Phlok, a company that runs a digital loyalty scheme via its social media website, invites all local independent retailers and business owners to attend a Shop Local event in Waterfront Hall, Hebden Bridge Town Hall on Wednesday, September 3rd, from 6pm to 8pm.

The event, which is fully owned by Phlok, is an open public meeting to give independent businesses a chance to find out more about Phlok’s digital loyalty scheme that aims to encourage people to ‘shop local’.

The Phlok website shows that business starter packages for low customer volumes or a business with low purchase incentive points start at €49/month.  The small business package starts at €69/month and the premium business package at €99/month.

Phlok go into towns where there are a) A lot of indie shops and businesses and b) The will to protect them and fight for a sustainable local business community.
Only if the town shows an interest and wants to join in will Phlok take it any further – so the meeting is as much about letting Phlok gauge the level of interest from local businesses, as about promoting Phlok to local businesses.

Signing up to Phlok allows businesses to:

“Measure your customer’s activities from your smart phone, tablet, or computer.
Your personal business dashboard gives complete visibility of customer activity using Phlok and includes easy to use tools to promote your business.”

Phlok provides businesses with:

“Personal and private communication tools designed to build loyalty with your local community of Phlok followers.” And “to stimulate more regular purchases”.

Here is information from the Crux Communications press release

Phlok representatives will attend the Shop Local meeting to explain how they would like to see their digital loyalty scheme introduced in the Hebden Bridge area.

All Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd independent retailers and business owners are invited to attend.

Hebden Bridge Business Forum, which was set up in March this year to support, promote and advocate for local businesses, have helped to circulate Phlok’s invites and flyers and to provide contacts etc. They will be attending to find out more and in return announcing their next meeting.

HBBF Vice Chairman Russell Horn said:

“We’ve been looking into ways of creating a more level playing field for independent businesses – particularly our retailers who are under ever increasing pressure from the onslaught of supermarkets and other big chain stores trying to push into our area.  We came across Phlok and got in touch as we thought it might be a way of giving back the advantage to our local shops.
“Hopefully if as many people as possible get along to the meeting, we can find out if this is the way forward to work together for the benefit of our towns.”

The Shop Local event press release says that the Phlok web and smartphone rewards platform is a unique social media concept, that incentivises consumers with virtual currency. This virtual currency is collectable and spendable with any business on its network.

When the customer spends Phlok points, Phlok pays the receiving business full value for the points spent. The business then gets full price for its item or service while the customer gets something for free.

According to Phlok Chief Executive Paul Graham,  consumers can collect a high volume of Phlok points without it costing the individual business more than a few pence.
‘Pay with Phlok’ is a cashless payment service, with a digital wallet for shoppers that fills up with free Phlok money.

Phlok Chief Executive Paul Graham said,

“Our goal is to connect local people with local businesses, encouraging consumers to shop local. We are seeing Phlok playing a big part of the revival of local shopping.
“ With so many unique indie shops concentrated in Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd – and a strong determination to protect that local identity – we feel it is an ideal location to engage with local businesses about Phlok. Please do come along to the meeting and find out about the scheme and we will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
“Our overall aim is to get local customers to transact more often with local businesses.”
Since Phlok was launched 20 months ago, nearly 1,000 businesses in 55 towns and villages across the UK and Ireland have connected, including shops, restaurants, bars, off-licences, pharmacies, coffee shops, car dealerships, clothes retailers and property agents. Phlok businesses have already reported more than £1,000,000 worth of sales and have had many millions of social media hits through its innovative platform.

For more info, you can email Hebden Bridge Business Forum: hebdenbridgebusiness@gmail.com