[OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Dollars

[Rebecca Quandt]

Hi Kelly,

We have a very successful Downtown Gift Certificate program here in McMinnville. Here is how it works.

They are paper certificates that people pick up here at our office. They can come in various denominations but MUST be spent in one place. So for example, if you you have a $20 GC and you go to a coffee shop, you must spend all $20 at that time. Only our members can participate in this program— a benefit of being a MDA member.
The merchants then hold on to the GC and redeem them at anytime here at our office. We keep 5% of the total to allocate for admin and paper costs and then we cut them a check for the remaining 95%.

Last year we sold more than $30,000 in Downtown Gift Certificates!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Rebecca Quandt
Executive Director

McMinnville Downtown Association
503-472-3605
105 NE Third Street
McMinnville, OR 97128



> On Nov 7, 2016, at 10:29 AM, Debbie Pedro <debbie at hermistonchamber.com> wrote:
> 
> Most Chambers of Commerce have a gift certificate program as well.
>  
> Keep your money where your LIFE is!  Shop Local
>  
> <image001.jpg>
> Debbie Pedro
> President/CEO
> www.hermistonchamber.com <http://www.hermistonchamber.com/>
> www.hermistonconferencecenter.com <http://www.hermistonconferencecenter.com/>
>  
> From: OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>] On Behalf Of Roxana Grant
> Sent: Monday, November 07, 2016 9:47 AM
> To: 'Oregon Main Street program managers' <oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>>
> Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Dollars
>  
> We had a program like that but is turned into a nightmare, I do not have anything on it except the merchants used them like gift certificates. sorry
>  <> 
> From: OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>] On Behalf Of Kelly Haverkate
> Sent: Sunday, November 6, 2016 5:14 PM
> To: Managers OMS
> Subject: [OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Dollars
>  
> Hi All,
>  
> Can you send me your examples of any "downtown dollars" type gift certificates?
>  
> I see, in looking online, that some towns use them like checks that the stores deposit and $$ gets drawn from their bank.
>  
> I'm thinking I'd like to keep it fairly simple  .  $5 increments to avoid merchants having to give back much change.  They'll buy them from us (and maybe the City, since we don't have a storefront) and the merchants will call us when they have one to get reimbursed for.
>  
> What I could use is :
> Pros and Cons
> What the front looks like
> What the back looks like and any legal-ese that might be needed.
>  
> Of course, I'm hoping to get some put together this week.  HA!  :)
>  
> Let me know your thoughts and ideas, thanks very much!
>  
> Kelly
>  
>  
> Kelly Haverkate
> Program Manager
> Downtown Dayton
> 971 241-2076
> _____________________________________________________
> OMS_MANAGERS mailing list
> OMS_MANAGERS at listsmart.osl.state.or.us <mailto:OMS_MANAGERS at listsmart.osl.state.or.us>
> http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/oms_managers <http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/oms_managers>
> Hosted by the Oregon State Library. The Library is not responsible for content.
> Questions related to message content should be directed to list owner(s) or the sender of the message, by phone or email.
> Technical questions? Call 503-378-8800.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/oms_managers/attachments/20161107/aa79a24f/attachment.html>