card trends	the numbers speak for themselves...
how many are local?	most local   merchants:  not in the   game...
barriers for local participation Most merchants lack time, expertise and resources to make it happen on their own.  Critical mass and volume is another factor.  Individual merchants on their own are challenged to gain significant market share or volume advantages to merit their own gift card/stored value card program.  Furthermore, individual local merchants cannot effectively compete for larger card sales opportunities, since corporate buyers often need diversity of choices. This is why a Community Shopping Card Program makes sense.  Community Card Programs help create scale, distribute costs and provides expertise.  more advantages, other benefits Community Card Programs have numerous other benefits to offer.  Tangible Tool for Citizens to Demonstrate Local Merchant Support: connect different players in the community in a tangible way to support local businesses Support of Local/Regional Tax Base "Steerage" of Consumer Dollars to Meet Economic Development Goals Easy to Understand:  everybody knows what to do with a plastic card- spend it! This is a medium that merchant and consumer alike readily understand. Communications & Event Network:  card programs enable you to develop a "community" of the persons interested in supporting your local community;  special events, promotions and ongoing communication opportunities are a parallel benefit Data! Tracking:  since card systems track transactions, your card program can provide valuable insights into local retail patterns Versatility and Customization:  cards can be customized to a local city, a region, a shopping corridor or whatever geography;  they can also be customized for particular groups- visitors, conventions, employers and more Quantifiable Economic Impact:  so many times, the value or impact of economic development efforts are hard to measure;  with community shopping card programs, the results are verifiable and easily used to document the impact programs and groups are making in the market
We develop Tools to Grow Your Local Economy	Our mission:   to connect shoppers  with local  merchants