Overview For Businesses Seeking to Participate

Participation is simple for any retail establishment that wants to be part of the “Shop the Village” promotion.

Each participating business:

1. Contributes a $25 gift card/gift certificate to the program.

Each reward must be a $25 gift certificate (or gift card) with no expiration date. Each participating merchant needs to provide only one (1) gift certificate/card, though some are providing more and are thereby gaining additional exposure.

The gift cards are given to random shoppers by Super Shopper Spotter (program coordinator Matt Baron). Those shoppers are photographed and, in some cases, videotaped to publicize the businesses involved in the program.

2. Distributes “Shop the Village” stickers to shoppers that come into their business.

You can also share them with non-shoppers—Super Shopper Spotter will award gift cards only to those whom he has spotted making a purchase of any amount.

3. Receives mention on the “Shop the Village” website as well as in news releases about the program.

4. Benefits from promotional support through the end of December, including VOP Channel 6, the program website (www.shopthevillage.biz) and the program YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/shopthevillageop)

On December 2, WGN TV aired a segment featuring Super Shopper Spotter identifying a customer who won a $25 gift card inside Marion Street Cheese Market. A number of other participating businesses have gained mention in local media in full-page ads in the Wednesday Journal as well as at Triblocal.com.

Want to join in the “Shop the Village” program? Here’s what you need to do next:

Drop off your gift card and pick up stickers and promotional posters at the Downtown Oak Park office at 1010 Lake St., Suite 114. Call the DTOP office at 708-383-4145 to make arrangements.

(If you are part of a group of businesses that want to be involved, you can appoint one person to handle the drop-off and pick-up duties.)

Any questions? Contact Matt Baron at 708-860-1380 or
Matt@InsideEdgePR.com