bigdeal - reading eaglebig deals gives businesses huge exposure which in turn gives them new...

BIGdeal$Merchants Guide

BIGdeal$for your business!

can be aBIG

DEALReading Eagle

Reading Eagle

Reading Eagle BIG Deals offers great deals — often 50 percent or more off a product or service — in which consumers purchase and print a gift card and redeem the gift card at your business.

For more information on how Reading Eagle BIG Deals can boost your bottom line, contact your Reading Eagle advertising consultant or Reading Eagle Internet Sales & Marketing Director Mike Zielinski at 610-236-4747 or [email protected]

Why your business needs to be part of the deal:

BIGdeal$Why

BIG Deals gives businesses huge exposure which in turn gives them new customers. Our multimedia marketing capabilities separate us from our competitors. What we offer merchants regarding our BIG Deals is the considerable value of the promotion we deliver online, in emails and print, and on radio and billboard.

A business has to pay us nothing. Where else can a merchant get this type of commercial advertising for no money up front?

ThIs Is mOre Of A prOmOTIOn ThAn A DeAl.IT’s All ABOuT neW cusTOmer AcquIsITIOn AnD reTenTIOn.

Thedeal is on!

On the day of a merchant’s BIG Deal, our BIG Deal subscribers check their email to see the BIG Deal. With a few simple clicks, customers purchase the product or service. The reading eagle BIG Deal uses collective buying power to create purchases and new customers for their business.

unless the minimum number of people sign up, no one gets the deal. Our web savvy customers use tools like facebook, Twitter and email to spread the word about the deal. like traditional word-of-mouth advertising, one customer will tell another who in turn will tell another and so on, creating viral marketing for their business.

The day after the deal, a merchant’s BIG Deal customers receive certificates by email. We also provide the merchant with an easy-to-use list that allows him or her to track their BIG Deal leads and the purchases.

We emphasize to the merchant that his or her staff must be savvy about the BIG Deal so they can work at customer retention and an up sell. Identifying people who come in with a BIG Deal gift card is vital.

satisfied employees are the most important factor for the promotion to work successfully for a business. If employees remain satisfied through the promo-tion, the likelihood of its profitability is significantly higher. employees must be prepared for the sheer volume of customers that might come through the door. Businesses with unprofitable promotions reported low rates of spending by users beyond the deal’s face value and low rates of return to the business again at full price.

We do not share email addresses with a merchant. We encourage merchants to utilize our multimedia advertising platforms in print, online and radio to help with new customer retention.

If merchants are concerned about a discounted deal eating into their margins, we can help them see the benefits of customer acquisition and retention.

And we can help them calculate their rOI.

1) Before the Deal• What types of businesses are a good fit for BIG Deals?

Businesses that are interested in gaining new customers are a great match for BIG Deals. Targets such as restaurants, spas and salons, entertainment and special events, activities, seasonal, travel, leisure. Deals can’t be too narrow in niche or scope. A BIG Deal must appeal to a wide demographic. must be an impulse buy.• How much does it cost to participate in BIG Deals?

There is no upfront cost to participate in BIG Deals. This is a revenue-share program — the merchant splits the sales with us. All he/she has to do is suggest a generous deal.• What makes a good deal?

A good deal is one that the consumer could not find anywhere else. It should be between 50% and 70% off with few restrictions and disclaimers. The cost to the consumer should be between $10-$40.• What is the difference between BIG Deals compared to Groupon and other similar sites?

first, we can reach a larger audience than Groupon through our online and print/broadcast platforms in addition to our email list. second, we offer a better revenue share than Groupon because the administrative costs come out of our 50 percent, not the merchant’s. unlike some other deal companies, we do not require a multi-date commitment. We are local and offer face-to-face customer service. • Once deal is approved, what forms do I need my advertiser to fill out?

A merchant must fill out a W-9, direct deposit slip, a voided check, and the promotions agreement (contract) in order to receive payment from our third- party vendor second street Deadline Deals.

BIGdeal$FAQ’s about

PROMOTION AGREEMENT

Promotion Agreement (“Agreement”) dated this ____day of _____________, 20___ by and between ________________________(“Media Company”) and ________________________________ (“Advertiser”) for participation in the advertising program known as “Deadline Deals”.

