Main Street Entrepreneurism and the Importance of Shopping Local

EUGENE, Ore. - Nov. 8, 2022 - PRLog -- ShopDowntown.org a new provider of digital downtown city-based merchant discount cards, today announced the launch of the firm's new mobile app, available via Google Play and the Apple App Store.  When users download a Shop Downtown Discount app, they help support their neighbors, the local economy, and the American Cancer Society's mission to save lives while getting great savings on a variety of products and services every time they patronize a participating member. It's a win/win situation.

Available for iOS (Apple App Store) and Android (Google Play), the Shop Downtown app
turns traditional physical merchant discount cards, long used to promote local, downtown businesses across the country, into a convenient, easy-to-use mobile application - bringing the concept and service into the 21st Century. Users who make a $20 donation to the American Cancer Society unlock a bevy of downtown discounts ranging from five-to-fifteen percent on their purchases.

How does it work?  Downtown businesses pay $400 per year for advertising space on the app and in the directory. For that investment, businesses are listed in the app directory with their logo; contact information including, phone, email and directions; links to the business's website and social media accounts; and, a redeemable deal for ACS donors to unlock substantial discounts which, in turn, drives traffic to local stores and local economies.

The backstory - evolution of the app: In 2013, Wells' wife Heather opened a yarn shop in downtown Medford, Oregon. To help support the shop and other neighboring downtown businesses, the Wells started http://www.shopdowntown.org to offer shoppers a tangible discount for patronizing local businesses. First focused on Medford, Oregon, Daniel Wells quickly began creating a database of downtown business directories nationwide. After selling the yarn shop, Wells expanded the footprint of the domain to create a directory of shops, restaurants and hotels for every City in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

At the same time, Eric Reimer and his partner Sean Nielsen were building a company to help small businesses, downtown communities and non-profits create their very own custom Mobile Applications. While doing their research, Reimer and Nielsen encountered shopdowntown.org, which appeared at the top of most Google searches for downtown businesses, and immediately contacted Wells. In short order, they were collaborating and the new shopdowntown.org mobile app is the result. The three are now partners and Reimer will be undertaking national sales for the group.