Hereford Gift Card
In September 2021, Hereford BID launched the Hereford Gift Card, an exciting new opportunity for businesses in the city.
Introducing a gift card for Hereford had always been a goal for Hereford BID but the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the need for this project to boost businesses in the city.
Following the challenges of the pandemic and repeated lockdown, Hereford required a means to support all types of businesses and lock money into the local economy that might otherwise be spent outside of Hereford or online.
The Hereford Gift Card is part of the award winning Town and City Gift Card programme from fintech Miconex, and is the first local gift card of its kind in Herefordshire. Over 60 Town and City Gift Card schemes are in operation around the UK and Ireland, including in Gloucester and Wolverhampton.
Hereford is a prepaid MasterCard that can be used in the same way as a debit card. The Card does not feature Chip and Pin and is accepted by swiping the card through the magstripe reader on your card terminal. It is free and exclusively available for Hereford BID businesses to register to accept the Hereford Gift Card as an additional payment method.
How to register
There are two easy options for registering your business as an approved Hereford Gift Card location.
Option 1:
- Visit the Hereford Gift Card registration page
- Complete the 'Customer Not Present' transaction process
- Fill out the registration form and sign the Merchant Participation Form
Option 2:
Contact Hereford BID and arrange a time for us to visit with our registration card. We will ask you to complete and sign the Merchant Participation Form when we visit.
FAQs
How much will it cost?
Being an approved location for the Hereford Gift Card will cost you nothing other than the levy you already pay to us. There are no additional costs to accept the Gift Card, it’s charged at the same rate as a normal MasterCard Debit Card transaction. As the payment is a MasterCard transaction, you’ll receive the funds from your acquirer for the transaction as per your Merchant Acquirer Agreement.
Is it contactless?
The Card does not feature Chip and Pin and is not contactless. It is accepted by swiping the card through the magstripe reader on your card terminal. If your card reader does not have a magstripe reader, the payment can be completed by entering the card number, expiry and CVV on the reverse of the card on your terminal to complete the sale. This is the same as you would when taking a payment over the phone. Some payment systems, such as Sumup, allow you to send a link to the customer’s phone to transact an online payment.
Who can register as an approved spending location?
Any levy-paying members of Hereford BID are welcome to register as an approved spending location for the Hereford Gift Card.
What if I have more questions?
If you have more queries about the Hereford Gift Card and registering your businesses, please get in touch with the Hereford BID team.
