Accepting the Downtown Kingston Gift Card

Call our office at 613-542-8677 or email hello@downtownkingston.ca to schedule a 15-minute visit from our BIA team to onboard your business to be a part of the Downtown Kingston Gift Card Program (for both current Downtown Dollar program participants and businesses new to the program).

The well-known and beloved Downtown Dollars program has been upgraded to a more convenient and user-friendly gift card system, the Downtown Kingston Gift Card. If you have not signed up yet, please call our office at 613-542-8677 or email hello@downtownkingston.ca

How to process a Downtown Kingston Gift Card Payment

Things to know when accepting the Downtown Kingston Gift Card in your store

Accepting and Authorizing:

• The Downtown Kingston Gift Card works just like a VISA Credit Card. Run the gift card through your POS as a Credit Card - Never use a Gift Card option.
• If your POS requires the last 4-digits of a Credit Card, they can be found on the back of the gift card.
• Where a card swiper is absent, Gift Cards can be processed by manually keying in the 16-digit card number on the back of the card and following any additional POS instructions. 
• The card does not have a chip and cannot be used for tap or insert transactions.

Split Tender Transactions:

If the sale amount exceeds the balance of the card follow these steps,

1. Verify the exact available balance on the card (see below)
2. Enter the exact available balance on the card and ask the customer to swipe their card
3. Obtain another form of payment for the remainder of the sale

Checking Gift Card balance:

1. Online: www.getmybalance.com or Phone: 800.755.8608
2. Select “US- English” or “Canada- French” in top right corner of webpage
3. Input the 16-digit card number and the 6-digit security code both of which can be found on the back of the card
4. Review the balance 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of the Downtown Kingston Gift Card?

The Downtown Kingston Gift Card makes transaction processing more efficient, as most people are familiar with carrying Gift Cards. Here's how you stand to benefit by joining the Gift Card program:

• Easy to Accept: The Downtown Kingston Gift Card is processed via your existing payment terminals, exactly as you’d process a VISA Credit Card.
• Speedy Redemption: after completing a transaction, funds are deposited directly into your bank account the same day. No more collecting them for a hike to the BIA office, and then waiting a week (or two) for funds.
• Free to Join: There are no fees for registration or participation in the program. Your registration guarantees marketing support and promotion as a member.
• New Customers: Gift Card recipients are more likely to visit a business for the first time, and more likely to splurge- spending more on an item, meal or service.
• New Revenue: The first thing customers will do when they receive their Downtown Kingston Gift Card, is look to see where they can spend their money. If you’re registered as part of the program, you’ll already be a highlighted option for where they can spend the value on their cards.
  
• Overages: The likelihood of spending over the value of the Gift Card is high.
• More reliable redemption: You only benefit from the sale of Downtown Dollars or Downtown Gift Cards when they are used in-store. Portable, and familiar, Gift Cards are more likely to be carried and used than paper Downtown Dollars.
• Local Impact: The Downtown Kingston Gift Card can be accepted by all types of local businesses, across a range of sectors and can only be redeemed in Downtown Kingston by participating members.  The cards cannot be redeemed anywhere else!
• Proven Success: The Downtown Kingston Gift Card Program is part of the award-winning Miconex Gift Card Concept supporting 150 Districts and BIAs worldwide, 10,000 businesses, and generating millions of dollars in sales for local businesses. 

Still need to sign up? 

Call our office at 613-542-8677 or email hello@downtownkingston.ca to schedule a 15-minute visit from our BIA team to onboard your business to be a part of the Downtown Kingston Gift Card Program.

What about Downtown Dollars?

Paper Downtown Dollars are still valid, and will continue to be redeemed by the BIA office as they always have been. Although we will discontinue the production and sale of new paper Downtown Dollars (in favour of the new Downtown Kingston Gift Card), there are still many paper Downtown Dollars in circulation locally. If you have been part of the Downtown Dollars program, please continue to accept them as you always have. We will follow the same procedures to ensure that you receive your funds.



Downtown Kingston Gift Card is issued by Peoples Trust Company. Funds do not expire, cards are non-reloadable and no cash access (cannot be redeemed for cash). For Cardholder Agreement or Customer Service: www.getmybalance.com or 1-833-558-1108.