Gift, Card, Novelty & Souvenir Shops
Gift, greeting card and souvenir retailers.
What MCC 5947 covers
Merchant Category Code 5947 is the ISO 18245 identifier used by the card networks for gift, card, novelty & souvenir shops. Acquirers, issuers and regulators use this code to set interchange, scheme fees, fraud rules and reporting categories for every transaction your business processes.
Gift, greeting card and souvenir retailers. Choosing the right MCC is critical: an incorrect code can lead to higher interchange, surcharges, or, in regulated categories, declined transactions and account holds.
Merchants in MCC 5947 include gift shops, card shops, novelty stores, and souvenir retailers. These businesses often operate in tourist areas, shopping centres, or online.
The typical ticket size is low to medium, with frequent, impulsive purchases. Sales can be highly seasonal, peaking around holidays and tourist seasons.
Online sales may see slightly higher average order values.
Chargebacks are generally low to moderate. Common reasons include 'merchandise not received' for online orders, especially for lower-value items where tracking might be forgone, and 'merchandise not as described' if novelty items or souvenirs differ from expectations.
'Duplicate processing' can occur due to user error or system glitches, especially in busy retail environments.
Cardflo's acquiring network supports diverse retail environments, handling both high-volume, low-value transactions efficiently and providing robust tools for managing seasonal peaks without service interruption.
Acquirer & underwriting stance
Low-risk standard board. This MCC typically involves stable customer behaviour and generally low fraud rates.
Standard underwriting processes apply. No specific reserve requirements are typically imposed, unless the merchant has a historically poor chargeback record.
Monitoring focuses on overall chargeback ratios.
How Cardflo handles MCC 5947
- Underwriting with acquirers that actively board MCC 5947 businesses in your region.
- MCC review during onboarding to confirm the right code for your products.
- Reclassification support if scheme rules or product mix change post-launch.
- Multi-acquirer routing to keep approvals stable for broad merchant categories.
- Dispute support tuned to the mixed-product chargeback profile this MCC sees.
Payment methods typically enabled
Common questions
What are common chargeback issues for souvenir shops, especially those catering to tourists?
For souvenir shops, common chargebacks arise from 'merchandise not received' (e. g.
, items shipped internationally to tourists), and 'merchandise not as described' if the item's quality is perceived differently upon arrival compared to the in-store experience.
Currency conversion disputes can also occur if the customer is not clearly informed of the transaction currency at the point of sale.
How can gift shops manage peak seasonal transaction volumes and potential fraud spikes?
Merchants should ensure their payment infrastructure can scale to handle increased transaction loads during peak seasons like Christmas or Valentine's Day. Cardflo's resilient processing infrastructure is built for high throughput.
Implement dynamic fraud rules that can adjust sensitivity during peak times, potentially tightening checks for new customers while allowing smoother processing for returning, trusted buyers. Consider using 3DS on suspicious small-value international transactions.
Are there specific requirements for selling gift cards online or in-store?
Selling physical or digital gift cards requires compliance with local consumer protection laws regarding expiry dates, dormancy fees, and redemption. From a payments perspective, gift card sales are generally treated as regular sales.
However, some schemes may classify transactions differently if the gift card itself is purchased with a credit card and subsequently redeemed, particularly if the initial purchase is flagged for fraud. Merchants should clearly state their gift card terms and conditions.
Other MCCs in Miscellaneous Stores
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