fbpx

Blog

News, notes and features from the Tahoe Chamber

Join the GO Local Tahoe Card to Boost Business

  Tahoe Chamber  |   December 15, 2020   |   Chamber NewsPress Releases

Share This

The holidays are around the corner and because of the shutdown, the Tahoe Chamber is continuing to find ways to encourage everyone in our community to keep their holiday shopping local and to support our businesses during this tough time. We are launching the new GO Local Tahoe Gift Card, a community-wide gift card, which makes the perfect gift or stocking stuffer but is also a way to show to support our local businesses!

Consumers can purchase the Card as a gift for a friend, colleague or family member and companies can send it to employees as a special holiday gift. Once the e-card is sent, it can be used at any participating business around the South Shore. The important thing is the dollars stay local and benefit our shops, restaurants, lodging properties and our Community.

People will purchase the Cards online and email, text or print them for use in your shops and restaurants. To accept the Cards you need to be able to process a key-entry (like a phone order) Mastercard, and you are paid through your credit card bank in your normal settlement, with your normal Mastercard CNP processing fee. The Cards only work at participating merchants, i.e. those who opt-in.

There is no cost to you to participate in the program. To opt-in, you simply run a 10 cent charge (or whatever is your minimum) on a prepaid Mastercard that Yiftee, our technology partner, will send you by email (the “Activation Card”). This is your authorization to participate and you are agreeing to Yiftee’s Merchant Agreement found here: https://bit.ly/2Bqrbxm. More info on the program is below.

Because you are a Chamber Member, we have already loaded your information up onto the platform so you will just need to run the activation code to start being able to accept the gift cards.  Please email Emily@TahoeChamber.org if you are interested in being able to accept these Cards and the additional business they bring to your business during the holidays. We will be sending out activation codes to everyone in a separate email through the Yiftee platform, so please look out for that as well!  If you would like to be removed, just let me know and if not we will start promoting you as a business that accepts the GO Local Tahoe Card!

The Platform:

Community eGift Card FAQs

Q:  Is there a deadline to participate?

A:  We are planning a launch next week to introduce the community to our new Community eGift Card. Sign up before then so that you are a part of the launch program and get this incremental business. 

Q: How to I sign up?

A: Tell the Tahoe Chamber that you want to participate and they will add you to the Card and send you an Activation Card, which is a 10 cent prepaid Mastercard. Running the Activation Card is your authorization to opt-in to the program which means you agree to the Yiftee Merchant Agreement here: https://bit.ly/2Bqrbxm

Q:  What if I can’t process the Activation Card, which is a $0.10 credit card transaction?

A:  No problem. Process the Activation Card for your minimum amount. It will be declined but Yiftee will get the information they need to add you to the program. 

Q:  What if I can’t key in a Mastercard?

A:  This is very unusual. We can introduce you to a processor who will allow you to do this. 

Q:  What if the purchase is for more than the Community eGift Card value?

A:  Run the Community eGift Card for the remaining balance on the card, and ask the customer for a different form of payment to cover the rest of the transaction. 

Q:  What do I do if the eGift Card is ‘declined’?

A:  The transaction is declined if you try to redeem more than the value of the card, or if any of the redemption information is mis-typed.  Start the transaction over with the correct value and info. 

Q:  Is tipping allowed on the Community eGift Card?

A:  No, unless you pre-authorize the amount with the tip included, since this is a prepaid card.

Q:  Does the eGift Card function as a ‘pre-paid’ credit card regarding automatic tipping hold-backs?

A:  No. It can be redeemed for the full value. But there is no tipping allowed on the Community Card.

Q:  Since the eGift Card is like a Mastercard, can it be redeemed anywhere?

A:  No.  They can only be redeemed at participating locations who have run their Activation Card.

Q:  Is there a fee to purchase the eGift Card?

A:  The gift sender pays $1.00 plus 5% of the gift value. The gift recipient gets 100% of the gift value.  The store is paid the full value of the card, less their normal card-not-present (CNP) Mastercard fee.

Q:  Can the eGift Card be used more than once?

A:  Yes. They are multi-use and the current balance and expiration date are always reflected on the digital voucher.  Recipients receive monthly reminders to redeem. You can check balance on Yiftee.com or https://c.yiftee.com/check-gift-balance.

Q:  Can I apply a refund to the eGift Card?

A:  Yes. Refunds can be applied to a valid (unexpired) card just as you would to a credit card.

Q:  Can I cancel my participation?

A:  Yes. Anytime, by notifying your organizer. You will be removed from the marketing materials online and can no longer process the cards.


Share This