Magnetic Stripe Cards: Encoding Security and Best Practices

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Plastic Card ID has built a reputation for delivering industry-leading quality in custom plastic card production, serving more than 100,000 businesses and producing over 50 million cards. Our approach blends precision printing with practical marketing insight to help brands create lasting physical connections that drive measurable results for clients across many sectors.

Operating as a strategic partner rather than a one-time vendor, Plastic Card ID offers tailored solutions that span gift cards, loyalty programs, secure IDs, and specialty metal and clear plastic cards. We emphasize durable materials and thoughtful finishes because a superior card is a tangible brand ambassador that can significantly increase customer engagement and revenue.

From the earliest days, Plastic Card ID focused on creating products that matter-cards that communicate brand promise and encourage repeat business. The combination of technical expertise and a consultative process has helped clients achieve up to a 100% sales lift by switching from disposable paper alternatives to professional plastic cards that command attention at the point of sale.

That legacy is not measured only in volume; it's visible in partnerships where PCID becomes an extension of marketing, operations, and security teams. Our team's experience with loyalty strategies and high-response postcard mailers ensures clients benefit from both creative and operational excellence.

Our catalog includes gift cards, loyalty and membership cards, secure ID badges, RFID and contactless smart cards like MIFARE DESFire, and casino and hotel access cards. We also produce specialty items-clear plastic, custom-shaped cards, and luxury metal options-that provide a unique tactile experience and elevate brand perception in competitive marketplaces.

Every product is crafted with attention to durability and presentation. Whether you need high-volume run cards for retail or secure, serialized credentials for access control, we combine print quality with technical options to deliver reliable, branded results that fit your operational needs.

We work with retailers, hospitality groups, casinos, educational institutions, unions, and marketers looking to grow repeat business and engagement. Our team supports national chains and local organizations alike, tailoring production and logistics to meet the scale, compliance, and finishing requirements unique to each sector.

is a trusted contact for many long-term accounts who value our hands-on service model and value-added offerings such as custom carriers, sleeves, and full-service affixing and mailing to streamline launch phases and ongoing campaigns.

Product Typical Lead Time Common Add-Ons
Gift & Loyalty Cards 7-12 business days Custom carriers, magnetic stripes
RFID / Contactless Cards 10-15 business days MIFARE DESFire, encoding
Secure ID & Access 5-10 business days Magnetic stripe, lamination, barcode

PCID's product suite combines precision printing with robust functional technology such as magnetic stripes, magnetic encoding, and RFID options for contactless implementations. Our process ensures consistent color fidelity and durability, producing cards that withstand frequent handling and maintain a premium appearance over their lifecycle.

We provide technical choices from single- or dual-track magnetic stripe encoding to sophisticated contactless chips, balanced by physical finishing options like matte and gloss laminates and spot UV. These features create cards that look exceptional while delivering reliable performance for transactions and access control.

Magnetic stripe cards remain a trusted tool for many transactional and membership applications. They are simple to deploy, integrate easily with point-of-sale and access systems, and offer proven reliability for both retail payments (non-credit custom solutions) and loyalty programs. Our magnetic stripes are encoded to client specifications and tested for readability across typical equipment.

Whether you need single-track encoding for membership check-ins or multi-track solutions for complex access sequences, PCID delivers robust magnetic stripe cards with precise encoding and stringent quality checks to ensure every card meets operational expectations.

For clients requiring advanced security and convenience, we offer contactless solutions including MIFARE DESFire and other RFID-enabled cards. These smart cards provide encrypted communication for secure access control and loyalty features, all packaged in our high-quality, customizable formats that reflect your brand.

Integration support is available to align chip selection with your reader infrastructure, enabling seamless deployment. Combining smart chips with our durable materials creates an elegant, secure credential for staff, guests, and members.

From clear plastic and unique die-cut shapes to luxury metal cards in stainless steel or gold finishes, PCID helps brands stand out. Our specialty materials convey prestige and make a memorable impression while retaining functional options like magnetic stripes and RFID capability when required.

We also provide variable data printing, serialization, barcode/QR options, and full mailing services. This means you can launch a program rapidly with professionally finished cards and direct-mail fulfillment that reduces logistical complexity and shortens time-to-market.

Choosing PCID translates into measurable benefits like improved brand recall, increased transaction frequency, and higher average spend. Our clients commonly see significant uplifts after deploying plastic gift cards and loyalty solutions, supported by data-driven recommendations from our team to align creative and operational execution.

We emphasize ROI-minded production: strategic product choices, thoughtful card presentation, and relevant add-ons such as sleeves and carriers that elevate perceived value and encourage redemption. Together, these tactics maximize the return on your investment in physical media.

Plastic cards perform as persistent marketing assets that stay in consumers' wallets long after a campaign goes live. Because they are tangible and well-crafted, they deliver higher engagement and recall than ephemeral digital messages, resulting in more consistent returns for campaigns that prioritize long-term brand interaction.

Our marketing clients leverage gift and loyalty cards as part of multi-channel strategies, pairing physical cards with email and in-store promotions to create consistent customer journeys that keep brands top-of-mind and encourage repeat visits.

In operational environments like hotels, casinos, and corporate campuses, custom cards improve workflow and security through reliable physical credentials. PCID supports secure printing, magnetic stripe encoding, and chip embedding to reduce fraud and streamline access, delivering credentials that align with policy and compliance needs.

