A guide to MCC 5399: General merchandise or convenience food stores

MCC 5399 explained. Learn its business impact and how to verify your code. Download JIM (iOS/Android) to accept phone payments in seconds for a 1.99% fee.

WRITTEN BY

Mar 25, 2026

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2 min read time

MCC 5399 is a merchant category code used by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to classify general merchandise and convenience food stores. This category applies to businesses that offer a wide range of products without a specific specialization. It typically covers transactions at country general stores, miscellaneous food shops, and convenience stores that sell both food items and other household goods. These merchants provide a mix of products under one roof.

Which businesses fall under MCC 5399?

MCC 5399 applies to a broad range of retail establishments:

Convenience Stores: These shops offer a limited selection of groceries, snacks, and household items for quick purchases. Chains like 7-Eleven and Circle K are prime examples of businesses that use this code.
Variety Stores: Often called dollar stores, these retailers sell a wide assortment of inexpensive household goods and general merchandise. Examples include Dollar General and Family Dollar, which stock a diverse product mix.
General Stores: Typically found in rural areas, these stores provide a broad mix of products, from groceries and hardware to clothing. They serve as a one-stop shop for local communities.
Duty-Free Shops: Located in international travel hubs like airports, these retailers sell goods exempt from certain local taxes. They offer a miscellaneous range of products including liquor, tobacco, and perfume.
Army-Navy Surplus Stores: These businesses sell genuine or reproduction military surplus equipment, clothing, and outdoor gear. Their inventory is a classic example of miscellaneous general merchandise not classified elsewhere.
Party Supply Stores: Retailers like Party City focus on selling decorations, costumes, and other items for celebrations. Their varied inventory of general goods places them within this merchant category.

Business implications of MCC 5399

Payment networks including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover use MCC 5399 to categorize transactions, which affects several aspects of business operations. These networks assess a business's risk level through its MCC to set interchange rates. Because MCC 5399 represents general merchandise, it is typically viewed as low-risk, which can result in lower processing fees for merchants.

Beyond its effect on transaction costs, this code also has implications for other financial and operational activities. These functions rely on the standardized data that MCCs provide for accurate record-keeping and analysis.

Expense tracking

Companies rely on MCC codes to automate the categorization of business expenses. Purchases made at a store with MCC 5399 appear on credit card statements as general merchandise, which simplifies bookkeeping and helps track spending on miscellaneous supplies without manual entry.

Financial analysis

Businesses use MCC data for financial planning and analysis. By tracking expenditures under MCC 5399, a company can analyze spending patterns on general goods, identify areas for cost reduction, and create more accurate forecasts for future budget allocations.

Compliance and auditing

The consistent application of MCC 5399 helps maintain regulatory compliance. Each transaction coded this way contributes to a clear audit trail, which allows for straightforward verification of expenses during internal or external reviews.

Rewards and customer behavior

Credit card rewards programs often use MCCs to determine eligibility for bonus points. Since MCC 5399 is a general category, purchases may not qualify for accelerated rewards, a factor that can influence a customer’s choice of where to shop.

How to verify your business's MCC

General merchandise store owners should confirm their MCC classification to ensure proper transaction processing and avoid customer confusion regarding rewards eligibility. If you find that your business is incorrectly classified, for example, a convenience store coded as a grocery store, contact your payment processor immediately to request reclassification.

Here's how to verify if your MCC classification is set up correctly:

Contact Your Payment Processor: Your merchant services provider assigned the MCC during account setup. To verify your classification, contact their customer service department or review the details outlined in your original merchant agreement documents.
Review Processing Statements: Your monthly merchant statements typically display the assigned MCC code. Look for a four-digit number listed within the account information or business profile section of the document to find your current code.
Check with Your Acquirer: The acquiring bank or financial institution that processes your transactions maintains the MCC code in their system. Their merchant support team can confirm your business's current classification upon request.
Test Transaction Method: Some merchants run a small test transaction and check how it appears on a personal credit card statement. This method is less reliable than direct confirmation from your processor and may not always show the MCC.

