A discount card is a card or document, often a

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be moulded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptab ...

credit card A credit card is a payment card issued to users (cardholders) to enable the cardholder to pay a merchant for goods and services based on the cardholder's accrued debt (i.e., promise to the card issuer to pay them for the amounts plus the o ...

or paper card, that entitles the holder to discounts on the prices of some products or services. Cards may be issued as part of a

loyalty program A loyalty program is a marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop at or use the services of a business associated with the program. Today, such programs cover most types of commerce, each having varying features and ...

, offering discounts to existing

customer In sales, commerce, and economics, a customer (sometimes known as a client, buyer, or purchaser) is the recipient of a good, service, product or an idea - obtained from a seller, vendor, or supplier via a financial transaction or exchange for ...

s to ensure their continuing custom; they may be offered free of charge, offering a modest discount with the intention of persuading purchasers to patronise participating shops; or they may be sold to members, offering larger discounts—for example, the

tastecard tastecard is a discount card accepted by many restaurants in the UK and Ireland offering in some cases a 50% discount, in others two meals for the price of one at participating restaurants; details and restrictions vary from restaurant to restau ...

offers 50% discounts at many

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

s—at a substantial annual cost. Cards may be offered by

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

s or groups of merchants, by clubs or associations who negotiate on behalf of all members to obtain benefits, or by official organisations offering concessionary prices to qualifying groups, such as the disabled.

Types

Loyalty cards A loyalty program is a marketing strategy designed to encourage customers to continue to shop at or use the services of a business associated with the program. Today, such programs cover most types of commerce, each having varying features and ...

* Cards giving entitlement to

educational discount Discounts and allowances are reductions to a basic price of goods or services. They can occur anywhere in the distribution channel, modifying either the manufacturer's list price (determined by the manufacturer and often printed on the package) ...

. In many cases, a discount may be offered on proof of student status, without a special card. * Cards giving entitlement to

military discount Discounts and allowances are reductions to a basic price of goods or services. They can occur anywhere in the distribution channel, modifying either the manufacturer's list price (determined by the manufacturer and often printed on the package) ...

. In many cases, a discount may be offered on proof of current or former membership of a military service, without a special card. * Cards giving entitlement to

disability discount Discounts and allowances are reductions to a basic price of goods or services. They can occur anywhere in the distribution channel, modifying either the manufacturer's list price (determined by the manufacturer and often printed on the package) ...

.Card offering discount in for parking in state parks to disabled people in California, USA
for small administrative charge In many cases, a discount may be offered on proof of disability, without a special card. * Proof of age card, a card which certifies the age of the holder. This type of card may, for example, be used by older children for free or discounted travel on

public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typical ...

. Cards of this type are also used to certify that people of youthful appearance are old enough to legally buy, for example,

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

and

alcoholic beverage An alcoholic beverage (also called an alcoholic drink, adult beverage, or a drink) is a drink that contains ethanol, a type of alcohol that acts as a drug and is produced by fermentation of grains, fruits, or other sources of sugar. The c ...

References

Discount stores Students