Magnetic Stripe Cards: Secure Payment and Access Solutions

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Plastic Card ID (PCID) is a trusted specialist in crafting high-quality, custom-printed plastic cards that make brands feel tangible and memorable. With a legacy of empowering over 100,000 businesses and producing more than 50 million cards, PCID blends precision printing with thoughtful consulting to create cards that drive loyalty and revenue.

PCID operates as a strategic partner rather than a simple vendor, delivering tailored solutions across marketing, identity, security, and hospitality verticals. Our focus on reliability, lasting materials, and measurable results means clients see meaningful returns - from increased gift card sales to improved member engagement.

Card Type Typical Use Turnaround
Gift & Loyalty Cards Retail promotions, repeat purchases 7-14 business days
RFID & Access Cards Secure access, hotel keys 10-18 business days
Specialty & Metal Cards VIP programs, luxury branding 12-21 business days

Our product portfolio covers a wide spectrum of custom plastic cards engineered to meet exact brand and operational needs. From vibrant gift cards designed to boost sales, to durable membership and alumni cards that reinforce identity, each product is produced to precise tolerances and consistent color standards.

We emphasize practical value with options like custom shapes, clear plastic, and unique finishes that make a card physically stand out. When brands want to be remembered, our cards provide a tactile presence that supports higher engagement and measurable marketing lift.

Gift and loyalty cards from PCID are crafted to be both eye-catching and durable, improving the perceived value of promotions and encouraging repeat purchases. Retailers frequently see substantial lift when switching from paper to these professionally produced plastic cards, making them a reliable growth tool.

These cards are available with full-color printing, magnetic stripe encoding, and variable data options so campaigns can be personalized and tracked for ROI. Packaging options like carriers and sleeves create a premium unboxing experience that further elevates the gift.

Membership and ID cards support organizations with clear branding and practical identification features, including barcode and magnetic stripe encoding. These cards strengthen member relationships while serving functional roles in access, discounts, and event entry, blending aesthetics and utility for long-term use.

We work with universities, unions, and associations to design secure, durable cards that reflect organizational identity. For many clients, physical membership cards become a symbol of belonging that complements digital membership systems.

PCID offers in-house encoding services for magnetic stripe cards, ensuring data accuracy and security before shipping. Our fulfillment capabilities extend to affixing cards to carriers, adding variable data, and performing bulk mail preparation, providing a seamless route from production to delivery.

For ordering ease, talk to our team about integrating your file formats and data feeds - we manage the technical steps so your team can focus on campaign performance and customer experience. For inquiries call 800.835.7919.

Security and access control are core strengths of our product suite, offering reliable solutions for hotels, casinos, corporate facilities, and institutional clients. We produce magnetic stripe cards and RFID smart cards, including options compatible with MIFARE DESFire, that integrate seamlessly with common access control systems.

When security is paramount, PCID combines robust materials with specialized printing and encoding to reduce fraud risks while maintaining user-friendly credentials. Clients appreciate our thorough testing, warranty options, and consultative approach to matching card type to application.

RFID and smart cards provide contactless convenience without sacrificing security, suitable for transit, hospitality, and corporate access systems. Our engineering ensures correct chip placement and antenna design, producing cards that perform consistently across reader types and environments.

With customization options for visual design and chip encoding, organizations gain the dual benefits of strong identity presentation and dependable technical performance. Ask about our warranty programs for encoded cards to protect your investment and uptime.

Magnetic stripe cards remain a versatile, cost-effective credential for many applications and are core to our capabilities. We deliver encoding solutions that meet industry standards and support bulk personalization for programs requiring swift provisioning and dependable reading across legacy systems.

For integrated systems that rely on swipe technology, our magnetic stripe cards are manufactured to strict tolerances for repeatable performance and durability - ensuring low error rates and high customer satisfaction. For assistance call 800.835.7919.

Beyond hardware, PCID advises on layered security strategies that include visual deterrents, tamper-evident finishes, and encoding best practices that align with client compliance needs. We tailor solutions to balance convenience with safeguards that protect assets and people.

Our teams support installation guidance, testing protocols, and ongoing quality checks so cards perform reliably under real-world conditions. These practical steps help reduce downtime and maintain consistent access control across facilities.

For brands seeking standout impressions, our specialty cards include clear plastic, custom die-cut shapes, and premium metal options such as stainless steel or gold finishes. These specialty products are designed to create memorable experiences, often used for VIP programs and high-profile events.

We combine advanced printing techniques with luxurious materials, ensuring each card not only looks exceptional but endures physical handling. Specialty cards are an investment in brand perception and often function as keepsakes that extend marketing impact.

Die-cut shapes and special finishes allow marketing teams to match a physical card to a campaign theme or brand identity precisely. Whether a custom silhouette, translucent effect, or embossed detail, these options capture attention and create a tactile connection with recipients.

Production for specialty items follows rigorous quality controls to preserve design intent and functional requirements, including magnetic stripe placement and chip integrity. When executed well, these cards serve as powerful brand ambassadors.

Metal cards deliver an unmistakable message of value and exclusivity, favored by luxury boutiques and elite loyalty programs. Crafted from stainless steel or plated materials, metal cards combine durability with an unmistakable heft that communicates status and appreciation.

We advise on plating, etching, and packaging to ensure metal cards align with program goals and logistical needs. Production timelines are longer for these custom pieces, but the long-term brand payoff often justifies the premium.

