Over the past 12 months, $48,740 has been loaded onto RBN gift cards, with $42,019 spent at participating Rochester businesses, helping keep money circulating within the local economy.
The gift cards, introduced about 10 years ago, allow residents, businesses and organisations to buy and load money onto prepaid cards, that can be used at participating local retailers, encouraging recipients to shop in Rochester.
RBN administration assistant Hannah Taylor said the program had become an important way to support local businesses, particularly through gifts, staff rewards and community initiatives.
The network has navigated some hurdles recently, after updates to EFTPOS systems meant refund transactions could no longer be used to load cards.
For now, customers can load cards via internet banking or by reaching out directly to the RBN team for a hand.
RBN is working alongside gift card provider Cards4all to roll out a credit account system that would let participating business owners keep blank cards on hand and request funds via email, with balances ready by the next business day.
The provider is also transitioning to a new platform aimed at simplifying the loading process and improving compatibility with a wider range of payment terminals.
Ms Taylor said the network was also pushing to have the gift cards accepted across all businesses in town.
Some Square EFTPOS terminals are unable to process EFTPOS gift cards of any kind — an issue that extends beyond the Rochester program.
So, if you are looking for a local gift or a way to support local businesses, grab a card today.
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