The first businesses have been successfully onboarded to the forthcoming Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card, following an information meeting in the town.
A replacement to Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber's paper chamber vouchers, the new Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card is set to launch pre-Christmas.
The original paper system launched in 2008. Following massive growth, sales of these vouchers reach in excess of €1million every year.
The Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card will be available as either a physical card or a digital e-card. Digital cards can be added to digital wallets enabling tap to pay technology.
Around 150 businesses currently accept the paper chamber vouchers, with all eligible to accept the new card which works on the Mastercard system. There are no costs for businesses to register to accept the Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card, and no additional equipment is required.
Various in person and online information meetings were held for the business community and were attended by representatives from Miconex, founders of the Town & City Gift Card program active across Ireland. Miconex will provide the technology for the new Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card.
Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber CEO, Jenny Beresford, said the upgrade to a physical and digital card builds on the success of the paper programme: "It's a case of 'you spoke, we listened' with the new card. Moving away from paper to a card system is something businesses and consumers have requested for some time now. Our goal was a tried and tested system which is what we have with the new card provided by Miconex. We trust Miconex to deliver this for us.
"There will be many benefits for all involved, especially businesses. With the paper vouchers, recipients were confined to spending in one business, whereas with the new card, they can spend with multiple participating businesses. This will spread the benefit out to more businesses. Merchants get paid into their bank like any other Mastercard transaction, taking away the paper voucher administration. The simplicity is what businesses love.
"It's great to see so many businesses signing up to accept the card. Our goal over the coming weeks is to get all of our participating businesses set up and ready to accept the cards in readiness for the Christmas season."
Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said: "The registration process to accept the forthcoming Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card is simple and involves businesses completing an online form and undertaking a test transaction. The Town & City Gift Card initiative is a proven means to drive revenue and spend to local businesses and with the new Dungarvan & West Waterford Gift Card, we can build on the success of the paper chamber voucher with a future-proofed gift card that will take 'shop local' to the next level in Dungarvan and West Waterford."
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