Frequently Asked Questions

About Buy El Paso Rewards

How does the Buy El Paso Rewards program work?
- The Buy El Paso Rewards program is a loyalty program tailored by each business to encourage customers to frequent their business and be able to offer them special promotions. The customer will scan the QR code at your business to earn reward points towards future purchases and other promotions, as determined by each business.
- Customers can accumulate an unlimited number of reward points. Points are specific to your business. However, businesses owned by the same owner can combine points across locations. Each business may set parameters for the value of points and/or the expiration of points.
Why should I participate?
- The program will benefit your business because it will enable you to
  - reward/encourage repeat customers
  - contact customers with texts about special promotions
  - give you valuable information about foot-traffic patterns based on customers who scan the QR code so you can make better business decisions about things like staffing and hours.
- Analytics such as consumer traffic, number of scans, and consumer heat map will be available to you on your personalized Buy El Paso Rewards business dashboard.
How much does it cost to sign up my business for the Buy El Paso Rewards program?
- It’s free, at least through December 2024! Buy El Paso Rewards is brought to you by the City of El Paso and the Better Business Bureau El Paso at no cost to your business.
- Sign up your businesses here.
What are the requirements to participate in the Buy El Paso Rewards program?
- Businesses must:
  - have a physical storefront,
  - be located within El Paso city limits
    - Click here to verify your business is located within El Paso City limits.
  - Be an SBA approved business for lending (don’t worry, most businesses are). See guidelines here.
- What businesses cannot participate?
  - Food trucks and pop-up vendors currently can not participate this year for Buy El Paso Rewards; however, do not hesitate to sign up as we hope to add food trucks and pop-up vendors in 2024.
- How can my business participate in the Buy El Paso Rewards program?
  - First, register your business for the Buy El Paso Rewards program at EPBusinessStrong.org/Business-Rewards-Program. The approval process can take up to 2-3 business days.
  - Once you are approved, you will be notified through email you are signed up and a Buy El Paso Rewards welcome kit will be emailed to you. That kit will contain a information guide and a social media toolkit to let your audience on your social media platforms know that you are a Buy El Paso Rewards business.
  - Please note each participating business has its own unique QR code which you will be able to print.
  - Once your business has been approved, an onboarding video will be sent to the email you signed up with to welcome you to the Buy El Paso Rewards program. You’ll learn how to set up your business account and create your first promotion.
  - If your business has multiple locations, simply add your location on the Buy El Paso Rewards business dashboard. After your business location has been approved, you will be able to print out your QR code with your business’ name and address.
  - Encourage visiting customers (we recommend not requiring a purchase so that you will get the most benefit from the program, see Best Practices) to scan the QR code to receive reward points for your business!
  - You will be able to add promotions as often as you would like in your business dashboard. However, only one promotion can be active at one time.
  - You can have up to two promotions, however, one promotion must remain active every month.
- Can my business change promotions and place expirations on points?
  - An individual business has the ability to change the promotion it offers or place an expiration on points.
- How do I get my customers to participate in the Buy El Paso Rewards program?
  - Tell them about it! Train all staff to inform customers about the Buy El Paso Rewards program when they visit.
  - Display your QR code by your register.
  - Announce that your business is a part of the Buy El Paso Rewards program on social media.
  - Remind your customers about ongoing Buy El Paso Rewards by messaging them directly through the Buy El Paso Rewards Business Dashboard.
  - Visit our resource tab for more information.
- What if my business is outside of the El Paso city limits?
  - Currently, Buy El Paso Rewards is only available to those businesses within the El Paso city limits. If you register your business and it is not within the city limits, you will not be able to complete the application process. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out when your business will be able to sign up and for more business resources.
- How do I print/replace my QR code?
  - Once you have registered for Buy El Paso Rewards and are approved, you will be prompted to print your QR code from your business dashboard.
  - Your QR code will have your business name and address.
  - If you have any trouble, please email [email protected] with the following:
    - Buy El Paso Rewards ID
    - Name of Business
    - Location address
    - Primary contact
  - If additional locations are added, your business will have to wait up to 2-3 business days for approval for that location. You will be able to print your QR code upon approval.
- Where should I place my QR code?
  - Place your QR code near your register or in a visible location that’s easily accessible to your customers.
- If I already have a rewards program like Square, Kangaroo, Five Stars, etc., can I combine it with the Buy El Paso Rewards program?
  - Buy El Paso Rewards stands on its own and can’t be mixed with other loyalty programs.
- How many businesses can join for free?
  - The program will be available to at least 500 El Paso businesses.
  - What happens after 2024?
    - The program will be free of charge through December 2024. Depending on the success of the program and future funding, it will continue, or it will be offered at a nominal fee. The BBB and the City of El Paso are committed to making this program accessible for the long-term.

