NEW SHOPPING BAG THE BIGGEST AROUND
It’s certainly wasn’t a case of ‘handbags at dawn’ … more a case of a shopping bag to help promote Mitchelstown shops as the local MBA (Mitchelstown Business Association) this week launched its brand new promotion.
The new bag, clad in black with a distinctive heart shaped logo in red (the same colours as Mitchelstown GAA) and featuring the slogan ‘Love your Town – Love Mitchelstown’, certainly looks the part and is well designed to carry at least two sliced pans, several cartons of milk, maybe a bag of spuds and assorted other groceries… in other words this particular shopping bag is big, one the biggest around, perhaps!
“It looks really good and we’re delighted with it,” chairman of Mitchelstown Business Association, Eamonn O’Brien, told The Avondhu.
JUST €2
“The MBA is supplying the bag to traders at cost and the shops will sell it for just €2, hardly the price of an ice cream,” Eamonn continued.
The launch of the bag is all part of a continuing drive to encourage people to spend their money locally and keep jobs in Mitchelstown. The business association’s other main initiative, the loyalty card, is now well bedded in but they’re hoping to improve effectiveness further in the months ahead.
A BIT STINGY?
The Avondhu put it to Eamonn O’Brien that some shops seemed to be somewhat ‘stingy’ with regard to the rewards and inducements offered, when it comes to customers ‘cashing in’ their loyalty cards.
“That perception is out there to some degree and we’d be encouraging businesses to make the discounts meaningful, otherwise the scheme won’t work,” he responded.
“Many customers, myself included, tend at times also to forget to even present the loyalty card. I bought a pair of shoes in town recently and was ready to walk out the door when the assistant asked if I had a loyalty card. I’d never even thought of it and I’m chairman of the Mitchelstown Business Association,” Eamonn added.
HOLDING ITS OWN
In general terms, Mr O’Brien is happy that Mitchelstown is holding its own in tough times: "The town seems to be very strong in areas like food and fashion but every retailer needs to fight their own corner. Are we, for example, taking full advantage of the potential spending power that the music festival brings to the town? – maybe not!”
“Our only source of funding in the MBA is through the membership fees so it’s vital that everyone pays up to keep things ticking over. We’ll be having the AGM soon and that would be a good night to get a few bob into the kitty,” Eamonn O’Brien concluded.
For now, however, it’s all about the new bag. Consider what the promotion of a few hundred of the ‘Love Your Town – Love Mitchelstown’ bags would give the town in the weeks ahead. And, all for just €2! Further information on supplies of the bag can be acquired from Eamonn O’Brien at 025-41129.
Published:
Thursday 12th May 6:30pm
