Magnetic Stripe Cards: Design Security and Best Practices

About Plastic Card ID

Plastic Card ID has built a reputation as a premier provider of high-quality, custom-printed plastic cards that connect brands to people in meaningful ways. With a legacy of innovation and trust, the company has empowered over 100,000 businesses and produced more than 50 million cards, delivering consistent results that matter to marketers, operators, and institutions.

Operating as a strategic partner rather than a simple vendor, Plastic Card ID focuses on long-term relationships and tailored solutions that amplify brand presence and customer loyalty. From membership badges to gift and loyalty cards, the team crafts durable, attention-commanding products that translate into measurable business outcomes and stronger customer retention.

History and Mission

Founded on a commitment to quality and partnership, Plastic Card ID combines manufacturing expertise with consultative service to solve real business problems. The mission is to help organizations of all sizes build trust and recognition through durable, beautifully produced physical products that complement digital strategies and drive repeat engagement.

Rather than focusing on disposable impressions, the company emphasizes long-term value, offering solutions that enhance brand perception and foster meaningful connections. That focus on permanence and presentation creates tangible returns and sustained customer recall for clients across retail, hospitality, education, and associations.

Core Competencies

Plastic Card ID specializes in a broad array of card technologies, including full-color printing, magnetic stripes, and smart card encoding for secure access. Their capabilities span advanced production techniques and value-added services like custom carriers, sleeves, and complete fulfillment so clients receive a truly turnkey solution.

These competencies position the company to serve complex requirements such as RFID and MIFARE DESFire applications, hotel key systems, casino player programs, and secure ID solutions. The expert team consults on materials, security, and distribution to align every project with client goals and compliance needs.

Why Clients Choose Us

Clients choose Plastic Card ID because of a consistent focus on service excellence, product durability, and measurable business results. The company's track record includes boosting retailer sales with plastic gift cards and delivering higher mail response rates with specialty postcard mailers that outperform traditional options.

By offering extensive customization, warranties on print quality, and hands-on support, Plastic Card ID becomes a valued partner in marketing and operations. Their approach emphasizes long-term ROI, reliable delivery, and creative options that make each campaign or program stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Community and Partnerships

Over 60 affiliate websites and widespread reseller partnerships illustrate how Plastic Card ID has created opportunities for marketers and entrepreneurs to profit from high-demand product lines. These relationships reflect a collaborative culture that supports partners with marketing materials, technical guidance, and consistent fulfillment.

Whether supporting a local association or enabling a national retail rollout, the company builds scalable programs that align with operational capacity and brand standards. This ecosystem approach emphasizes shared success, repeatable processes, and clear communication at every stage of production and distribution.

Products & Capabilities

Plastic Card ID offers an expansive catalog of card types and production finishes to meet diverse needs: gift cards, loyalty cards, membership badges, hotel key cards, and specialty pieces like clear or metal cards. Each product is engineered for durability and visual impact, balancing aesthetics with function.

Production capabilities include variable data printing, magnetic stripe encoding, barcode printing, and contactless smart card programming. By combining these techniques, clients can deploy integrated campaigns and operational solutions that are both visually striking and technically robust.

Core Product Types

The product lineup includes traditional PVC cards, clear plastic variants, custom-shaped cards, and premium metal options that elevate brand presentation. For retailers and marketers, gift and loyalty cards are primary drivers of incremental revenue and repeat visits, delivering measurable uplift in average transaction value.

Key offerings such as Magnetic Stripe Cards, RFID-enabled cards, and specialty finishes are available with optional secure encoding and protective overlays. These choices allow organizations to select the balance of cost, durability, and security that best fits their customer experience goals.

Printing & Finishing Options

High-resolution printing, UV coating, spot varnish, and matte or gloss laminates give clients control over the final look and durability of each card. Specialty surface treatments protect printed art and provide tactile cues that enhance perceived value at point of sale or membership issuance.

Finishing decisions take into account circulation frequency, handling environments, and required security elements. This consultative approach ensures each project uses the optimal combination of materials and processes to maximize longevity and brand fidelity, yielding long-lasting impressions.

Encoding and Technology

Technical services include magnetic stripe encoding, EMV-ready configurations (non-financial), and contactless smart card programming for MIFARE DESFire and similar platforms. These solutions support everything from access control to loyalty tracking and secure member authentication.