1. General Terms. Advertiser desires to offer discounted products/services/tickets to consumers (the “Promotion”) through the use of a coupon (“Coupon”) which will be placed on the “Deadline Deals” page of Media Company’s website located at ___________________ & ________________ (the deals “Website”). Consumers will be allowed to commit to the purchase of a Coupon using a credit card at a price set forth on each Coupon (the “Purchase Price”) which Coupon will allow the consumer to purchase a face value amount of products/services/tickets. Advertiser may not promote a similar or better online offer to consumers with respect to the products/services/tickets described herein for a period of not less than 90 days from the Start Date (as defined below).

2. Coupon Publication. Media Company will publish the Coupon on the Website in accordance with the Website’s Terms and Conditions, Deadline Deals’s Terms and Conditions and the terms of this Agreement. Coupons will run on the Website for a period of 24 hours unless otherwise specified in section 14 (c) below (the “Run Time”) and will begin at 12:00 a.m. on the first day of the Run Time (the “Start Date”). Media Company has sole discretion as to the Start Date but agrees to notify the Advertiser of the Start Date not less than 5 business days prior to the Start Date. If a maximum number of Coupons available for purchase has been set forth in Section 14(d) of this Agreement (the “Maximum Number”) and the Maximum Number has been met, then Coupon sales will be stopped; provided, however, that Advertiser may, with Media Company’s permission, increase the Maximum Number during the Run Time. If a minimum number of commitments for a Coupon has been set forth in Section 14(e) (the “Minimum Number”) and the Minimum Number has not been met during the Run Time, the Coupon offer will be withdrawn and no Coupons will be sold to consumers. In addition, Media Company reserves the right to discontinue publishing a Coupon for any reason in its sole discretion.

3. Coupon Activation. Media Company will activate the Coupon, charge the consumer’s credit card the applicable amount and deliver the Coupon to the consumer electronically when (a) a Minimum Number has been set and that Minimum Number as been achieved and (b) if no Minimum Number has been set, at the point when each consumer commits to purchase a Coupon. Media Company, or its assigns, is responsible for charging the consumer’s credit card and all matters related thereto.

4. Coupon Redemption. Advertiser will honor Coupons starting on the date of activation. Advertiser will allow consumers to redeem the Coupon at the Coupon’s full or partial dollar value for a period of not less than one year or longer if required by law. If the Coupon is for tickets to an event and the event took place prior to redemption of the Coupon, advertiser will either allow the paid value of the Coupon to be used for a different event or shall refund to the customer upon the customer’s request, the amount the customer paid for the Coupon. Coupons may not be used multiple times and must be used in a single transaction. If a consumer redeems a Coupon for less than the face value, Advertiser is not responsible for paying the consumer the difference between the face value and the amount redeemed. Notwithstanding the above, Advertiser must always allow the consumer to redeem the Coupon for at least the amount the consumer paid for the Coupon and, if the remaining redemption value is less than $5, allow the consumer to

BIGdeal$

redeem the redemption value in cash. Advertiser is solely responsible for fulfilling any and all redemption obligations and for customer service issues associated with the Coupons. Advertiser is not permitted to apply any other conditions to, or restrictions on, the use or redemption of the Coupons other that those that are listed on the Coupons themselves or those general conditions/restrictions set forth in the Deadline Deals Terms and Conditions listed on the Website.

5. Payment Terms. Media Company will pay Advertiser the percentage of Net Revenues for the Promotion set forth in Section 14(f). “Net Revenues” is defined as the total credit card revenue received for the Promotion. All subsequent charge-backs and fees related to credit card charges successfully contested by a consumer will be incurred by Media Company. Net Revenues owed to Advertiser will be paid in one installment payment in full (100%) of the estimated Net Revenues within 4 business days of the end of the Run Time; unless otherwise agreed upon by Media Company and the Advertiser.

