Gala Tent Case Study

Ten Years Without Fraud-Related Chargebacks Using SOTpay

Overview

Gala Tent, a UK-based ecommerce retailer, faced sustained card fraud during the growth of its online and telephone sales operation.

After implementing SOTpay in 2015, the business eliminated fraud-related chargebacks entirely — achieving ten years without a single incident.

This case study shows how a structured, authenticated payment approach can protect revenue, reduce operational pressure and strengthen customer trust in high-risk environments.

The Challenge

As Gala Tent expanded its online and remote sales channels, fraud became a consistent issue.

The business processed a high volume of card-not-present transactions, particularly over the phone, creating exposure across several areas:

No reliable authentication
There was no way to confirm that the customer was the genuine cardholder
Repeated fraud attempts
The business was targeted frequently, including being identified as an easy target
Chargeback losses
Fraudulent transactions resulted in lost goods, fees and admin time
Operational strain
Staff were required to manage disputes, verification and reconciliation

Attempts to tighten processes through manual checks and restrictions reduced flexibility without solving the underlying issue.

The Solution

In response, Gala Tent developed and deployed SOTpay — a secure payment method designed to authenticate remote transactions.

Key elements of the solution:

Pay-by-Link payment requests
Customers receive a secure link via email, SMS or web chat to complete payment
3D Secure authentication
Transactions are verified, shifting liability away from the merchant
No handling of card data
Sensitive information is entered directly by the customer in a secure environment
Reduced PCI scope
Card data does not pass through internal systems

This created a structured, secure payment flow that replaced manual card-not-present processing.

The Results

The impact was immediate and sustained:

Zero fraud-related chargebacks
No fraudulent chargebacks recorded in ten years since implementation
Revenue protection
Goods are no longer lost to unauthorised transactions
Reduced operational overhead
Staff time spent on disputes and manual checks has been eliminated
Improved customer trust
Customers complete payments in a secure, branded environment
Consistent payment process
All remote transactions follow the same controlled workflow
Win sales on social media
The business can engage prospects on any channel, improving sales potential

Why It Matters for Online Retail

Ecommerce and remote sales environments are particularly exposed to fraud risk.

This case demonstrates that:

fraud can be significantly reduced through authentication
payment structure directly affects financial performance
removing manual handling improves both efficiency and security

For retailers managing high-value or remote transactions, the payment process is a critical part of protecting margin and maintaining customer confidence.

Client Insight

“We went from being targeted daily to having complete confidence in our payment process. Ten years without a fraud-related chargeback shows what’s possible when you put the right structure in place.”
— Jason Mace, Gala Tent CEO

Explore More

Gala Tent Gazebos in use at Aberystwyth Town Market

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