By integrating card issuance with cardholder databases and fulfillment workflows, Plastic Card ID enables clients to deploy programs quickly and with minimal internal friction. The company's expertise in secure encoding helps organizations maintain operational integrity while delivering seamless user experiences.

Materials and Durability

Material selection impacts longevity, tactile quality, and printing performance; Plastic Card ID helps clients choose PVC, PET, or metal substrates based on intended use. Each substrate is tested to ensure consistent print quality, scratch resistance, and compatibility with encoding methods like magnetic stripes and RFID.

For high-traffic applications such as hotel key cards or casino player programs, the company recommends finishes and protective layers that reduce wear and preserve readability. This focus on durability supports reduced replacement costs and higher customer satisfaction over time.

Security & Access Solutions

Security and access control are integral to several product lines, including secure ID badges, campus cards, and hotel key systems. Plastic Card ID integrates physical card production with encoding and programming services to deliver reliable, secure access solutions that align with operational policies and regulatory requirements.

By pairing printed credentials with magnetic stripe encoding or contactless smart chips, clients can manage access, track usage, and maintain audit trails. The company supports integration with third-party access control systems and offers consultative support to help organizations choose the correct security stack.

ID and Membership Cards

Custom ID cards improve onsite security and foster community identification across workplaces, campuses, and associations. These cards can incorporate photos, barcodes, and magnetic stripes to tie a physical credential to a secure database and identity lifecycle management system.

PCID may be referenced as a friendly shorthand in some client materials, but the emphasis remains on consistent identity presentation, professional credentials, and practical issuance workflows that simplify renewals and revocations while preserving user convenience.

Access Control Integration

Access control solutions combine card issuance with system compatibility testing, ensuring that encoded magnetic stripes or RFID chips communicate correctly with readers. Plastic Card ID assists with format specifications, key management, and secure encoding to meet stringent access requirements across industries.

Clients receive documentation and testing assistance to shorten deployment times and avoid integration setbacks, resulting in smoother rollouts and reliable day-one performance for facilities, hotels, and event venues that rely on card-based access.

Secure Encoding & Data Handling

Data security is central to card encoding and fulfillment: the company employs best-practice handling for personalization files, adheres to strict quality assurance processes, and offers options for secure on-site encoding or controlled off-site programming. These measures reduce exposure and maintain chain-of-custody integrity.

For organizations requiring additional assurance, Plastic Card ID provides project-specific confidentiality agreements and secure delivery options. Those services ensure that sensitive cardholder data and program logic remain protected throughout production and distribution, delivering peace of mind for administrators.

Magnetic Stripe Card Solutions

Magnetic stripes remain a cost-effective, widely compatible solution for many loyalty, gift, and access applications. Plastic Card ID produces Magnetic Stripe Cards with careful attention to encoding standards, stripe quality, and protective overlays to ensure consistent read rates at point-of-sale and access readers.

Whether a program requires high-coercion access or frequent transactional use, the company recommends stripe types (LoCo or HiCo) matched to expected wear and reader strength. This approach ensures dependable performance and reduces field replacements for busy programs.

Customization & Specialty Options

Customization is a hallmark of Plastic Card ID's offerings, enabling clients to craft cards that reflect brand identity and campaign objectives. From intricate full-bleed artwork to spot varnish and embossing, the company provides nuanced creative control while advising on durability and production feasibility.

Specialty products like clear plastic, custom die-cut shapes, and premium metal cards deliver memorable unboxing experiences and premium impressions. These options are particularly effective for VIP programs, gift packaging, and promotional initiatives seeking to create a lasting emotional connection.

Design Services and Consultation

The in-house design team consults on artwork, color matching, and material selection to ensure that final products match brand expectations. Design reviews and preflight checks reduce revisions and speed time-to-market while maintaining exceptional print fidelity across orders large and small.

Clients benefit from templates, proofing cycles, and guidance on variable data best practices for personalized campaigns. This assistance results in campaigns that are both visually compelling and logistically efficient, with fewer reprints and improved campaign responsiveness.

Specialty Materials and Techniques

Special production techniques such as metal inlays, foil stamping, and laser engraving elevate the tactile and visual qualities of premium cards. These treatments are ideal for executive concierge programs, loyalty VIP tiers, and corporate gifting, offering a physical token that conveys prestige.

