NORWICH – As American Express steadily campaigned this year to promote Small Business Saturday, the Norwich Merchants Association has been busy making its own preparations for the holiday shopping season and collaborating efforts to entice consumers to the city.

The Norwich Merchants Association is actively promoting its local shopping incentive campaign called Reindeer Run. Small city businesses hope to keep customers spending money in the area, benefiting area businesses while also helping the local economy.

According to Anna McLaughlin of McLaughlin’s Department Store, the NMA is making local retail a priority.

“It goes back to local businesses,” she said. “We’re all community people; if one neighbor does well, we all do well.”

Association member Linda McNeil of McNeil Jewelers explained that Reindeer Run is a simple concept. Consumers get a game board from a participating Norwich business and when they shop at any of the 23 participating stores until Dec. 31, retailers will provide stickers to place on the game board. Purchases of $5-$25 collect one sticker; $26-$50 collect two stickers, $51-$75 get three. A sticker will be added for every $25 increment. When the game card is filled, consumers submit their cards to McLaughlin’s Dept. Store, The Parson’s Daughter or McNeil Jewelers to be eligible for a drawing for prizes and gift certificates.