The Houston and District Chamber of Commerce is looking forward to more consumers and businesses taking part in its merchant gift certificate program.
“Anyone can purchase a gift certificate, and they get used at participating local merchants,” says chamber president Darrin Super.
In that fashion it’s a closed loop to encourage consumers to support local merchants, he added.
“I believe our slogan on the bottom of the gift certificates would sum it up best. ‘Keeping your town in business, by keeping your business in town’,” Super added.
Currently, the program has 28 participating merchants and one of the requirements to take part is that a business must also be a chamber member.
The program is now more than 10 years old and was in existence when the chamber took over its management in 2010.
“When we started in 2010, we only sold $15,000 so we have seen an increase in the program,” Super said.
Sales last year dipped to $79,960 compared to $94,970 in 2018.
Super said a prime factor in last year’s decline was a drop in forest industry activity, something that included several shutdowns at Canfor, but that the chamber is expecting a rebound this year.
Despite last year’s dip more than 1,400 gift certificates were sold, with most of them being purchased in November and December during the Christmas season.
“We had approximately 40 companies, clubs and organizations and approximately 78 community members. Some of these were customers that have purchased more than once,” said Super.
“The program speaks for itself with its success rate. We will continue to promote the program and hopefully have more merchants join the program,” he said.
