MCC 5969: Direct Marketing (Other Direct Marketers)

MCC 5969 is the merchant category code for direct marketing (other direct marketers). Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express assign it to businesses such as direct response brands, infomercial products, and online sellers.

Code
5969
Category group
Miscellaneous Stores
Risk rating
Elevated risk

Which businesses use MCC 5969?

Acquiring banks assign MCC 5969 to merchants whose primary line of business is direct marketing (other direct marketers). Common examples include:

  • Direct response brands
  • Infomercial products
  • Online sellers

Is MCC 5969 considered high risk?

Acquirers review this MCC more closely because of card-not-present volume, refund rates, or chargeback history. Expect extra documentation and possible volume caps.

How does MCC 5969 affect processing fees?

MCC 5969 determines which interchange category Visa and Mastercard apply to each transaction. Codes in the miscellaneous stores range share interchange programs, so two merchants with the same card mix but different MCCs can pay different wholesale rates.

Payment processing for MCC 5969 merchants

Niche Payments runs a dedicated ecommerce payment processing program for businesses classified under MCC 5969. Card-not-present processing that scales with your store.

  • Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and custom checkout integrations
  • Subscription and recurring billing with smart retries
  • Chargeback alerts and 3-D Secure to protect card-not-present sales

Frequently asked questions

What does MCC 5969 mean?

MCC 5969 is the merchant category code for Direct Marketing (Other Direct Marketers). Card networks use it to classify transactions from businesses such as direct response brands, infomercial products, and online sellers.

Is MCC 5969 high risk?

MCC 5969 is generally rated elevated risk. Acquirers review this MCC more closely because of card-not-present volume, refund rates, or chargeback history. Expect extra documentation and possible volume caps.

Can a business change its MCC from 5969?

A business can request a different MCC through its acquiring bank. The acquirer reviews what the business actually sells and reassigns the code only if 5969 does not describe the primary line of business.