A new stocking stuffer could make the holidays merry and bright for local businesses.
As part of the recently launched ThinkLocalGP initiative, the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce will be selling prepaid VISA gift cards, with a twist, the cards are geofenced to the Grande Prairie area, meaning the money must be spent at a local business. Chamber CEO Tanya Oliver says the idea would allow consumers to spend the pre-paid funds at any local establishment, including online stores.
“It gives people a tangible way to feel good about supporting local,” she adds.
Oliver says while the community as a whole does an incredible job in supporting local businesses of all sizes, she believes the more options you can provide to residents, the better it could be for both consumers and businesses.
“We are trying to embrace technology, it’s been accelerated, so we are happy to be able to add this as another option to try and keep money local,” she says.
“The membership trusts us to bring new opportunities to the table, at this point [we] don’t have mass feedback, we’ve got positive reactions from the members we’ve been able to share it with, but I’m hopeful the reception will be great from the community.”
You can find more information about the initiative on the Grande Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce website.