Luggage & Leather Goods Stores
Retail luggage, briefcases and leather goods.
What MCC 5948 covers
Merchant Category Code 5948 is the ISO 18245 identifier used by the card networks for luggage & leather goods stores. Acquirers, issuers and regulators use this code to set interchange, scheme fees, fraud rules and reporting categories for every transaction your business processes.
Retail luggage, briefcases and leather goods. Choosing the right MCC is critical: an incorrect code can lead to higher interchange, surcharges, or, in regulated categories, declined transactions and account holds.
MCC 5948 includes retailers of luggage, briefcases, handbags, and other leather goods. These merchants operate in physical stores, department store concessions, and online.
Ticket sizes range from medium for small leather accessories to high for premium luggage sets or designer handbags. Purchase frequency is generally low, as these items are typically durable goods with a long replacement cycle.
Chargebacks are moderate. Key reasons include 'merchandise not as described' due to quality discrepancies or misrepresentation of materials (e.
g. , 'genuine leather' vs.
synthetic), 'merchandise not received' for higher-value online orders, and 'defective merchandise' if quality issues arise shortly after purchase. Fraudulent transactions, particularly with high-value brand-name products, also pose a risk.
Cardflo's flexible MID routing and acquiring network can effectively manage these transactions, ensuring optimal approval rates while maintaining a strong focus on fraud prevention for high-ticket items.
Acquirer & underwriting stance
Medium-risk standard board with monitoring. The presence of high-value items and popular brands attracts fraudsters, necessitating proactive fraud prevention.
A rolling reserve of 5% may be considered for new merchants or those with limited processing history to mitigate chargeback risk. Regular compliance checks and performance monitoring are standard.
How Cardflo handles MCC 5948
- Underwriting with acquirers that actively board MCC 5948 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 specific measures can luggage/leather goods retailers take to combat 'merchandise not as described' chargebacks?
Accurate product imagery, detailed material descriptions, and clear dimensions are crucial. Merchants should also consider video demonstrations for unique features.
Transparent return policies and a customer-friendly process for exchanges or refunds are vital. Visa's Integrity Risk Program (IRP) monitors merchants with consistent product misrepresentation complaints, so proactive measures are important.
How can merchants in this MCC protect against fraud on high-end items?
For high-value items, implementing 3D Secure with issuer authentication is paramount. Cross-referencing shipping addresses with billing addresses, IP geolocation, and device fingerprinting can identify suspicious orders.
Cardflo's fraud scoring engine can flag risky transactions for manual review or step-up authentication, helping to detect synthetic identities or stolen card use before shipment. For very high-value items, consider telephone verification or insured shipping with signature confirmation.
Are there specific compliance requirements for selling leather goods (e.g., CITES)?
Yes, if selling products made from exotic leathers (e. g.
, alligator, crocodile, python), merchants must comply with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulations. This involves obtaining proper permits for import and export.
While not a direct payment scheme rule, non-compliance can lead to goods being seized and reputational damage, indirectly affecting payment processing relationships due to increased operational risk.
Other MCCs in Miscellaneous Stores
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