Cigar Stores & Stands.
Cigar, tobacco and smoking-accessory retailers.
- MCC
- 5993
- Category
- Miscellaneous Stores
- Cardflo support
- Yes
What MCC 5993 covers
Merchant Category Code 5993 is the ISO 18245 identifier used by the card networks for cigar stores & stands. Acquirers, issuers and regulators use this code to set interchange, scheme fees, fraud rules and reporting categories for every transaction your business processes.
Cigar, tobacco and smoking-accessory 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 5993 primarily include specialised tobacco shops (tobacconists) and cigar stores, selling products such as cigars, pipe tobacco, and related smoking accessories. This MCC can also include online retailers of these products.
Ticket sizes can vary from small purchases of individual cigars (£5-£20) to high-value boxes or premium accessories (£100-£500+). Transaction frequency is typically moderate, with some customers making regular, smaller purchases and others making less frequent, larger ones.
Chargebacks are generally moderate, with common reasons including 'not as described' (e. g. , damaged or incorrect products), 'non-receipt' for online orders, and occasionally 'fraudulent transaction' due to the discrete nature of some purchases.
Age verification is a key operational and compliance concern, particularly for online sales, which if mishandled, can lead to disputes or regulatory fines. Schemes generally treat tobacco sales as standard retail, but stricter age verification processes are often required by local laws.
Cardflo provides robust age verification tooling integrations and support for chargeback representment, helping merchants contest 'goods not as described' disputes with evidence such as product images and quality control checks.
Access to Cardflo's diverse acquiring network can also assist in optimising approval rates by routing transactions to acquirers with favourable risk appetites for this segment.
Cigar stores need to implement stringent age verification for online sales, incorporating 3DS2 and potentially third-party age check services to mitigate repudiation risk. For in-store, ensure staff are trained on 'Challenge 25' policies for all tobacco sales.
Given the moderate ticket size variability, ensure your payment gateway allows for both low-value accessory purchases and higher-value boxed cigar sales. Reserve expectations can be moderate, usually a rolling reserve for online merchants, reflecting the higher scrutiny due to age-restricted products and 'authorised user' disputes.
Acquirer and acquirer assessment stance.
Medium-risk standard board. Due to age verification requirements and potential for 'unauthorised transaction' disputes if not handled correctly.
A small rolling reserve (typically 5-10% for 90-180 days) may be imposed for new or higher-volume online merchants.
Dispute and chargeback profile.
The most common reason codes are 10.4 / 4834 (point-of-interaction error) for failed age verification and 13.1 / 4853 (services not as described) for damaged goods. Unauthorised transaction claims can also occur if age verification isn't robust.
To defend, provide evidence of age verification at the point of sale (for card-present) or through a third-party service (for CNP). For 'not as described', photographic evidence of goods before shipping and detailed product descriptions on your website are crucial.
See also: chargeback management · payment response codes · Compelling Evidence 3.0.
Book a scoping call to see how Cardflo would set you up.
How Cardflo handles MCC 5993
- Placement with acquirers that actively board MCC 5993 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.
- Dedicated onboarding manager rather than a generic ticket queue.
Payment methods typically enabled.
Onboarding checklist.
What acquirers typically ask to see when boarding MCC 5993. Cardflo collects this once and reuses it across every acquirer we route you through.
- Business registration and beneficial-owner documentation (KYB, UBO).
- Six months of processing statements or bank statements demonstrating trading pattern.
- Product catalogue extract confirming the MCC covers the goods actually sold.
- Refund, exchange and cancellation policy shown at point of sale and on the website.
- PCI DSS SAQ appropriate to the environment (A, A-EP or D as relevant).
- Chargeback ratio and dispute history covering the last six months, including any Visa or Mastercard monitoring-programme status.
See also: Know Your Customer (KYC) · high-risk merchant · smart routing.
Talk to an acquiring specialist about your MID setup.
Common questions
What role does age verification play in payment processing for merchants in MCC 5993, especially for online sales?
Age verification is critical for online tobacco and cigar retailers. Failure to adequately verify a customer's age can lead to regulatory fines, reputational damage, and an increased risk of chargebacks, particularly from underage consumers or their guardians citing 'unauthorised transaction'.
Merchants should integrate robust age verification solutions at the point of sale and checkout, often requiring third-party services that cross-reference identity databases or use robust document verification. Acquiring banks are increasingly scrutinising merchants' age verification processes to manage their own regulatory exposure.
Are there any specific payment gateway or acquirer restrictions for tobacco and cigar sales?
While tobacco and cigar sales are generally permitted by major card schemes like Visa and Mastercard, individual acquirers may have specific policies that classify these products as 'restricted' or 'higher risk' due to legal age requirements and public health concerns.
This can lead to certain acquirers being unwilling to onboard such merchants, or imposing stricter underwriting criteria, higher fees, or reserves. Merchants should disclose the exact nature of their products during the application process to avoid future account suspension.
How can merchants in MCC 5993 manage disputes related to product quality or 'not as described' claims for premium cigars?
For 'not as described' disputes concerning premium cigars, merchants should maintain detailed product descriptions, high-resolution photographs, and ideally, batch-specific quality control records. For online sales, secure packaging that protects humidity and temperature-sensitive products is essential.
When a dispute arises, providing evidence of product condition at dispatch, packaging standards, and relevant shipping information can help challenge the chargeback. Clear return and refund policies for damaged goods should be communicated upfront.
How can online cigar retailers effectively implement age verification to minimise fraud and chargebacks?
Online cigar retailers must integrate a robust age verification process beyond simple self-attestation. Utilise strong customer authentication (SCA) with 3DS2 during checkout, which can include biometric verification.
Consider implementing third-party age verification services that cross-reference public records or utilise challenging questions. Clearly state your age verification policy on your website and retain all transactional data, including the age verification outcome.
Ensure delivery services are also instructed to perform age checks at the point of delivery, matching the recipient to the purchaser, further mitigating risk.
What payment methods are advisable for cigar stores, considering the varied ticket sizes and risk associated with age-restricted goods?
For varied ticket sizes, offering a diverse array of payment methods is key. In-store, standard card payments (contactless, chip and PIN) are essential, alongside mobile payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Online, a multi-acquirer setup ensures high authorisation rates for card payments, even for higher value transactions. Due to the age-restricted nature and potential for disputes, avoid payment methods that lack robust chargeback protection or direct association with the cardholder, favouring those with strong customer authentications.
This optimises conversions while managing risk effectively.
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