Mastercard links customers to reopened stores in wake of COVID-19

A major payment card provider is expanding availability of an online search tool that confirms which shops and businesses are open in the “new normal.”

Mastercard is now offering its ShopOpenings.com search platform across the U.S. and Canada. Leveraging Mastercard data, the expanded site, built in partnership with data analysis company Sixth Sense, provides consumers with a continually updated online resource to determine which local shops and businesses are open. This includes businesses that are reopening their doors after temporarily closing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The site includes retailers of all types, and also identifies locations that accept contactless payments. ShopOpenings.com is optimized for mobile phone use and retailers do not need to register to take part.

“Businesses large and small are the engine of growth for economies around the world and right now they need our collective support to navigate these uncharted times,” said Jess Turner, executive VP, products & innovation in North America for Mastercard. “The resiliency and drive of small business owners is unprecedented and ensuring they have the tools and resources necessary is the single most important thing we can all do for economic and social vitality.”

Mastercard is also introducing a global initiative called Digital Acceleration for Small Business, designed to deliver insights and resources for small businesses looking to expand digitally and build an online presence. The initiative is being rolled out first in the U.S., Latin America, and Caribbean.

The initiative delivers localized, end-to-end digital tools. In the U.S., Mastercard has rolled out the program with partners including BigCommerce, Hello Alice, and Shopify. It also includes Mastercard solutions such as cybersecurity, standardized Click to Pay online checkout and a customized digital skills curriculum. 

ShopOpenings.com and Digital Acceleration for Small Business are part of Mastercard’s wider Recovery Insights program, which has been designed to support businesses and governments across the globe looking for resources to help better manage the health, safety and economic risks presented by the recent pandemic.