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Q: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards ( Answered,   15 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
Category: Business and Money
Asked by: kitty71-ga
List Price: $50.00
Posted: 15 Apr 2003 20:52 PDT
Expires: 15 May 2003 20:52 PDT
Question ID: 191045
Who are the print vendors for Starbucks stored value cards and carrier programs?

Request for Question Clarification by jbf777-ga on 16 Apr 2003 09:10 PDT
Can you clarify what you mean by "print vendors?"
 
Thanks,
 
jbf777-ga
GA Researcher

Clarification of Question by kitty71-ga on 16 Apr 2003 10:00 PDT
I am trying to figure out which companies print their gift cards
available at retail locations. I believe one company prints the paper
"carrier", a second company prints the plastic cards , and a third
does the data for the gift/stored value cards.

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 24 Apr 2003 12:38 PDT
Hello Kitty71-ga,

From the research I have done thus far, there seems to be only a
single company supplying the entire gift card operation to Starbucks. 
Undoubtedly, this company has its own string of suppliers for paper,
printing, plastics, machinery, etc.

I can provide you information about the key company providing gift
cards to Starbucks.  But if you are looking for the second-tier
suppliers of raw materials for these cards, I'm afraid I'll have to
leave that task to another researcher.

Let me know if I should give you what I have already as an answer to
your question.

pafalafa-ga

Clarification of Question by kitty71-ga on 24 Apr 2003 13:41 PDT
Thanks, 
I happen to know at least two different vendors who provide the
printing for the plastic cards. What I'm really looking for is the
vendor who prints the paper carriers and who also does the data. I'm
guessing the company you are speaking of is Moore.
Please see the comments below for the gist of what I really need. I
guess I should have made my question more specific.

Thanks for your reply!!
Answer  
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
Answered By: oracledave-ga on 08 May 2003 19:53 PDT
 
ValueLink, the gift and spending card service
of a First Data Corp. supplies Starbucks Coffee Japan


DENVER, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ValueLink, the gift and
spending card service of a First Data Corp. subsidiary , today
announced that Starbucks Coffee Japan, Ltd. has selected the ValueLink
service to assist in the development and implementation of the
Starbucks Card program in the coffee company''s 400 Japanese stores.
The agreement marks the first ValueLink program launch in Japan, and
builds upon the company''s work with other U.S.-based merchants who
currently offer international stored value card programs or are
looking to expand their stored value card programs globally.

The Starbucks Japan card program mirrors Starbucks one-year old U.S.
program.....

go here

http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten/artikel-1720215.asp 

www.valuelink.info
  
 
IPS Card Solutions Facts
Primary locations:
Greenwood Village, CO
Tulsa, OK

Customer service:
(877) 848-8970

Media contact:
Wendy Carver-Herbert 
(303) 967-6416
wendy.carver@firstdatacorp.com
 

IPS Card Solutions' ValueLink® service started its first stored-value
card program in 1995 serving large, national accounts. Since then we
have been an industry leader, currently issuing over 250 million gift
and stored-value cards each year. The ValueLink full-service stored
value/gift card program offers transaction processing services, card
acquisition, card fulfillment and customer service.


I Believe they do it all.....

Request for Answer Clarification by kitty71-ga on 09 May 2003 08:38 PDT
Value Link provides the transaction service NOT the actual cards.
Please try again.

Thanks.

Clarification of Answer by oracledave-ga on 10 May 2003 22:40 PDT
Hi,

I believe that First Data does it all in house.
I'm talking to people there I'll inform you
on tuesday or wendsday.

TIA
Comments  
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: jbf777-ga on 16 Apr 2003 10:08 PDT
 
Hi -
 
Unfortunately, Starbucks signs confidentiality agreements with their
vendors, so this information would not be available to the general
public.
 
Sorry,
 
jbf777-ga
GA Researcher
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 16 Apr 2003 10:29 PDT
 
I know the info is not readily available (hence the "search").
However through clever google searching I was able to locate one out of four.
I searched for print awards.
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 21 Apr 2003 18:03 PDT
 
Personix http://www.personix.com/
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 21 Apr 2003 19:35 PDT
 
Thanks for the input!
Can you tell me what part of the project they produce? I didn't see
anything about Starbucks on their website.

Erin
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 24 Apr 2003 07:55 PDT
 
I think they do the card & carrier....  You might be able to go into
StarBucks and see if there is "printed by" anywhere... Often the card
printers do add their names in small print.