Material choices are always recommended in the context of intended use; for high-handling applications, protective coatings and durable substrates keep specialty finishes looking pristine longer. The result is a product that reinforces brand promise through premium craftsmanship.

Value-Added Packaging and Mail Fulfillment

Beyond card production, Plastic Card ID offers comprehensive fulfillment services including custom carriers, sleeves, wallet cards, and full-service mailing. These value-added options simplify campaign logistics and ensure recipients receive polished, ready-to-use items that reflect positively on the sender.

Fulfillment options are fully scalable, from small batches for boutique programs to national distribution for major retailers. The one-stop approach reduces vendor management and accelerates campaign timelines while delivering consistent on-brand presentation to recipients.

Core Product Benefits

When executed well, physical cards deliver unique advantages: increased brand recall, higher mail response rates, and measurable sales lifts from professional gift card programs. Plastic Card ID helps quantify these benefits with case studies and performance benchmarks tailored to industry segments.

Clients leveraging specialty cards often see improved customer loyalty metrics and repeat visits. By combining beautiful design, durable materials, and precise encoding like Magnetic Stripe Cards where appropriate, programs become both functional and influential tools for growth.

Ordering, Fulfillment, and Support - Plastic Card ID

Placing an order with Plastic Card ID is designed to be straightforward, with consultative quoting, production timelines, and fulfillment planning clearly communicated. The company's dedication to customer service includes warranties on print quality and responsive support throughout the production lifecycle.

Fulfillment services include affixing, kitting, custom packing, and nationwide mailing, allowing clients to outsource complex logistical tasks and focus on campaign strategy. This end-to-end capability supports both marketing and operational programs, providing reliable delivery and measurable ROI.

Ordering Process and Timelines

From initial quote to shipment, clients receive clear milestones, proof approvals, and tracking information. This transparent workflow reduces uncertainty and enables coordinated launches across retail, hospitality, or institutional channels, ensuring programs go live on schedule and with predictable quality.

Production timelines vary by complexity, but the company offers expedited options when timelines demand faster turnarounds. These options balance speed and quality, enabling time-sensitive promotions or phased rollouts without sacrificing professional finish.

Fulfillment Services with Options

Fulfillment offerings are diverse and customizable, including sleeve insertion, carrier folding, kitting, and complete mailing solutions. For many clients, these services reduce in-house labor and eliminate multiple vendor touchpoints, streamlining program delivery from factory to consumer.

• Custom carriers and sleeves for retail presentation
• Card affixing and secure kitting for subscription and membership programs
• End-to-end mailing support with tracking and reporting

These bundled services ensure that each card arrives ready to use and reflects the brand's desired presentation, producing a positive first impression that encourages immediate engagement.

Warranty, Quality Assurance, and Returns

Plastic Card ID stands behind its workmanship with warranties that cover print defects and material inconsistencies, giving clients confidence in order quality. Rigorous QA processes include color verification, stripe readability tests for Magnetic Stripe Cards, and encoding validation to ensure functional reliability.

When issues arise, the company's support team responds promptly to evaluate concerns and implement corrective actions. This commitment to resolution preserves program integrity and minimizes operational disruption, reflecting a client-first philosophy.

Support and Account Services

Dedicated account managers work with clients to plan inventory levels, reorders, and seasonal campaigns, reducing administrative burden and improving program performance. These specialists provide actionable recommendations for artwork, materials, and fulfillment strategies based on historical results and category benchmarks.

Whether supporting a small nonprofit or a national retail brand, the team delivers personalized service and technical expertise, ensuring projects are executed with care and attention to detail. That reliable partnership model is central to the company's approach to long-term client success.

Contact and Consultation

For project inquiries and personalized consultations, prospective clients can connect with the sales team to discuss sample options, pricing, and timelines. Early engagement helps clarify program goals and unlocks creative tactics that make each card program more effective and memorable.

To arrange a discovery call or request sample kits, please reach out and a specialist will guide you through material options, encoding choices like Magnetic Stripe Cards, and fulfillment planning to ensure a smooth rollout and measurable results.

Ready to elevate your brand with professional plastic card solutions? Our team is prepared to design and deliver tailored cards that support marketing, security, and operational goals with precision and flair.

Contact Plastic Card ID today at 800.835.7919 for a complimentary consultation and sample pack.