: Complete control over content, user experience, and monetization, ensuring full compliance with ethical principles.

Key Principles for Choosing an Ethical Platform:

• Content Vetting: Does the platform have clear guidelines that restrict objectionable content e.g., gambling, adult themes, violence, podcast with instruments?
• Purpose of the Product: Does the digital good being sold serve a beneficial purpose education, productivity, moral development, necessary tools?
• Transparency & Control: Does the platform allow you sufficient control over your product’s presentation and data, and is its own business model transparent?
• Avoidance of “Time Wasters”: Prioritize tools that save time or enhance skills over those primarily designed for endless consumption or entertainment without clear benefit.
• No Engagement in Prohibited Activities: Ensure the platform does not directly or indirectly facilitate activities like Riba interest, gambling, or content promoting immorality.

By carefully selecting platforms that align with these principles, businesses can not only succeed financially but also contribute positively to society, fulfilling a higher purpose through their commerce.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Thenumberx.com?

Thenumberx.com is a Merchant of Record MoR service provider for businesses selling digital goods globally.

It handles payment processing, tax compliance, legal responsibilities, and some operational aspects like fraud protection and customer support, allowing merchants to focus on their products.

How does Thenumberx.com make money?

Thenumberx.com charges a fixed fee of 5% + 50¢ per checkout transaction.

They do not charge setup fees or monthly subscription fees.

What types of digital goods can I sell with Thenumberx.com?

Thenumberx.com claims to support various digital goods, including AI wrapper subscriptions, indie videogames, e-learning content, and mobile applications.

Does Thenumberx.com handle international taxes?

Yes, Thenumberx.com, as a Merchant of Record, states it handles international tax registrations, collection, filing, and remittance in various jurisdictions worldwide, removing this burden from the merchant.

What payment methods does Thenumberx.com support?

Thenumberx.com states its checkout solution accepts over 200+ payment methods across 100+ geographies and supports approximately 900 alternative payment methods APMs.

Is Thenumberx.com a payment gateway?

While it includes payment processing as part of its service, Thenumberx.com is more than just a payment gateway.

It functions as a full Merchant of Record, taking on broader legal and financial responsibilities.

Does Thenumberx.com offer fraud protection?

Yes, Thenumberx.com claims to offer robust anti-fraud tools and chargeback protection as part of its service.

Can Thenumberx.com help with customer support?

Yes, Thenumberx.com states it handles customer support queries related to payments, refunds, and chargebacks, claiming to reduce merchant’s customer support burden by 100%.

Are there any hidden fees with Thenumberx.com?

Thenumberx.com claims to have transparent pricing 5% + 50¢ with “no setup or monthly fees” and contrasts itself with traditional processors that have many “hidden fees.” However, it’s always wise to review their full terms for any specific surcharges.

How does Thenumberx.com compare to Stripe?

Thenumberx.com acts as a Merchant of Record, taking on legal and financial liability for transactions, taxes, and compliance.

Stripe is primarily a payment gateway, meaning the merchant remains the Merchant of Record and is responsible for all tax, legal, and compliance aspects themselves.

Can I build a website with Thenumberx.com?

Yes, Thenumberx.com offers “Brick,” a 100% white-label and fully customizable storefront builder for digital goods, allowing businesses to sell direct-to-consumer D2C.

Does Thenumberx.com support subscription services?

Yes, Thenumberx.com explicitly mentions supporting “Subscription services” as one of the digital goods types.

How does Thenumberx.com improve international transaction success rates?

Thenumberx.com claims its GATE suite of services and comprehensive APM coverage leads to a 10-25% better authorization rate for cross-border transactions.

What is the “Number X Console”?

The “Number X Console” is described as a digital goods marketplace where users can top up balances for games or apps, extending the reach of a merchant’s product.

What is the “Number X Shop Creator Economy”?

The “Number X Shop” is a digital goods marketplace designed to showcase online courses, catering to the creator economy.

How quickly can a business onboard with Thenumberx.com?

Thenumberx.com claims “3x times faster onboarding” due to the legal advantages of its Merchant of Record model.

Does Thenumberx.com handle currency conversion?

Yes, Thenumberx.com states it manages currency conversion between processing and settlement, and claims “100% Less FX fees” by passing on wholesale foreign exchange rates.

What are the main benefits of using Thenumberx.com for a merchant?

The main benefits highlighted by Thenumberx.com include reduced international expansion budget -40%, reduced manual efforts managing payments -85%, eliminated FX fees -100%, faster onboarding, lower international transaction declines, and significant reductions in overhead and customer support queries.

Is Thenumberx.com suitable for small businesses?

Thenumberx.com’s “no setup or monthly fees” model might be attractive to small businesses as they only pay when they make sales.

However, the 50¢ fixed fee component can be a high percentage for very low-value digital products.

How do I contact Thenumberx.com for more information?

Thenumberx.com’s website provides a “Talk to sales” option, suggesting direct communication with their sales team is the primary method for inquiries.