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Shop 716 is now including Niagara County. (Image courtesy of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce/Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce)
Shop 716 is now including Niagara County. (Image courtesy of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce/Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce)

Niagara USA Chamber announces Niagara County inclusion in popular Shop 716 eGift card program

Fri, Feb 18th 2022 02:25 pm

Support local restaurants, retailers & attractions

The Niagara USA Chamber of Commerce on Friday announced Niagara County’s inclusion in the Shop 716 eGift card program.

The initiative is organized by the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, which said on its website, “Western New York has a long history of meeting daunting challenges. As always, when all of us work together, great things can happen. This is our home. These are our neighbors. The survival of local businesses is our responsibility.

“As we searched for innovative ways to grow our members’ businesses, spark some recovery from the pandemic and build community, we’re excited to introduce this program. …

“Consumers can purchase the Shop 716 eGift cards as gifts or for self-use, and companies can use it for employee rewards, anniversary gifts, customer appreciation, survey incentives, contests and or simply to be an extension of the shop local theme. The dollars stay local and benefit our retailers, restaurants, co-ops and attractions.”

The goal is to keep local shoppers shopping local, thus supporting merchants and ensuring their survival.

The Shop 716 eGift card is powered by the chamber’s technology partner, Yiftee. An electronic Mastercard gift card is texted and/or emailed to patrons, and can be used or gifted to a family member, friend or co-worker. Consumers purchase the Shop 716 eGift card online and then email, text or print it for use. The electronic card works at participating local independent merchants.

To accept the Shop 716 eGift card, retailers need to be able to process a key-entry (like a phone order) Mastercard. They are paid through the credit card bank in their normal settlement.

Visit https://amherst.org/shop716/ to sign up.

Shop 716 was originally announced in November 2020. It was the product of a partnership between the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, the Erie County Business Task Force, Visit Buffalo Niagara, the Erie County Industrial Development Agency and the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

Last September, Erie County announced the program had generated nearly $1.2 million in new revenue for local small businesses, with another $1 million in revenue estimated from the latest buy-one-get-one gift card promotion.

At that time, Visit Buffalo Niagara President and CEO Patrick Kaler said, “Money spent locally is money earned locally. Buying local invigorates our small businesses and invests in our economy. This marketing campaign aims to bring local residents back to Erie County’s incredible restaurants, retail shops and cultural attractions. Shop local and let’s get back to our comeback!”

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