Marketing to Transit Riders

Each weekday approximately 115,000 people travel into Downtown Seattle by bus, train, vanpool or ferry. The Shop, Dine & Ride Program, launched August 2005, offers your business an additional way to reach these tens of thousands of potential customers.

In a joint partnership the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and Sound Transit (ST), King County Metro Transit, the City of Seattle and Community Transit are working to encourage people to shop and dine in Downtown Seattle during the closure of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel beginning September 24, 2005. The tunnel will be closed for up to two years while it is being retrofitted for use by both light rail and buses. Also during this time the governmental partners are implementing bus service changes and a $16 million package of mitigation projects to keep Downtown Seattle moving. For more information about the tunnel closure, please visit www.seattletunnel.org .

During light rail construction in the tunnel, we would like to invite all Downtown Seattle merchants, retailers, and restaurants to participate in the Shop, Dine & Ride Program. The program is a great way to promote your business at no cost and provides an opportunity to reach out to transit riders through the semi-annual ‘Shop, Dine & Ride Guide.’ The guide is a comprehensive collection of merchant coupons that transit riders can redeem with the presentation of a valid transit pass or bus transfer. The program includes five total guides published in a two-year span, the first of which was published in August 2005. Participating merchants must provide a discount of at least 15% or a significant freebie. Examples include 20% off one clothing item or one free appetizer with the purchase of two entrées.

Merchant Benefits

Promotes your business at no direct marketing costs, with:

• A double-sided, full-color, 2’’ x 3 ½’’ coupon
• An opportunity to reach the transit market of approximately 115,000 people who can represent steady, repeat customers
• A means of marketing your business during the temporary tunnel closure

Shop, Dine, & Ride Program Guidelines/Implementation

Guide Publication
Five total guides will be published according to the following timeline:

Guide Distribution
Shop, Dine & Ride Guides will be distributed through the following channels: Downtown Metro information racks, select buses, participating merchants, Pacific Place Concierge, Transportation Connection and Urban Mobility Group . Printable versions of the guide will also appear on the Shop, Dine & Ride Program website at www.shopdineride.org.

Coupon Redemption
Coupons are valid with proof of transit use and may be redeemed with any valid transit pass, bus transfer, or proof of ticket. Valid passes include UPASS, FlexPass, Puget Pass, ACCESS Pass, Ship-to-Shore Pass, GoPass, Metro Visitor’s Pass, Metro ticketbooks, Metro monthly bus passes, Reduced Fare Permit, Van Pool, and Sounder train tickets. Any bus transfer may be accepted. DSA requests that merchants also collect all coupons for tracking purposes. DSA will contact merchants via email every three months for a count.

How to Participate

Submitting Offers – sign up online!
Merchants may submit all coupon information, including the offer, logo, and photo online at www.shopdineride.org. Merchants may sign up for the fourth and fifth now. All coupons will be designed by Sound Transit and DSA, and follow a standard format. Merchants may also revise offers online. Changes may be made no later than two months before the subsequent guide’s publication.

Participating Merchants’ Responsibilities

• Submit offer, logo, photo, and any other coupon information online. If merchant does not have their logo or photo on electronic file, the coupon will be published without this content.
• Educate all current and future staff, especially cashiers, about how to enter coupons into the system.
• Provide redemption information so that DSA may track the program’s effectiveness.
• Display window decals, distribute guides in a visible location and provide link to shopdineride.org on website (encouraged).

For More Information
Please contact Debi Lundberg, DSA Administrative Assistant, with any questions. She can be reached at 206-613-3247 or by email at debil@downtownseattle.org.

Sign-up Online 
or 
Print the participation form and mail it to:

Downtown Seattle Association
c/o: Shop, Dine & Ride Guide
500 Union St
Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98101

or Fax it to 206-625-9940