Bludot Open Rewards benefits the whole community

Shopping locally has never been more exciting than now with Open Rewards. As we move into a resurgence of local community pride, people are eager to support your businesses. 

Open Rewards gives customers even more reasons to shop locally, providing new ways for them to discover and support businesses in their community.

Why Use Open Rewards?

Open Rewards is built on a simple idea: shopping locally benefits the whole community, not just one business. From an economic development perspective, the numbers are clear: for every $100 spent at a locally owned business, $68 stays in the community. In contrast, only $43 stays local when spent at a national chain. Keeping money in the community means more local jobs, environmental benefits, and tax dollars to support local infrastructure.

You might wonder, how does shopping at other local stores benefit your business financially? Isn’t that money not going into your pocket? Actually, when more people are drawn to business districts, sales increase for all stores in the area. In fact, 85% of Open Rewards users reported that the program has directly influenced them to shop locally, showing a strong impact on community spending habits.

Open Rewards incentivizes local shopping by giving customers 5% cash back every time they shop at participating stores. They can then use these rewards at any other local business in the program. This means when customers shop at other stores, that money eventually comes back to you. Plus, every dollar invested in Open Rewards stays in the community, as Bludot does not charge any transaction fees.

Communities using Open Rewards see over 20X return on investment in local economic impact, making it a highly effective tool for boosting local economies. Best of all, for cities offering sponsorship, the program is completely free for businesses, providing immediate returns without any costs.

Learn how Arlington County, VA is seeing this type of success with Open Rewards in this video case study:

How Does Open Rewards work for business owners?

Open Rewards is an app that works differently for customers and businesses. Customers download the app, connect a credit or debit card and start earning rewards automatically. For businesses with city-wide sponsorship, the whole process is free. Otherwise, you’ll need to maintain a small balance to fund the rewards.

Your Open Rewards balance decreases when customers make purchases and replenishes when customers redeem their rewards at your store. In a city fully embracing Open Rewards, you might not need to add more money once customers start using their points across local stores, allowing you to take that excess balance as profit. The money stored in your Open Rewards balance is yours—you can add or remove it at any time with no transfer cost. However, if your balance drops below $20, you’ll need to top it up to keep the account active.

No action is required from businesses to give or redeem rewards, making it a hassle-free process. Businesses receive the full dollar amount for all transactions, ensuring no loss of revenue. Additionally, Bludot provides marketing materials to help promote the program, further driving customer engagement.

Communities using Open Rewards

Many communities have already seen the benefits of Open Rewards, including:

• Las Vegas, NV
  

• Arlington County, VA

• Lancaster, CA

• Indio, CA

• Orange, CA

• San Joaquin County, CA

• East Aldine, TX

Interested in learning more about the economic impact of a shop local program? Then check out this blog.

Open Rewards offers greater visibility for local businesses

Open Rewards is one of the ways Bludot helps cities build better relationships with local businesses and offer support. Joining Open Rewards connects you with a network of local businesses focused on mutual success and makes it easy for customers to find places to dine and shop locally. It also makes shopping locally more exciting. Customers can discover new favorite spots and use their rewards to support stores like yours.

Open Rewards offers a simple and effective way to expand and retain your customer base while driving business to the local stores you love. By leveraging community funding, offering full transaction value to businesses and providing marketing support, Open Rewards ensures that local businesses can thrive without any added costs.

Want to see what Open Rewards would like for your community? Schedule some time with us.