SAN DIEGO, Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Empyr, the fast-growing online-to-offline (O2O) marketing platform, today announced a partnership with Yelp Inc., the company that connects people with great local businesses, to close the loop of online-to-offline commerce with the launch of Yelp Cash Back. Empyr's API allows websites and apps like Yelp to quickly and easily launch O2O cash back programs where consumers simply pay for products or services at participating businesses with any linked credit or debit card, and automatically receive cash back to their account.

The program enables participating merchants with physical locations to connect with online consumers through discount offers advertised on Yelp. Merchants get more visibility on Yelp by offering Yelp Cash Back and only pay a fee when a card-linked transaction is completed in-store or in-restaurant. The O2O loop comes full circle when in-store sales are immediately attributed to the online offer, as a result of Empyr's direct integrations with all three leading credit card associations.

"An estimated three-trillion dollars in offline spending is driven by websites and apps in the U.S. each year, and now Yelp has created a loyalty program that closes the loop on local commerce," said Jon Carder, CEO and cofounder, Empyr. "Our partnership with Yelp immediately expands the reach of our O2O technology with merchants and consumers, which in turn expands the value of the Empyr network for all publisher-partners and participants."

"With Yelp Cash Back, our users are rewarded automatically for making purchases at local restaurants and retail businesses," said Chad Richard, Yelp SVP of Business and Corporate Development. "It's a great incentive to shop locally. For businesses, the ability to attract and retain customers and attribute sales to their Yelp Cash Back offer is a huge benefit. "

Yelp Cash Back is available now at about 8,000 restaurants and retail merchants across the U.S., with new businesses joining daily.

About Yelp
Yelp Inc. connects people with great local businesses. Yelp was founded in San Francisco in July 2004. Since then, Yelp communities have taken hold in major metros across more than 32 countries. By the end of Q3 2016, Yelpers had written approximately 115 million rich, local reviews, making Yelp the leading local guide for real word-of-mouth on everything from boutiques and mechanics to restaurants and dentists. Approximately 25 million unique devices accessed Yelp via the Yelp app, approximately 72 million unique visitors visited Yelp via mobile web and approximately 77 million unique visitors visited Yelp via desktop on a monthly average basis during the Q3 2016. For more information, please visit www.yelp.com or send an email to press@yelp.com.

About Empyr
Empyr powers online-to-offline (O2O) marketing programs for some of the world's largest websites and apps. Empyr's direct integrations with all three leading credit card associations, including Visa and MasterCard, make it possible for online consumers to earn cash back at offline merchants such as restaurants and retail stores, in a frictionless way, simply by paying with a debit or credit card. For each in-store sale, the offline merchant pays a fee which is shared with the website or app that referred the customer. Websites and apps influence over $3 trillion in offline commerce each year in the US, representing a significant revenue opportunity. Empyr's growing network of partners currently includes Yelp, Microsoft, LivingSocial, Coupons.com, Swagbucks and over 1,500 other websites and apps. Learn more at www.empyr.com. 

SOURCE Empyr

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