Montclair, New Jersey (CN) – In a move to improve the personalization of its retail environment, the Montclair City Council approved a new initiative to give residents access to crypto-currency and blockchain services at the mall.
The initiative, approved Tuesday by a 9-2 vote, will provide a one-time fee to residents of Montclair and surrounding areas who request a digital wallet and personalize their mall experience, and allows customers to purchase items on a first-come, first-served basis.
According to the council, the personalizations will be made available to Montclair residents at a cost of $10 per transaction and will be available through the digital wallet in the mall’s physical stores.
The council’s decision came after the Monterey Park-based Montclair Alliance for Retail Development (MAVRD), a nonprofit group that promotes Montclair as a “digital city,” launched the online service on Wednesday.
“The community will have a place to store and access their personal information, including personal information such as zip code, city and county, and an account with an automated system to access and manage their account,” a statement from MAVRD said.
“The Montclair Association for Retail and Consumer Services will also have access to this personal information in the event of a personal emergency.”
According to an update posted on the website, the service will offer “limited personalization services,” which will be restricted to customers who live within Montclair.
“Residents who wish to register with a personal identity will be required to provide their name, address, birth date, and social security number.
Residents will also be required sign a release agreeing to participate in this program,” the update said.
Users who sign up for the service, however, will be limited to purchasing items only through the service.
“By signing up for this service, residents will also receive a limited number of individual store gift cards, which will allow them to purchase a single gift card for the purchase of a single item,” the announcement said.
The new service will also allow residents to receive the option to receive discounts from Montclair’s largest retailers, including Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Staples, JCPenney, and Kohl’s.
“This initiative will allow residents in Montclair to purchase their items and personalized services, while also giving the community a way to access digital services and access additional services that have not yet been available to the public,” the council said.
“For this reason, the council feels that the Monticello community is the perfect location to launch this service.
As an active participant in the local community, the community will benefit from the inclusion of this service and its rewards, and Monticellians will have the option of purchasing and redeeming gift cards through this service,” the statement continued.