If you’re a business owner in the Berkshire region BerkShares exist to support businesses like yours

ACCEPT BERKSHARES

“BerkShares work just like other common payment methods. It’s surprising to a lot of businesses because they can just do it. It’s not complicated. Once you take them in it is best to keep them circulating by spending with the other 400 participating businesses.”
Scott Laugenour, The Kemble Inn and Table Six Restaurant.
SIGN UP AS A PARTICIPATING BUSINESS

Welcome to the BerkShares business community!

Why accept BerkShares? If you’re a business owner in the Berkshire region, BerkShares exist to support businesses like yours. Businesses that accept BerkShares distinguish themselves in the eyes of consumers as locally owned and community-minded. Plus, you give thousands of people and businesses holding BerkShares a place to spend their money!

For many small businesses, the fees from credit card processing are costly, and can add up to tens of thousands in lost revenue every year. And even with newer mobile payment platforms, fees and cash balances benefit a handful of big corporations at the expense of our Main Streets. BerkShares provides a home-grown, more cost-effective alternative. It’s the community-minded way to shop local and pay local.

 

BerkShares work best—and businesses retain the most income—when you recirculate the currency instead of cashing it in at the bank. We encourage you to look at the up-to-date list of participating businesses on our directory. 

Please contact us at BerkShares Local Inc. with any questions, comments, stories, or concerns you may have. It’s our aim for BerkShares to help your business grow and prosper. Thank you for being a productive member of our local economy.

How participating businesses benefit:

  • Saving on credit card processing fees: BerkShares encourage local recirculation by design, offering a community-minded alternative to credit and debit card processing, which places an undue burden on small businesses. It’s free to pay in and receive BerkShares, and only a flat 1.5% fee if cashing out at the bank.

  • Increased visibility via digital listing on our online directory. Your profile will show up in Google search results for relevant keywords, drawing more eyes to your business! 

  • Free listing in the BerkShares printed directory, which is distributed at BerkShares exchange banks, local farmers markets, community events, etc.

  • Added promotional opportunities in the BerkShares enewsletter, social media, and other communications.

  • National and international press coverage brought to the region by BerkShares.

 

Ready to start accepting BerkShares?

Getting started is easy! All you have to do is let your customers know you accept BerkShares! There is no approval process needed to participate. Anyone is welcome to spend and receive BerkShares at any time.

So that we can include you in our directories, provide you with free marketing tools, and keep you up to date with all developments to the BerkShares program, we ask participating businesses to fill out the below form. Once received, we will reach out to get your online profile set up, and we will mail you our comprehensive Welcome Kit to make participating in BerkShares a breeze!