Shop The Southern Tier Gift Card Program Info

It’s a modern, community-wide gift card that can be used at participating local businesses throughout the Southern Tier. Powered by Mastercard and administered by Giverrang, it makes giving and spending locally easier than ever. Anyone can purchase a “Shop the Southern Tier” gift card online — from right here in town or from across the country — and send it instantly by email or have a physical card mailed to their recipient. Every purchase helps support locally owned businesses and keeps more dollars circulating right here in our community.

You have two easy options:

● eGift Card: Delivered instantly via email — perfect for last-minute gifts. eGift Cards take 12-24 hours to fully activate.

● Plastic Gift Card: Mailed directly to your recipient in 7–10 days.

Both cards work just like a prepaid Mastercard and can be used at any participating business until the balance reaches $0. Cards can be purchased in any amount from $20 to $500 and are non-reloadable.

Anyone, from anywhere in the world! Cards can be purchased online at OleanNY.com/giftcard. Residents and visitors can also purchase physical cards in person at the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce Gift Shop during regular business hours.

Just like buying a Visa or Mastercard gift card at the store, a small activation and processing fee applies at checkout:

● Online Purchases:

○ e-Gift card:

■ 5% processing + $1.50 card & activation fee

■ Example: $50 card purchase + ($2.38 processing + $1.50 card & activation) = $54.00

○ Physical Plastic Card:

■ 5% processing + $4.00 card & activation fee

■ Example: $50 card purchase + ($2.38 processing + $4.00 card & activation) = $56.50

● GOACC Gift Shop (In-Store) Purchases:

○ Physical Plastic Card:

■ 4% processing + $3.00 card & activation fee

■ Example: $50 card purchase + ($2.00 processing + $3.00 card & activation) = $55.00

Yes! Just let us know how many, and what denomination you’d like and we’ll prepare an invoice. Once that’s paid, you’ll just need to determine how you’d like them delivered. You can get all of the cards sent to you, or if you provide a list of email addresses, they can go directly to the recipients.

When a customer uses a “Shop the Southern Tier” card, it simply processes like any other Mastercard prepaid or debit transaction on merchants’ credit card readers. Merchants pay their standard credit-card processing rate (the same as any other card sale), and funds are deposited through their existing merchant account.

Each card can be loaded with up to $500, and cards are non-reloadable. Once the balance is used, a new card can be purchased if desired.

No! Unlike paper certificates, Shop the Southern Tier Gift Cards never expire and have no inactivity fees.

Your balance remains available until it’s fully used — so you can shop local whenever you’re ready.

All GOACC member businesses are eligible to participate — and it’s completely free for those businesses to enroll in this program. Only GOACC members who enroll will be able to accept the cards. Enrollment is simple: just contact the GOACC office to get started. Once enrolled, the business will be listed on the gift card website at https://www.OleanNY.com/giftcard, giving participating businesses additional exposure to local shoppers and gift-card holders.

It couldn’t be easier. Since the program runs on the Mastercard network (as a debit card):

● Plastic cards can be swiped like any other credit or debit card.

● eGift cards (delivered by email) are entered manually, just like taking an order over the phone.

No special software, hardware, or separate system is needed. If a business already accepts Mastercard, they can accept “Shop the Southern Tier” gift cards after enrollment!

The new program makes life easier for everyone:

● Customers can buy and send gifts instantly — even from out of town.

● Recipients can use their cards just like a pre-paid Mastercard, at dozens of local businesses - now with no expiration date!

● Merchants no longer have to worry about mistakenly taking expired certificates during busy times, or facilitate check deposits — everything runs electronically through their existing card processor.

● And best of all, the community wins — more gift-giving, more local spending, and more support for

small businesses across the Southern Tier!