Magnetic Stripe

With the correct information, we can encode cards to properly work with any system. Our magnetic stripes do not come with the number printed below the stripe, but we can add it with the addition of our variable data option.

HiCo or LoCo?

There are two types of magnetic stripes: HiCo or High Coercivity and LoCo or Low Coercivity.  HiCo has a stronger magnetic field while LoCo has a low intensity magnetic field.

HiCo (High Coercivity):

1. HiCo stripes are more durable and can withstand a higher number of swipes compared to LoCo stripes.
2. These are best for frequently used cards or cards requiring a long life. They are more resistant to damage from external magnetic fields and are less likely to be accidentally erased.
3. HiCo requires a higher amount of energy to encode, and is more expensive than LoCo stripes.

LoCo (Low Coercivity):

1. LoCo stripes are less durable and have a lower lifespan compared to HiCo stripes.
2. These are best for less often used cards or cards requiring a short life. They are more susceptible to damage from external magnetic fields and can be easily erased by proximity to strong magnets or magnetic fields.
3. LoCo requires less energy to encode, and is less expensive than HiCo stripes.

What are Tracks?

Now that you’ve picked out the type of magnetic stripe, we need to know where to encode the data.

The information on magnetic stripes can be encoded on track 1 and/or track 2. The track will depend on your software requirements, please check with your Point of Sale provider to identify which track your information needs to be encoded on.

Track 1 – alphanumeric (up to 79 characters)
Track 2 – numeric only (up to 40 characters)

What needs to be encoded?

Your Point of Sale company will usually have a track requirement (track 1 and/or track 2) as well as a character amount and starting number. The information can be provided to us in 2 ways:

1. Receive a starting number from your Point of Sale provider, then write this number in your Order Notes section. We will continue the numbering process sequentially from there.
2. Request an Excel file that contains the information from your Point of Sale company. The Excel sheet can be uploaded with your art files at the time of order.