ClearSale Employee Spotlight: Eric Negler

Not many ClearSale employees can say they’ve gone from being in Sports Illustrated to being a vice president of strategic accounts. But then again, Eric Negler is an employee like no other.

We had a chance to sit down with Eric to learn more about what led him to start his ClearSale career, why he thinks fraudsters are like water and what every merchant should know about fraud.

Q: What led you to start a career with ClearSale?

A: With just seven years’ experience, I’m a relative newcomer to the industry. I previously worked with ThreatMetrix, and it’s there I was introduced to the online risk and fraud market. 

Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to have worked with several household names, top brands and some of the world’s best payment companies, including Netflix, Walmart, Visa, Cybersource, Authorize.net, TSYS, Paysafe and ClearSale.

Our market is fairly tight-knit, and I kept up with many ClearSale team members over the years. And when an opportunity arose to join them, I did. And here I am!

Q: What do you like or appreciate most about ClearSale’s company culture?

A: Our culture is unique in that ClearSale has been diverse, focused on employee well-being and culturally open since I first met them. They are, by design, international, open, supportive and inclusive. 

Q: Why do you think merchants should prioritize fraud protection for their businesses?

A: That’s a great question.

We all know there are a lot of components to selling online — payment processors, e-commerce platforms, shipping solutions, tax computations, etc. And unfortunately, fraud is an inevitable part of these online sales, so merchants have to understand that they will eventually be a victim.

Stay with me here: Fraudsters are like water — they follow the path of least resistance. 

If a merchant leaves even the tiniest gap in security, the fraudsters will seek out that vulnerability —that path of least resistance — in an online retailer’s business. That’s why every online retailer must add fraud prevention as part of their business planning.

Q: What’s the most important thing a merchant should know about fraud?

A: One of the first lessons I learned was to always listen to merchants and partner professionals on how they optimize their business. 

What I see trending now is optimizing acceptance rates. Acceptance rates are one of the most important metrics for many partners and merchants to measure, and it also happens to be ClearSale’s sweet spot. I’m proud that we offer the highest acceptance rates in the industry.

Q: What would be your top advice to an online business just starting out?

A: Do your homework. Your payment provider, e-commerce platform and fraud prevention solution can put a lot of time back in your day, ensure the financial integrity of your business and help you focus on your business. This industry is deep and complex, so it’s critical to talk to other merchants and vendors and keep up on the latest trends and tools.

Q: What’s been your most memorable moment since joining ClearSale?

A: The most memorable moment was easily the international dining at the pre-COVID sales kickoff this year. Admittedly I’m not worldly, but I learned South American cuisine is fantastic. And I can’t forget working with my amazing co-workers. If I left out working with them as a highlight, I’d be meme’d to death on Microsoft Teams.

Q: When you aren’t protecting merchants from fraud attempts, what are you doing?

A: You can find me hiking, cycling or mountain biking in the mountains outside of my hometown of Boulder Colo. Or I might be skiing or overlanding. Basically, doing anything outside. Oh, and cooking. I’m a foodie for sure.

Q: What’s one thing we might not know about you?

A: There’s an article in Sports Illustrated with my picture. [This isn't it, but we like to imagine it is -- Ed.]

Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone who’s just starting out in your field?

A: Be patient. This industry moves very, very fast. Don’t chase the next shiny object. Be open to opportunity as far as career paths go. The expertise you learn at each role along the way is cumulative. Our industry is small from a business and social standpoint. That means anyone you talk to could be your next customer, business partner, manager, co-worker or employer.

Q: What’s one thing you would tell yourself if you could talk to yourself five years ago?

A: Buy and hold Tesla and Netflix stock.

Interested in learning more about how ClearSale’s amazing team of professionals can help protect your business while facilitating expansion into international markets? Contact us today.