6. Taxes/Compliance with Laws. Advertiser is solely responsible for the collection and remittance of any and all taxes associated with the purchase or redemption of the Coupons and for any escheat/unclaimed property obligations associated with the failure to redeem the Coupons. Advertiser agrees to comply with any and all state and federal laws applicable to coupons, gift cards, promotions, gift certificates as well as all other consumer protection laws. Advertiser shall comply with both the Website’s and Deadline Deals’s Terms and Conditions.

7. Ownership. Media Company retains all rights, including any intellectual property rights, to the creative/artistic parts of any Coupons it creates for Advertiser. Advertiser acknowledges and agrees that it may not use Media Company’s content in any other advertising medium without Media Company’s consent.

8. Media Company Warranties. Media Company warrants that it will comply with all consumer credit card regulations in collecting the Purchase Price. Media Company does not warrant that the operation of the Website will be uninterrupted or error-free, that the Coupons will have a specific placement on the Website or that the offered Coupons will be purchased by consumers.

9. Advertiser Warranties. In addition to the representations and warranties set forth in the Agreement, Advertiser warrants that: (a) the terms and conditions on the Coupon (and the products/services) do not violate any federal or state laws or regulations; (b) that Advertiser has the right to use the content that is on the Coupon; (c) that Advertiser has the legal right to enter into this Agreement and related Promotion; and (iv) that neither the advertising related to the Coupon nor the products/services offered pursuant to the Coupon are illegal, false or deceptive or that they violate laws related to any unfair competition.

10.Production Errors. Media Company and Advertiser agree promptly to notify each other in the event either becomes aware of any error in the content, publication or promotion of the Coupon and to work together to develop a reasonable solution.

11.Indemnification. Advertiser and Media Company agree to indemnify and hold each other harmless from any breach of their respective obligations under this Agreement. Advertiser further agrees to indemnify and hold Media Company harmless from any claims, suits, damages, costs or expenses, including attorneys’ fees or court costs, arising out of the Coupon content or Promotion including, without limitation or any claim related to unfair competition, infringement of intellectual property rights, defamation or those arising out of the products/services provided by Advertiser to consumers.

12.Confidentiality/Assignment. Advertiser agrees to keep the payment terms of this Agreement confidential and shall not disclose those terms to any third party who does not have a legitimate need to know, and only after obtaining said third party’s assurances that they will keep the payment terms confidential. Advertiser may not assign its obligations under this Agreement. Media Company may assign any or all of its obligations under this Agreement in its sole discretion.

13.Nature of Promotion: ______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 14.Terms.

a. Coupon Purchase Price____________________ b. Coupon Face Value________________________ c. Coupon Run Time (if more than 24 hours)__________ d. Maximum Number (if any)__________ e. Minimum Number (if any)__________ f. Net Revenues owed to Advertiser________% g. Number of Coupons consumer may purchase is limited to_____ h. Coupon may be redeemed for: alcohol ____Yes_____No gratuities ____Yes_____No taxes ____Yes_____No shipping ____Yes_____No i. Other Restrictions? ____Yes____No (if yes, set forth below)

___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

15.Miscellaneous. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement related to the Promotion and supersedes any prior oral or written communications, agreements or representations related to the Promotion. Any advertising under this Agreement shall not fulfill any advertising commitments under any other agreement between the parties. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State where the Media Company keeps its principal place of business. All representations, warranties and covenants contained in this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement.

ADVERTISER: MEDIA COMPANY By_______________________________ By_____________________________________________ Company Name____________________ Media Company ( Partnership Corporation Individual) Media Company Website Print Name/Title_____________________ Print Name/Title:_________________________________ ____________________________ ___________________________________ Billing Address______________________ Address: Media Company Address __________________________________ Salesperson______________________________________ Customer Email Address: ______________________________________________

of 8 Merchant Information Form

Section 1 – Deal Terms (To be entered into the admin tool)

Gift Card Price: _________

Gift Card Value:_________

Denominations (if applicable):__________

Total Available: _______ or Unlimited

Maximum per Order:_____

Maximum per Buyer:_____

Is there a Tipping Point? If so, what is it?_____

Merchant Images

Image for Gift Card:________________________________

Image for Deals Site:________________________________

Section 2 – Location(s) Information (To be entered into the admin tool)