How to choose a reliable payment service provider

Your MCC 5399 classification influences interchange rates, making your choice of payment processor important. Providers handle these transactions with variations in pricing, settlement speed, and support that affect your bottom line. Consider the following factors when you select a payment service provider.

Transparent pricing: Look for flat-rate pricing to avoid complex models that obscure the true cost of a transaction. The JIM tap-to-pay app for iPhone and Android charges 1.99% per transaction with no setup costs, monthly fees, or premium card surcharges.
Payment method support: Your processor should accept all major credit cards, like Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, plus digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay to meet customer expectations.
Fast fund access: Quick access to funds is necessary for cash flow. For general merchandise stores, this means you can restock inventory, handle supplier payments, and cover payroll without delay to keep operations smooth.
Security: A secure processor protects customer data with features like encryption and tokenization. Tokenization replaces sensitive card numbers with a unique token, so the original data is never stored on your device or in your system.
Reporting: Modern processors offer more than basic transaction logs. For example, JIM's AI assistant provides sales reports and transaction history through a chat interface, offering valuable business insights.

Streamline payments with JIM

JIM offers general merchandise store owners a straightforward payment processing solution. With the JIM tap-to-pay app, your iPhone or Android phone becomes a tap-to-pay terminal using NFC technology, so you need no extra hardware. The pricing is a flat 1.99% per transaction. You face no setup costs, monthly fees, or variable rates for premium cards.

You can also use payment links for 4.99% + $0.30 per sale (for special orders or remote sales). After each transaction, your funds are available instantly on a JIM Visa Prepaid Card. Add this card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for immediate use. This gives you direct access to your revenue to support your store's cash flow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question

What is Merchant Category Code 5399?

Merchant Category Code 5399 is a four-digit classification number assigned to general merchandise and convenience food stores by payment networks and the ISO. The code identifies transactions at businesses like convenience stores, variety shops, and duty-free retailers that sell a wide mix of products. Payment processors use this code to set interchange fees, create financial reports, and manage credit card rewards programs.

Is Merchant Category Code 5399 high-risk?

Payment processors classify MCC 5399 as a low-risk category. Transactions in this group are often in-person with low ticket values, which reduces the likelihood of fraud and chargebacks. This low-risk status results in more favorable interchange rates and lower payment processing costs for merchants.

Can a business have multiple MCC codes?

Generally, a business receives a single MCC code for its merchant account that reflects its primary source of revenue. However, a company with distinct business segments can open separate merchant accounts, each with a unique MCC. For instance, a large hotel (MCC 3501) might operate a separate gift shop that sells a wide range of souvenirs and snacks. This retail operation would likely have its own merchant account classified under MCC 5399 for general merchandise.

What happens if my MCC code is wrong?

An incorrect MCC code creates several problems for a business. Customers might not receive expected credit card rewards, a factor that can influence their shopping preferences and discourage them from returning. Furthermore, the misclassification could subject your business to improper interchange rates. This may increase your transaction costs or place you in violation of payment network rules if you receive an unearned preferential rate.

Can merchants choose their MCC code?

Merchants cannot select their own MCC code. Payment processors assign the code based on a business's primary revenue source, adhering to guidelines from the ISO and card networks like Visa and Mastercard. If a business owner finds that their assigned code does not accurately represent their operations, they can contact their processor to request a reclassification to the correct category. This action helps keep transaction data accurate across the payment ecosystem.

How does MCC 5399 affect my payment processing costs?

MCC 5399 directly influences the interchange rates you pay on each transaction. As a low-risk category, general merchandise stores typically receive favorable rates, which are lower than those for high-risk industries like travel. However, these rates can be slightly higher than categories with the lowest possible fees, such as supermarkets. The final cost to your business depends on your payment processor’s pricing structure.

Processors with interchange-plus pricing pass these variable rates directly to you with a fixed markup, so your cost changes with every card type. In contrast, flat-rate processors bundle these different costs into one predictable percentage. For example, flat-rate processors like JIM absorb the variability and charge you a consistent fee regardless of card type.