Aurora Payments, founded in 2005, embarked on a journey with a clear goal to increase merchant profits by offering low credit card processing rates and extensive merchant education, focusing on niche industries such as jewelry.
“In 2018, Aurora Payments acquired several other merchant service providers, including Applied Merchant Systems, BlueSquare Resolutions, and Chosen Payments,” said Jim Luff, Association Relationship Manager at Aurora Payments. “Chosen Payments began a concentrated effort to learn the jewelry industry inside and out in 2016 and became experts in meeting the payment collection needs of jewelers across America. This made the acquisition of Chosen Payments a perfect complement for Aurora.”
In 2019, the combined companies of Chosen and Aurora entered into an endorsed partnership with Jewelers of America, followed by a Sustaining Firm membership with the American Gem Society.
Aurora Payments distinguishes itself by owning its payment gateway, a unique feature in an industry that typically relies on third-party services. “This eliminates the need for a separate contract with popular gateway providers like NMI or Authorize.net,” Jim noted. The company’s proprietary payment platform, ARISE, offers an integrated, cloud-based system that perfectly aligns with jewelers’ needs, simplifying transactions.
Committed to making operations as effortless as possible, Aurora ensures that setting up a credit card terminal or verifying transactions is quick and straightforward. This enables jewelers to begin processing payments in less than 60 seconds without complex configurations. Additionally, Aurora offers a cloud-based cell phone processing option for uninterrupted service during power outages.
Jim adds, “Collecting your money should be the easiest part of the selling process. We believe that you should always know where your money is, and by providing real-time data, merchants can view batch submissions and individual transactions in real time on the ARISE Smart Terminal or via a web browser. Merchants can quickly research a single transaction, or [transactions for] the entire day, and easily void or refund any transaction at any time. We also know that jewelers may use industry software such as The Edge, and we provide seamless APIs that enable software developers to integrate software with ARISE.”
For Jim, the most satisfying aspect of his role is the direct interaction with jewelers nationwide. “There is no greater satisfaction than meeting the specific needs of a jeweler and seeing the solution implemented,” he said. This personalized approach helps ensure Aurora’s solutions are flexible and tailored to fit individual business models rather than requiring businesses to conform to rigid systems.
Being part of a team that empowers jewelers with proprietary technology and diverse product solutions is something Jim values. He also appreciates collaborating with associations that educate their members and connect their suppliers and members.
Jim highlights the advantages of being an AGS member, which has proven invaluable for Aurora Payments. “AGS is an excellent source of information and keeps us up to date with industry trends,” he states. “The educational resources provided by AGS are unparalleled and have been instrumental in enabling Aurora to enhance its service offerings to meet the evolving demands of the jewelry market.”
Click here to learn more about Aurora Payments.