Note: Be sure to collect the following information for all locations

Location Name:_________________________________________________

Address Line 1:__________________________________________________

Address Line 2:__________________________________________________

City:___________________________________________________________

State:__________________________________________________________

Postal Code:________________________________

Location Email:__________________________________________________

Location Phone:__________________________________________________

Location Description:______________________________________________

Location Website:_________________________________________________

Display on Site: Location on Map, Location Phone, Location Website, Location email, Location Description

BIGdeal$


Section 3 – Payment Terms (To be entered into the admin tool)

Merchant Share of Deal Revenue:______________

Merchant Payment Method (select one):

Second Street pays via ACH/Direct Deposit | Second Street pays via Check | Affiliate pays

If Second Street pays via Check, who pays the delivery fee?

Affiliate | Merchant

Number of Payment Installments :

1 | 2 | 3

1st Installment 2nd Installment 3rd Installment

% of Merchant

Payment

Days after deal to

send

Delivery Method

Section 3.1 – W-9 Information (To be entered into the admin tool & send to Second Street)

In order for Second Street to pay your merchant directly, you must fill out the information on the next page and send the completed W-9 to our accounting department.

Fax: (866) 306-0808, Email: [email protected]

PLEASE EMAIL THIS PAGE TO [email protected] OR FAX TO 866-306-0808

BIGdeal$


Second Street Media dba Deadline Deals [email protected] Fax: 866-306-0808

BIGdeal$


BIGdeal$


PLEASE EMAIL THIS PAGE TO [email protected] OR FAX TO 866-306-0808

Section 3.1 – Payment via ACH/Direct Deposit (To be entered into the admin tool & sent to Second Street)

**Must sign and include a copy of a voided check**

I authorize Second Street Media to initiate electronic credit entries, and if necessary, debit entries and adjustments for any credit entries in error to my 0checking 0savings account. I acknowledge that the origination of ACH transactions to my account must comply with the provisions of U.S. law. This authority will remain in effect until I have cancelled it in writing.

Date ____________ Name on Account (Please Print) _____________________________________________ (See the check example below for help finding the name on your account) Financial Institution Name (Please Print) ______________________________________ Account Number at Financial Institution _______________________________________ (See the check example below for help finding your account number) Financial Institution Routing/Transit Number ___________________________________ (See the check example below for help finding your routing number) Financial Institution City and State ___________________________________________ Merchant Signature ________________________________Printed Name ________________________

PLEASE ATTACH A COPY OF A VOIDED CHECK

We must have a "Voided Check" to process your request!

Example Check:

BIGdeal$


Section 3.3 – Payment via Check (To be entered into the admin tool)

Check payable to:_______________________________________________________

Business Name:________________________________________________________

Address Line 1:_________________________________________________________

Address Line 2:_________________________________________________________

City:__________________________________________________________________

State:_________________________________________________________________

Postal Code:____________________________________________________________

Billing Contact:__________________________________________________________

Billing Phone:___________________________________________________________

Billing Email:____________________________________________________________

BIGdeal$

2) During the Deal• What time does the email with the BIG Deal go out?

The email will be sent in the morning.• What time does the deal get posted to our website homepage?

midnight.• Who is emailed the BIG Deal?

The subscribers who have opted-in to receive emails about the BIG Deals. We continually will try to grow our BIG Deal email list.• How many people will know about the BIG Deal beyond the email?

readingeagle.com has a link with the BIG Deal on display. The BIG Deal also will be printed in the reading eagle and displayed on our digital billboard on the West shore Bypass.• Why aren’t we emailing the deals to our entire email database?

We cannot email the entire database because not all of those people have opted to receive emails about the BIG Deal. Because of this, if we were to e-mail them, it would be spamming them and it could cause many people to unsubscribe from this valuable resource. We will, however, market to this list to build our BIG Deal database.• What does it mean for a deal to tip?

A deal “tips” or “is on” when a minimum number of people, agreed on by the merchant and us, purchase the offer. A deal does not have to include a tipping point. That is up to the merchant.• What happens if the merchant’s deal doesn’t tip?

