AKRON, Ohio – The City of Akron on Monday announced the launch of the “Akronite” app, which offers incentives for residents to shop locally and help small businesses bounce back from losses incurred due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mayor Dan Horrigan and the city’s Office of Integrated Development worked with Israel-based Colu to design the free app, which is available for Apple and Android devices.
The app rewards customers with points for shopping at local businesses. The points, or “blimps,” for each purchase can be redeemed for discounts at other businesses on the Akronite app. More than 120 businesses are listed in the app as of Monday afternoon, with the city saying the initial push is focused on supporting woman- and minority-owned businesses.
“Our locally owned small businesses are facing enormous challenges and we need out-of-the-box ideas that safely connect them to consumers and turn local spending into a source of pride for residents,” Horrigan said. “The Akronite app will enable the city to reward customers for shopping local, improving revenues for our small businesses while helping folks stretch their dollars.”
Users can also use the app to post about positive experiences they’ve had at the businesses through a feature called “City Stories,” intended to “reveal the vibrant and engaging narratives happening every day in Akron,” the city said in a news release.
“Akron has a long history of innovation within our economy — this initiative draws on that legacy,” said Deputy Mayor for Integrated Development James Hardy. “By putting the future of Akron’s locally owned small businesses in the palm of our citizens’ hands, we hope to make it easy for consumers to keep their money local and continue to strengthen our incredible community.”
Akron is the first American city that has partnered with Colu, according to TechCrunch. The company began gaining attention in December 2019, after it helped boost businesses in Tel Aviv’s Jaffa district at a time when light rail construction made the area harder to access. Colu has raised $35 million from investors since it was founded in 2014, according to the company’s website.
A city spokeswoman did not immediately respond to an inquiry about how much money the city spent on the app.
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August 11, 2020 at 04:02AM
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Akron launches ‘Akronite’ app to encourage local shopping - cleveland.com
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