1. What is the Property Tax Card (PTC) program?
  2. The PTC is a Township program which provides property tax dollars as an incentive for residents to shop in town
 
  1. How does the program work?
  2. A township distributes a Property Tax Card (similar to a reward card) to its residents. When shopping at a local store, together with the normal payment for goods and services, the cardholder will submit their PTC. You will swipe the PTC in a dedicated processing machine that FinCredit Inc. (Program Manager) will provide. The swipe will result in a rebate on sale. The rebate is credited to the shopper’s PTC account. You, the merchant, will determine the rebate percentage when enrolling in the program. Every week, the accumulated rebates will be collected by the Program Manager from your checking account. Yearly the rebates will be applied to your customers’ property tax bill.
  1. How do I enroll my business?
  2. You will be asked to fill out a 2-page form. You may also register your business online www.propertytaxcard.com/(nameofprogram). After we process your application, we will provide you with a welcome kit including user guide on how to process transactions.
  1. What is my cost as a merchant to participate in the PTC program?
  2. $10 a month, If you need to purchase a terminal to process credits, the cost is $160 for a dial-up terminal ($230 for IP machine). If you process online, you will not need to purchase a machine.
  1. What is my responsibility as a merchant participant?
  2. Your only responsibility is to honor the rebate you choose to provide to the cardholder. Rebates are collected weekly. To avoid bank fees, we require that a sufficient amount to cover the rebates is kept in the account.
  1. How long is my merchant commitment?
  2. You may leave the program at any time upon two weeks notice.
  1. What is a good rebate to offer?
  2. What you offer to the cardholder is entirely up to you. Rebates vary widely from business to business. Each business will determine their rebate percentage when enrolling in the program. We require that your rebate be in line with what you normally offer in your marketing campaigns.
  1. I accept coupons. What if a cardholder presents both his card and a coupon?
  2. Generally, the card as well as coupons cannot be used with any other offer. This will be expressly stated in the terms and conditions of the program when registering the card. However, you may want to offer a lower discount on the coupon and still honor the card rebate. Remember, the idea is to retain the customer.
  1. What is the advantage to participating businesses?
  2. Thanks to the appeal of property tax rebates, local businesses should enjoy a higher business volume. Furthermore, continued support by the township should provide a high awareness for local businesses. An additional feature is that you will have access to a list of customers name and email addresses that used the card at your business. Finally, your business banner and website link will be featured at www.propertytaxcard.com at no extra cost.
  1. How are returns handled?
  2. Your normal return policy applies. You can easily reverse the transaction. Our Customer Service desk is always available to assist
  1. My business is high volume. How long does it take to process a transaction?
  2. A transaction takes 5 – 7 seconds to process.
  1. Can a professional business (e.g., non-retail) owners participate in the program?
  2. Yes. It would work the same way. Example: A real estate lawyer participates to the program with a $250 rebate. At the closing, the lawyer collects the card information from the client. Back at the office, the information is keyed into the web terminal and a rebate for $250, less program fees, is created and credited to your customer. The same procedure applies to a larger trade companies that have several service people going to residents’ homes.
  1. Can I offer a flat dollar discount i.e., $100 off a prepared tax return, $25 off a doctor’s visit, $500 off real estate closing, etc.
  2. Yes.