Local employers are joining the Shop Local Movement by using Community Cards as employee rewards, holiday gifts and customer appreciation. Gift cards have always been used as a quick and easy option for employee rewards, but purchasing national brand gift cards benefits big box stores and senda the employer's funds out of the community instead of back into the local economy.

‍Community Gift Cards have become an attractive option for local employers by making it easy for them to reward and recognize their employees while also supporting local businesses. Community Cards can be used at many different businesses, including restaurants, retailers, salons, gyms, museums and more, so recipients are sure to find something they love. Community Cards are also being used to replace per-diems and boxed lunches during conferences and company trips, to welcome employees to the office and as thank you gifts for referrals and loyal customers. The possibilities are endless and employers across the country are jumping on the local gift card trend!

$2M in spending kept local in downtown Detroit

Working with Quicken Loans, Bedrock Development and International Bancard in Detroit, Yiftee created The DetroitCard in late 2017. Yiftee had already been serving local businesses, chains and franchises for five years with its proven digital gift card service. In the next two years, companies and individuals gave $2M in Detroit Cards that might otherwise have gone to national brands and online commerce. Instead, all of those funds were spent in the downtown Detroit area, benefiting local shops, restaurants, services and entertainment.

Schools And Universities Use Community Cards As Teacher Gifts

In an effort to support local businesses, Great Oaks Legacy Charter School in Newark, NJ, has been sending their local Community Card, the Newark Gift Card, to teachers and staff as holiday gifts for two years in a row. “We heard a lot of feedback from small businesses, in particular the ones in and around the school, that teachers were using those gift cards at a really high rate and so it made us feel good,” said Jared Taillefer, head of Great Oaks Legacy Charter School.

Small cities are also adopting local gift cards for employee appreciation

The Spartanburg, SC Chamber of Commerce worked with Yiftee to create the “Spartanbucks” gift card. Employers like the City of Spartanburg and Mary Black Hospital purchased Spartanbucks Cards as holiday gifts for their employees, who then in turn redeemed them at local merchants throughout the following year. Yiftee and its local partners set up other Community Gift Cards across the country from The Naples Card in Florida, to the LittleItaly Food Hall in San Diego, CA, working with Main Streets, downtowns, cities, neighborhoods, local malls, food courts and farmers’ markets.

Gift Card Givers save money with Community Cards

Employers are switching from national brands and online shops to Community Cards in an effort to keep their dollars local. Yiftee offers an enterprise platform that allows them to manage budgets and access a robust reporting tool. Yiftee can also offer discounted or waived fees for large purchases. In addition to holiday gifting, corporations use their Community Gift Cards for customer appreciation, marketing programs, anniversaries and spot bonuses. By using Yiftee, employers save money and give back to the community at the same time.