Localized Loyalty Program Benefits Consumers and Businesses

EASTON, Pa. - June 19, 2013 - PRLog -- LEHIGH VALLEY, PA - A new customer loyalty program, ShopLocalsOnly, rewards customers for spending their dollars with local, independently owned restaurants in the Lehigh Valley.

Users earn 10% of purchases, which is placed on the ShopLocalsOnly card and can be used at participating restaurants. With a decidedly local focus, the program does not permit participation by national chains and fast-food franchises.

ShopLocalsOnly cards may be purchased online at http://www.shoplocalonly.com or via a participating business. When purchasing online, new users can save even more by loading the card with cash value: a 10% bonus is added to the amount purchased. Thus, a $100 cash value purchase becomes $110 in spendable cash value on the card.

ShopLocalsOnly is the brainchild of Kip Hartman of Palmer Township, PA.

“I got tired of seeing my favorite locally-owned places failing and going out of business,” he says, “while at the same time noticing that national chains and fast-food franchises kept opening locations in and around my community. I decided to try to do something about it.”

With help from programmer Michael Andreano of Easton, PA, ShopLocalsOnly was born.

ShopLocalsOnly is part of a larger, nationwide trend of shopping local. As the economy weakened, consumers became more aware of where their dollars are spent, and if given the choice, more are likely to spend their money locally. ShopLocalsOnly gives them even more incentive to do so.

According to the 3/50 project, a grassroots organization leading a national charge to shop local, for every $100 spent in an independent business $68 stays in the community, compare the only $43 if that same $100 is spent at a national chain. This is because small businesses utilize other local businesses for things like payroll and other expenditures, in addition to paying local taxes.

Business owners benefit too. Not only does it track customers’ spending activity like a regular customer loyalty program, but it also offers unique revenue sharing. A percentage of all qualifying purchases are returned to the restaurant that sells the card – no matter where the following purchases take place. In addition, cross-marketing and promotions are available to businesses.

Just launched, ShopLocalsOnly already has five participating restaurants, but Andreano thinks the program will catch on quickly as there are another fifteen in queue.

"As we begin working with our participating merchants and speaking to their customers about ShopLocalsOnly, we find the patrons really embracing the program and in fact, they end up offering up future nearby businesses to consider," Andreano says. "This is a program that is really special, and I'm excited to be part of it."

For more information, visit http://www.ShopLocalsOnly.com, or find them on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/shoplocalsonly) or Twitter (@shoplocalsonly) as well.