Specialty cards often require tailored fulfillment, including protective packaging, premium carriers, and personalized hand-assembly. PCID offers full-service affixing and mailing so that luxury cards arrive in perfect condition and convey the intended message of value.

To coordinate complex campaigns we manage timelines, proofs, and pre-shipment inspections. For urgent or limited-run projects, contact our production team at 800.835.7919 to confirm availability and lead times.

PCID's end-to-end fulfillment capabilities turn card production into a complete campaign service: from variable data printing to secure encoding, affixing to carriers, and direct mail packaging. Our logistics expertise ensures on-time delivery and consistent presentation at scale.

These services are designed to reduce internal complexity for marketing and operations teams, enabling faster execution and cleaner reporting. By combining production with fulfillment we shorten lead times and simplify vendor management for large programs.

Custom carriers, sleeves, and branded packaging transform a card into a promotional moment. We design and produce carriers that match campaign messaging while securely holding the card during shipping, creating a polished subscriber or gift recipient experience that elevates perception.

Packaging choices can include perforated gift bags, windowed carriers, and printed instructions for redemption, ensuring every card functions as a clear call-to-action. These seemingly small details frequently boost redemption and engagement rates.

Our full-service affixing and mailing options reduce assembly workload and streamline distribution: we affix cards to carriers, add inserts, and prepare pallets for postal runs with attention to postal regulations and efficient delivery strategies. This operational consolidation saves clients time and administrative costs.

Whether you're shipping to thousands of retail locations or directly to consumers, our fulfillment infrastructure supports precise batch handling, returns management, and traceability. Discuss your program details with our logistics team for tailored solutions.

  • Secure encoding and testing ensure cards arrive ready to use with minimal error rates.
  • Variable data printing allows personalized messaging that drives higher response and redemption.
  • Affixing & kitting reduces your in-house labor and speeds campaign launches.
  • Direct mail integration simplifies distribution and improves deliverability.

For project quotes or to review sample kits, reach out today at 800.835.7919.

Our case studies demonstrate how physical cards drive measurable outcomes: retailers have seen sales increases of up to 100% after migrating from paper certificates to plastic gift cards, and targeted loyalty programs often report engagement improvements in the 35-50% range. These are real results rooted in quality production and strategic implementation.

We document outcomes across sectors - hospitality, retail, education, and unions - highlighting how the right card type and fulfillment approach produce sustained performance improvements. Many clients also cite longer-term brand lift and improved customer retention following campaigns that emphasized premium physical experiences.

A national retailer replaced a paper voucher program with custom plastic gift cards and partnered with PCID for packaging and mailing. The result: a measurable uptick in average transaction value and repeat visits, driven by the professional presentation and ease of redemption that plastic cards provide.

Our role included design consultation, variable data printing, and full-service mailing, and the client benefited from a clear reporting loop that showed consistent ROI on the move to plastic cards.

A boutique hotel chain integrated RFID and magnetic stripe key cards to streamline guest access and loyalty perks. PCID supplied branded cards and managed encoding, resulting in a smoother guest experience and an increase in sign-ups for on-property offers tied to card usage.

We supported the hotel with placement guidelines, testing, and a warranty program for encoded card batches to ensure reliability across multiple properties. For immediate assistance call 800.835.7919.

Universities and associations turned to PCID for durable alumni and student ID cards that double as access credentials and member benefits. These long-lasting cards help strengthen alumni engagement and simplify campus access, all backed by our production guarantees and support services.

Our fulfillment options allowed staggered rollouts and on-demand reorders, creating a scalable approach that matched enrollment cycles and membership renewals.

PCID's partner and affiliate programs offer businesses and marketers a proven route into a high-demand niche. With over 60 successful affiliate sites already leveraging our products, partners gain access to commission structures, marketing resources, and co-branded sample kits to accelerate sales and conversions.

We provide ongoing support, marketing materials, and fulfillment coordination to ensure affiliates can offer dependable delivery and quality. Service areas span nationwide support with focused regional fulfillment options to meet diverse client timelines and budgets.

Affiliates and resellers appreciate our reliable fulfillment, industry-leading quality, and practical training resources that translate into higher conversion rates. Partners can lean on our production expertise and warranty options when pitching to demanding clients who need quality and consistency.

We also offer co-marketing opportunities and volume incentives for partners moving substantial orders, creating a mutual incentive to grow program adoption and scale revenue sustainably. To discuss partnership benefits, contact our channel team at 800.835.7919.

PCID supplies partners with product catalogs, creative assets, and sample kits so that affiliates can showcase real examples to prospective buyers. These tools reduce friction and improve buyer confidence, making it easier to explain distinctions like magnetic stripe encoding versus RFID smart cards.

We also provide technical briefs and sample proofs to support pre-sales conversations and to help affiliates close deals efficiently. Our approach emphasizes partnership and shared success across the sales cycle.

New partners receive a structured onboarding experience that covers order workflows, quality assurance checkpoints, and fulfillment timelines. We stand behind our products with warranty policies and responsive customer service to ensure long-term satisfaction for both partners and their end clients.

With predictable lead times and transparent pricing models, partners can confidently plan marketing campaigns and client rollouts knowing PCID will deliver per expectations. For immediate partnership inquiries, call 800.835.7919.

Ready to transform your customer experience with premium Magnetic Stripe Cards?

Contact Plastic Card ID at 800.835.7919 today to get started.