Shopping locally has gone digital with Berkeley Bucks, Visit Berkeley’s new e-gift-cards redeemable only at Berkeley businesses.

Customers can purchase an e-gift-card and check out a map of the 104 local businesses that have signed up for this new city-based “counter-currency,” according to Jeffrey Church, visitor and partner services manager for Visit Berkeley. Berkeley Bucks are intended to provide a secure way for customers to spend their money within the city, Church added.

“The goal is to keep cash in the community,” Church said. “We wanted to create this specific gift card to really keep that cash in these local businesses (and) restaurants — places that people wanted to explore.”

According to Church, Berkeley Bucks were proposed by the Downtown Berkeley Association in July 2021, initially only for downtown Berkeley. Partnering with Yiftee, a company that creates local e-gift-cards, Visit Berkeley and local districts began outreach to businesses in September 2021.

Alex Knox, executive director of the Telegraph Business Improvement District, said in an email Berkeley Bucks will help increase sales for local businesses because consumers will now be focused on spending their money locally.

Any business that accepts Mastercard can be added to Berkeley Bucks, according to Church. Each e-gift-card functions like a “virtual Mastercard.” However, the e-gift-cards are not refillable — if a customer runs out of money on their e-gift-card, they must purchase a new one, Church said.

Berkeley Bucks not only encourage local spending, but pose no extra charge to the customer or the merchant, Church added. But for Visit Berkeley, the lack of extra charge comes at a price. Church said the service fee, normally applied to the customer, is being covered by Visit Berkeley.

“The last thing we want people to think is that they have to pay to get a gift card,” Church said. “We wanted to make it as accessible as possible.”

Berkeley Bucks are only available for purchase online with a credit or debit card, and can only be redeemed through email or phone — there are no physical cards. Church added that for Berkeley residents who do not have an email or a phone, purchasing Berkeley Bucks will not be possible.

Additional obstacles include signing up older merchants and small stores who do not have the technology or time to learn this system, according to Church. To assist local businesses, Visit Berkeley has been going to stores in-person, sending instructional videos and fielding calls.

According to Church, $37,000 worth of Berkeley Bucks have been purchased thus far, and $15,000 have been spent already. Church hopes these e-gift cards will help students learn more about the businesses in the city around them.

“When you’re fresh on campus, there is so much to learn, not just about the campus itself, but about the city,” Church said. “This is going to be a great way for people to know there’s a lot outside of the community.”