Direct Marketing, Combination Catalog & Retail Merchant
Multi-channel catalogue and retail merchants.
What MCC 5965 covers
Merchant Category Code 5965 is the ISO 18245 identifier used by the card networks for direct marketing, combination catalog & retail merchant. Acquirers, issuers and regulators use this code to set interchange, scheme fees, fraud rules and reporting categories for every transaction your business processes.
Multi-channel catalogue and retail merchants. 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 5965 is designated for direct marketing merchants operating with a combination of catalogue and retail presence. These businesses leverage multiple sales channels, including physical stores, online catalogues, and direct mail.
Product offerings are diverse, covering various retail goods. Ticket sizes are typically moderate, reflecting a mix of in-store and online purchases.
Transaction frequency can be consistent, driven by both occasional retail visits and online orders.
Chargeback rates are generally moderate. Common types include 'Merchandise not received' for catalogue orders, 'Merchandise not as described' for both channels, and 'Damaged goods'.
Returns and refund processing can be complex due to the multi-channel nature, sometimes leading to 'Credit not processed' disputes. Fraud risk exists across both card-present and card-not-present transactions.
Cardflo helps these merchants by providing unified reporting across all sales channels, enabling a holistic view of transaction data and simplifying reconciliation. Our acquiring network facilitates processing for both physical and online transactions.
Acquirer & underwriting stance
Low-to-medium risk standard board. While multi-channel retail provides diversity, the card-not-present component introduces some fraud risk.
Standard underwriting and monitoring apply. A rolling reserve is less common for established merchants unless chargeback ratios are consistently elevated.
How Cardflo handles MCC 5965
- Underwriting with acquirers that actively board MCC 5965 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
How can MCC 5965 merchants ensure consistent customer experience and payment processing across their catalogue and retail channels?
Consistency is key. Merchants should use an integrated payment solution that can process transactions from both their e-commerce platform (catalogue) and physical Point-of-Sale (POS) systems.
This enables unified reporting, centralised customer data, and streamlined refund processing, regardless of the original purchase channel. Cardflo offers such integrated solutions with its combined online gateway and in-store terminal capabilities.
What are the specific challenges with handling returns and refunds for multi-channel merchants, and how can payments systems assist?
Challenges include tracking purchases across channels, applying correct refund amounts (especially with promotions), and processing refunds to the original payment method even if returned in a different channel. A robust payment system allows customer service to easily look up transactions by various identifiers (e.
g. , order ID, card number, customer name) and process refunds directly through the same system that handled the original payment.
This reduces manual errors and 'Credit not processed' chargebacks.
How do EMV chip and PIN requirements contrast with 3DS for MCC 5965, and which offers better protection?
EMV chip and PIN provides the strongest protection for card-present transactions in retail stores, shifting fraud liability to the issuer when the chip is read. For card-not-present (catalogue/online) transactions, 3D Secure 2.
0 (3DS2) offers similar liability shift against fraud. Both are crucial for comprehensive fraud protection.
While 3DS2 aims for frictionless authentication, some transactions may still require customer interaction. Merchants in this MCC benefit from leveraging both technologies extensively across their respective channels to minimise fraud-related chargebacks.
Other MCCs in Miscellaneous Stores
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