These functions are supported by durable finishes that extend the life of each card, lowering replacement frequency and contributing to predictable operational budgets-an advantage appreciated by facilities and IT managers alike.

Affiliates see strong earnings potential working with PCID due to high demand and repeat business for cards and mailing services. Our product mix, reliable fulfillment, and value-added options make it straightforward for partners to recommend solutions that resonate with merchants and organizations of all sizes.

To support affiliate success, we provide marketing resources and responsive fulfillment, enabling partners to scale without sacrificing service quality. This model has powered more than 60 successful affiliate sites and counting.

Across retail, hospitality, and membership organizations, PCID has delivered campaigns that combine product quality with strategic distribution. Case studies include retailers that replaced paper vouchers with plastic gift cards and experienced immediate uplifts, and hospitality clients that improved guest throughput and loyalty with fully integrated key and loyalty systems.

These real-world successes demonstrate the multiplicative effect of pairing well-designed plastic cards with efficient distribution and activation workflows-turning cards into drivers of both short-term sales and long-term customer value.

One retailer transitioned to PCID gift cards and saw a marked increase in purchase frequency and average transaction size. The card design and premium packaging encouraged repeat visits and additional spending, proving the power of a well-presented physical token in a crowded marketplace.

Strategic messaging and targeted in-store placement complemented the cards, creating a cohesive experience that delivered measurable lift across the campaign period.

Hotel chains and casinos benefit from our integrated solutions that combine magnetic stripe encoding with RFID options for contactless access. These credentials simplify check-in procedures and enhance guest convenience while maintaining strict security and compatibility with existing systems.

The result is smoother operations at the front desk and a higher perceived service level, which in turn helps elevate overall guest satisfaction and loyalty metrics.

Organizations focused on building community and retention use our membership cards to reinforce belonging and track engagement. Our loyalty card formats, with magnetic stripes or encoded barcodes, make redemption simple and reliable for both customers and staff, while durable materials ensure long-term use.

These initiatives frequently yield improved retention and clearer data on member behavior, supporting smarter program evolution and targeted offers that increase lifetime value.

PCID offers end-to-end services from design and proofing to encoding and full-service mailing. Our one-stop-shop model includes custom carriers, sleeves, affixing, and direct-mail fulfillment that enable smooth campaign rollouts and reduce the burden on internal teams. This streamlined approach helps brands launch with confidence and consistency.

We serve clients nationally and in key international markets, supporting a range of production scales and distribution complexities. Whether you need high-volume runs or small, secure batches of encoded credentials, our processes and quality checks deliver dependable results aligned with your timeline.

Our design team collaborates with clients to refine artwork for print, ensuring that colors, bleeds, and text all translate correctly to plastic substrates. Prototyping options allow stakeholders to evaluate feel and finish before committing to mass production, helping eliminate surprises at launch.

This iterative process balances creative ambition with manufacturing practicality, ensuring the final product is both striking and fit for purpose.

From kitting and packaging to affixing and postal distribution, our fulfillment options are designed to minimize client workload and accelerate time-to-market. We handle complex orders that require variable data, serialization, and multi-stage shipping with the same attention to detail as simple runs.

These services are backed by rigorous packing standards and shipment tracking, providing transparency and reliability throughout delivery and campaign execution.

To discuss specifications or request a quote, our team is ready to assist with proofing, sample requests, and timeline planning. For a quick response, call our production desk at 800.835.7919 and one of our specialists will guide you through material choices, encoding options, and fulfillment capabilities.

We pride ourselves on prompt, helpful customer service and a consultative approach that ensures each order aligns with practical needs and budget considerations.

Quality assurance is central to how we operate: every production run includes checks for print fidelity, encoding accuracy, and physical durability. We stand behind our workmanship with industry-standard warranties and a satisfaction approach that addresses concerns promptly and professionally.

Our partnerships extend beyond production; we collaborate with clients to refine program mechanics and recommend materials and finishes that meet both aesthetic and operational demands. This client-focused model is the reason many organizations maintain long-term relationships with PCID.

Each order undergoes multi-point inspections to verify color, registration, lamination, and encoding. When issues arise, our warranty provisions and corrective processes are designed to resolve problems with minimal disruption to your operations and timeline, ensuring dependable fulfillment.

These practices reduce risk and help protect investments in branded assets, allowing clients to rely on PCID as a consistent, accountable vendor.

We serve a broad range of industries, including retail, hospitality, gaming, education, and union organizations, providing specialized solutions that match regulatory and operational needs. Our team's cross-industry experience enables efficient problem-solving and tailored recommendations that drive successful deployments and ongoing programs.

Whether you require high-security credentials or premium promotional cards, PCID's portfolio supports a range of program goals with professional execution and flexible service options.

Ready to explore options or request a custom sample pack? Reach out by phone at 800.835.7919 or submit a project brief, and our specialists will prepare a tailored proposal that outlines timeline, pricing, and recommended features to maximize impact.

Act now to unlock the full potential of your brand with custom cards that deliver tangible customer engagement and operational reliability. Our team will guide you from concept to delivery with precision and care.

Partner with Plastic Card ID and transform the way customers interact with your brand. Call 800.835.7919 to get started today.