For the data-processor, so you want the one that does Starbucks, or
anyone which can run a system like what's being done at Starbucks?
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 24 Apr 2003 09:05 PDT
 
Thanks Ed, I have recently found two other vendors that print their
plastic cards and have found confirmation with all except personix.
Still looking though....  Concerning data/personalization, What I
would really like to know is who does the data on Starbucks'cards.
Most importantly, Starbucks does a gift card found in Safeway grocery
stores where the activation barcode is on the paper carrier, not the
plastic card. I need to find out who prints the barcode on the back of
the Safeway package. This one is challeging!!
I am bidding on a project for them and they won't share what type of
equipment should be used to produce the unique laser printed barcode
on the Safeway/Starbucks piece. Thus the reason I am trying to find
out who/how it has been produced in the past.
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 24 Apr 2003 12:06 PDT
 
A bar-code is a bar-code.  Is there a place on the web where I can see
what it looks like?  It's nothing to make a bar-code.

http://barcodingfonts.com/barcode.htm

It is probably 3 of 9 or Code 129.

Will they give you the number to print? If all you have to do is make
the bar-code, then there is nothing to it.  Just buy the font from
http://barcodingfonts.com and print it like you do a number. (the
barcode software comes with instructions for doing so)

If you need a company to run the "stored value" there are many that do
just that, and if you need the "activation" of the card, there are a a
few major companies that do that for the cell-phones.
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 24 Apr 2003 12:33 PDT
 
I know it is a 128c numeric only barcode. What is unique is that it is
laser printed. This can easily be done on a card but most paper
carriers on a stock heavier than 12pt will not fit through traditional
digital or laser equip or docutech's. We think it can be done on an
Indigo press but would like to know how it is currently being done and
on what type of equipment. It would be very easy to do this barcode
using inkjet technology on the size of paper requested, but laser or
digital becomes a little trickier.
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 24 Apr 2003 12:36 PDT
 
I must add that these barcodes are variable, ie, each paper carrier
holding a card inside has a different serial barcode.
We understand and have the technology to do this, but not with
laser....
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 24 Apr 2003 12:56 PDT
 
What do you mean "print in laser"? A laser printer?  You want to know
how to print the bar-code (unique per card) on the thick carboard
paper which holds the card?
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 24 Apr 2003 13:34 PDT
 
Yes. Most gift cards and products of this nature have the activation
device (barcode or mag stripe) on the actual card. The cards are then
"personalized" most often using inkjet or thermal devices. In this
case the actual paper holding the card has the activation device and
the thickness of the paper will not allow it to "go through" most
laser personalization eqipment.
Keep in mind there are often over a million at a time printed so
smaller machines will not work.
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 28 Apr 2003 11:54 PDT
 
I assume that you checked on the items and it did not say "printed
by..." anywhere?  Is there a UPC code on the card?  Maybe look up the
owner... Often the UPC belongs to the company supporting the database
behind the card, and not the vendor branded on the card.  Maybe go
into a store and ask them who supplies the cards?  Say you want one
for your product.  I am sure you can get that info, and "follow the
trail" from there....
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: kitty71-ga on 28 Apr 2003 12:36 PDT
 
Hi Ed. 
In this business the company (Starbucks in this case) usually creates
it's own database and barcode format. They provide the personalization
vendor with a database that is then printed on the product. If they do
source out database work from an outside company, this company would
have no contact with the end producer. Starbucks has "print buyers"
who specialize in gift card technology and all sourcing goes through
them.
The people in the stores have no idea where the cards come from.
That's usually the case.

Thanks again.

Erin
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 29 Apr 2003 15:22 PDT
 
True story.  I was at a convince store which sold gift card like
Starbucks. (Not starbucks, though).  I asked the guy at the desk where
I could get the cards, since I wanted to stock them in my store. (I
don't have a store).  He said he would check.  I gave him my number,
and he called me back with the company which supplied the card.

I am sure a few phones could get me the name of the person which
printed it.

What about the UPC? Many prepaid cards do have the UPC of prepaid card
company, and not the service providor the prepaid card is for.  See if
StarBucks has their own UPC range.  Check products that are sold at
StarBucks.  See if the card UPC has the first same digits...

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/upc.htm

I agree with you that it must be done via an Indego.
Subject: Re: Print vendors for Starbucks gift cards
From: edgreen321-ga on 29 Apr 2003 15:24 PDT
 
Do any of the other cards have the same barcode on the package feature?
http://www.safeway.com/GiftCard.asp

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