The Downtown Alliance, an organization that promotes diversity and commerce in the central city area of Salt Lake City, has launched a program that gives shoppers “Bonus Bucks” to spend downtown when they buy a Downtown Dollars eCard through online gift card company Yiftee. The alliance said the program encourages consumers to shop, eat and gift locally.

The digital dollars live on the customers’ smartphones and can be spent at dozens of participating businesses. Purchasers can spend them or gift them to friends and family. Shoppers simply show the eGift card (it’s actually a MasterCard product) on their mobile devices at participating retailers to make a purchase.

“This is a win for people that love shopping, dining and playing downtown and a win for all the participating businesses,” said Dee Brewer, Downtown Alliance executive director. “For example, when you buy $75 in Downtown Dollars, you automatically receive $25 in Bonus Bucks. You can spend that $100 at any of the participating businesses.”  Brewer said the eCard offers different levels of spending with corresponding bonus amounts added at the time the card is purchased.

The Bonus Bucks offer is made possible by a Shop In Utah grant and is available until those grant funds run out.