Buy El Paso Rewards Account

What if I register my business and do not utilize it?
- We are sure you are going to find it extremely valuable, but after three months of no activity or promotions, your account will be deactivated, and you will need to reapply to the program.
Do I need to create an account for each business if I own multiple businesses?
- Each participating business must have its own individual QR code. It is necessary that each business has its own account because Buy El Paso Rewards is intended to track foot traffic of each of your different businesses regardless of the amount of businesses you may have.
If my business has multiple locations, do I need to create an account for each business location?
- You will have the option to add the different locations under one account, as long as they are owned by the same owner. When adding a new location allow five business days for approval. Each location will have its own individual QR code with its name and address. It is necessary that each location has its own QR code because Buy El Paso Rewards is intended to track foot traffic of each location regardless of the amount of business locations you may have.
- The consumer is not allowed to combine reward points across multiple businesses unless the owner has multiple locations of the same business.
Why is foot traffic important?
- Data regarding foot traffic (times, amounts, etc…) will give you valuable information to make better business decisions and help your business thrive.
How long does it take to set up the Buy El Paso Rewards program account?
- Less than 5 minutes!
- Setting up your account and getting going is really easy, even if you are not tech-savvy! Also, we will be here to help in any way!
- Registration takes less than five minutes, and the approval process of your business can take up to 5 business days.
- After your business is approved, a welcome packet will be emailed to you with further instructions on how to use Buy El Paso Rewards.
- You will be able to print your own QR code that has your business name and address from the Buy El Paso Rewards Business dashboard.
- If you have trouble printing out your QR code, please email [email protected] with the following:
  - Buy El Paso Rewards ID
  - Name of Business
  - Location address
  - Primary contact
- How do I check how many customers use the Buy El Paso Rewards program?
  - Log in to your Buy El Paso Rewards business dashboard here, and click the left tab labeled “Consumers”.
- What other information does the Buy El Paso Rewards business dashboard include?
  - Watch this video here to learn how to use the business dashboard.

Buy EP Business Visits

Is the QR code tracked by GPS on the mobile device or tied to the physical address provided in the application?
- No, each QR code is tracked by the location that is registered.

Buy El Paso Rewards Points

What happens to the reward points if a customer makes a return?
- It is up to each business’ discretion and responsibility to remove points. However, we highly encourage retaining points, even if a customer makes a return, as this app is designed to document foot traffic.

Buy El Paso Rewards Promotions

Can I update an existing promotion?
- Businesses have to cancel an existing promotion and create a new one.
How do I set up a promotion?
- Please click this link to watch a how-to video.
How many promotions can I set per month?
- We suggest 1 to 2 per month at most, as too many promotions will reduce the effectiveness of promotions in general. However, ONLY one promotion can be active at a time. Please refer to best practices here.
How do I cancel a promotion?
- Cancel a promotion anytime from your Buy El Paso Rewards Business Dashboard. Click here to watch a how-to video.
Is there a template I can follow for sending promotions?
- Yes, examples will be provided along with your Buy El Paso Rewards welcome packet.

Buy El Paso Rewards Business Support

If all this seems confusing to me, what do I do?
- No problem, we are here to help. Just email us at [email protected] with your questions.
- In-person workshops will be available, email us and we will let you know when the next one will be held.
What happens if I need to replace my QR code?
- To replace your new QR code, please go to your Buy El Paso Rewards business dashboard and print a replacement.
- If you have any trouble, please email [email protected] with the following:
  - Buy El Paso Rewards ID
  - Name of Business
  - Location address
  - Primary contact
- My QR code is not working when scanned?
  - You can notify us by emailing [email protected] with the following:
    - Buy El Paso Rewards ID
    - Name of Business
    - Location address
    - Primary contact
  - What do I do if the Buy El Paso Rewards program business dashboard is not working?
    - You can notify us by emailing [email protected] with the following:
      - Buy El Paso Rewards ID
      - Name of Business
      - Location address
      - Primary contact
      - Support needed
    - What if my promotion is not working?
      - You can notify us by emailing [email protected] with the following:
        Buy El Paso Rewards ID
        Name of Business
        Location address
        Primary contact
        Support needed
      - If my account has been deactivated for inactivity, can I reinstate my account?
        Yes, but three months of no activity will result in a lockout period of 30 days. To reinstate or appeal a deactivation please email [email protected].
      - Who can I reach out to if I have more questions?
        You can contact us by emailing [email protected].
      - What if I forget my username and password?
        To reset password please click this link to watch a how-to video.
        Your username is the name of your business you registered for Buy El Paso Rewards with.
      - Where can I find the Terms and Conditions?
        View the full terms and conditions here.

Buy El Paso Rewards Privacy Notices

Can I send a message to only certain customers?
- Yes, but we encourage you to follow these best practices.