We have a 12-hour grace period to adjust the tipping point in order to get the deal to tip. We will be in contact with the merchant to confer on changing the tipping point. however, if a deal does not tip, the merchant does not lose anything and the customers are reimbursed. • What happens if the deal reaches its max early in the day?

We will call the merchant and ask if he/she wants to extend the maximum number of buyers.


3) After the Deal• What is the payment schedule for the merchant once the deal tips?

The advertiser will receive 1/3 within 5 days after the deal closes, 1/3 within 30 days, and 1/3 within 90 days. • How does the merchant handle the redemption of the BIG Deal gift cards?

The merchant will be sent a spreadsheet of the unique code and name on each gift card. That way, no gift card holder can try to use his/her coupon more than once.• Can the merchant have access to the email addresses of the people who purchased gift cards for their deal?

no. Giving the advertiser the email addresses of the gift card buyers would be a breach of our privacy policy.

NOupfront cost

New Repeat Customers

Great Word of Mouth

Local Media Exposure

GuaranteedRevenue

Measurable Results


• Merchant: I don’t have that kind of margin built into my costs to make this worth it.

Our response: perhaps in a one-time sale, no … but that is why it is important to make sure once customers come in with the gift card you make sure they come back! I would suggest thinking about ways you can remarket to them, like collecting email addresses, offering anoth-er coupon or offer to get them to come back and by making sure their experience with you is wonderful. Think about what you would be willing to pay to bring in one new regular customer that tells 10 of their friends about you.

• Merchant: so you want half of my already 50% discounted offer? • Our response: Yes, but we only get part of the money on this one-time transaction (and we cover the credit card transaction fees). When they become regular customers for your business you get to keep all of that. Also think about what you and your staff can do to ensure they come back.

• Merchant: I don’t like to do couponing for my business.• Our response: unlike a coupon the customer has to purchase this. It’s more like a gift card. They are buying your product or service … not just clipping a coupon for it. most people don’t purchase things without the intent to use it. And you can also set a limit of how many you would be willing to sell.

BIGdeal$Common Objectionsabout the

• Merchant: how will I track this with my multiple locations?• Our response: There are several ways you can do this. not knowing exactly how your internal structure is I would suggest having one location or a main office keep track of a master list that is updated everyday and sent out to each location.

• Merchant: someone could potentially use it twice in the same day then? • Our response: That is a possibility but to date we have not yet heard this being an issue from any of the businesses that already participated.

• Merchant: I don’t want this gift card out there for a year. • Our response: You can put a shorter expiration date on your gift card if you want to but state law does require you to accept them for up to five years. most consumers are unaware of this law. To further clarify this critical point, please note that the deal expires on whatever date the merchant chooses. however, state law says that a gift card is redeemable for up to 5 years. for instance, in a $10 for $20 value deal, the $10 investment is redeemable for up to 5 years. The deal expiration date the merchant selects refers to the $20 value. Another thing to think about is that you will have your entire share of the money within 90 business days. so even if they don’t come in for 11 months you have already gotten paid on the money your deal generated.

• Merchant: We are worried it might be too successful and we won’t be able to handle the business.• Our response: This is a fair point. how many do you think you would be able to handle? What if we look at capping the deal at a certain number? Would that make you feel more comfortable?

• Merchant: We have been thinking about doing a program like this but are having trouble coming up with an idea for a deal.• Our response: I’m glad you brought that up. We will make suggestions.

BIGdeal$Common Objectionsabout the

• Name and location information ... list all if multiple locations• Description about the merchant and the product(s) being offered in the deal• Image of a merchant product and logo• Deal specifics: purchase price Value of the product or service The discount percentage how much a customer saves in dollars with the purchase Duration of the deal ... 24 hours, 48 hours, etc. set as the purchase deadline Tipping point ... how many purchases are needed, if any, to activate the deal cap the number of deals at what number ... if applicable limit per person, 1 or whatever limit per visit, 1 or whatever number of additional purchases allowed as gifts Other restrictions, etc.

Information neededfrom the merchant

The perfect deal will make money for you with new customer acquisition and retention.

bigdeal - reading eaglebig deals gives businesses huge exposure which in turn gives them new...

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