Cigar Stores & Stands
Cigar, tobacco and smoking-accessory retailers.
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 specialized 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.
Acquirer & underwriting 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.
How Cardflo handles MCC 5993
- Underwriting 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.
Payment methods typically enabled
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.
Other MCCs in Miscellaneous Stores
Ready for velocity?
Tell us about your business. We'll match you with the right acquiring partners and the right route, typically inside a week.