La Cañada Flintridge’s local e-gift card program has been growing since the City Council adopted the idea in August 2020.
The city partnered with Yiftee, a company that promotes bringing business to local shops and restaurants with their e-gift cards. Since then, the city has offered $40 e-gift cards that can be purchased online. The city also subsidizes a $15 bonus gift card when someone purchases one for $40. The website explains that customers are limited to only nine bonus cards.
Since June, the city has issued 1,893 e-gift cards including both $40 and bonus gift cards worth $15.
Director of Community Development Susan Koleda said $44,848 in e-gift cards have been redeemed, which average 84% of total card sales.
The idea for the e-gift cards came several years back from a suggestion at a City Council meeting, Koleda said.
“The idea for a program came during the first six months of COVID when local businesses were struggling with the lockdowns and a decline in retail sales and was to encourage people to shop local.”
Although the gift cards are digital, they are used just like any gift card you would get.
“The business processes the transaction similar to any other gift card,” said Koleda. “The balance on the card can be utilized at any participating business and can be used for all or part of a transaction.”
According to the gift card website, customers can use the gift cards at various participating LCF businesses. Customers are required to make a Yiftee account, and after purchasing, they show a digital version of a card rather than scanning a bar code to participating businesses. The customer will receive two emails, one with their $40 gift card and another with their $15 bonus gift card.
Mayor Keith Eich tried the program out himself.
“As an engineer and product professional, I try to secret shop my products and ensure I understand the decisions I influence,” said Eich. “To be honest, the experience was a bit clunky at the beginning. Businesses didn’t know how to accept payment, and as a resident, I needed to learn how to use the e-gift card. I think the city staff did a great job working through those issues, and with the help of Yiftee, it became a standard way of doing business.”
When a customer does use the gift card, they show it to the cashier and the cashier then puts in, number by number, the information.
The participating businesses include Anytime Fitness, Club Pilates La Cañada Flintridge, Color Me Green Nail Salon, Constellation Coffee, Flintridge Automotive, Foothill Auto Wash, Hello Pizza, La Cañada Imports, La Cañada Pet Grooming, North Shore Burgers, Sport Clips La Cañada, Stella’s Pizza Kitchen, Stepping Stones to Learning, The Apple Cart, The Dairy, The UPS Store, Vasquez Jewelers and Vendome Wine & Spirits. Businesses can also be added to the list by request.
Residents love the program, according to Koleda, but since no additional funds have been budgeted for the program in the FY 2023-24, once the funding is depleted the program will be suspended.
“I’m a big fan of testing or piloting an idea and only making it permanent once you have time to retrospect on it and get more input,” said Eich. “While we may not have added additional funds to the next budget, we learned much that can be applied to future programs.”
To purchase an LCF e-gift card or to join the participating businesses, visit app.yiftee.com/gift-card/la-canada-flintridge-la-canada-flintridge.
First published in the July 13 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
