Fast in the slipstream of Black Friday, the famously frenzied national day of consumption, the Retail Council of Canada (RCC) has launched ShopIn.

This national pilot campaign was instituted to “celebrate the passion and entrepreneurial spirit of independent merchants” by encouraging Canadian shoppers to make their purchases at stores in their neighbourhood, and then to share their #ShopIn moments via social media.

The campaign employs incentives for shoppers to patronize local merchants, such as exclusive product offerings, personalized service and a substantial local payback.

Independent retailers are part of the fabric of each and every community in Canada. By acknowledging the cultural and economic benefits with which neighbourhood stores furnish their communities, ShopIn originators believe, local-area consumers, in turn, help their communities to succeed. Thriving businesses, the RCC notes, can bring sponsorships and donations to community initiatives.

“The ShopIn pilot campaign was launched to both celebrate the important contributions that independent retailers make in their communities and to encourage consumers to ‘show local love’ and shop independent,” says Mark Startup, vice-president of Retail Council of Canada’s MySTORE division.

Importantly, unlike other national and local retail-spurring campaigns that are tied in with a particular event or last for just a day or a week, ShopIn is a year-round initiate that will be promoted across and between such major shopping extravaganzas as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

“We are very pleased with the response we received from independent retailers,” Startup crowed after ShopIn’s weekend launch. “The pilot exceeded our expectations.”