Natural Gas Program
MRA
offers members a solution to the ever-increasing costs of natural gas.
Whether you use natural gas to heat your building or produce the goods
and services that you sell, we can help save you money each month. Our
program is tailor-made for the variations in the retail industry, because
there is no minimum purchase amount, no long-term contracts and no added
equipment or phone lines to install. If you receive natural gas from
Consumers Energy, DTE Energy (MichCon) or SEMCO, we can save you money.
Labor Law Posters
New
mandatory state and federal posters for Michigan employers are now available
from Michigan Retailers Association.
These are large, high-quality, full-color, laminated posters. They contain all documents employers are legally required to post, including the new federal and Michigan minimum-wage rates.
Discount Shipping Program
Save
up to 29%† on select FedEx® services.
Use the MRA Discount Shipping Program through PartnerShip®, and
save up to 29% with select FedEx Express® services, up to 25% with
select FedEx Ground® services, and up to 10% with select FedEx Home
Delivery® services. FedEx provides MRA members with the flexibility
you need while delivering the top-notch service you demand.
Save 62% on less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments with UPS FreightSM
and Yellow Transportation.
Save 62% on your freight shipments with two of the leading national
LTL carriers.
The MRA program is designed for the retailer. These discounts are available for both inbound and outbound shipments. With our program, you are able to route shipments inbound from your suppliers and outbound to your customers to maximize your savings.
The program is easy, straightforward and, for many small retailers, the savings are sizable. To sign up, simply download this enrollment form. For more information, contact MRA at sales@retailers.com or 800.366.3699.
Online Enrollment form
Shipping instructions letter
to send to vendors (88K pdf)
Remote Deposit
Through
an industry-leading partnership with the Michigan Bankers Association,
members of Michigan Retailers Association can deposit the checks they
receive from customers without leaving their office. Remote Deposit
allows a business to simply scan the checks and electronically present
them to any bank. Our system is capable of handling ALL types of US
checks: business, personal, corporate, government, money orders, even
travelers checks.
Gift Cards
MRA’s
electronic gift card program allows you to input the exact denomination
the customer wants at the time of the transaction. In addition, you
can personalize the cards with your name.
You can access a complete record of the gift card transactions via the Internet, and your customers can even look up their own individual balances via the Internet.
• More secure than paper certificates
• Upscale state-of-the-art image
• No cash back in change
• Reusable
E-mail Marketing
Reach
out to customers and prospects through e-mail
newsletters—the most effective and affordable sales tool available
to small- and medium-size businesses.
Your MRA membership provides you a 10% discount on already low-priced
e-marketing services provided by Michigan-based Email Media Group.
Electric Choice
Plug
into big savings on your business electricity bills by joining MRA’s
Electric Choice program. Electric Choice lets you save 10 to 30 percent
on electricity costs by switching from Detroit Edison or Consumers Energy
to one of MRA’s alternative suppliers.
Participants can lock in their low rate on a three-year contract to guard against future cost increases.
Switching to MRA’s service usually takes six to eight weeks and involves no setup cost for most retailers. The customer's original power company must install a new meter, which is connected to a dedicated phone line for remote readings. While MRA coordinates the installation of the phone line, the monthly cost is the responsibility of the retailer.
For more information on signing up for MRA’s Electric Choice program, e-mail Jeannie Watkin at jwatkin@retailers.com, phone her at 1.800.366.3699 or fill out our online information request form.
Detroit Edison customer information
release (36K pdf)
Detroit Edison customer
information release - additional accounts (49K pdf)
Payroll processing
MRA has teamed up with ADP, the world’s largest payroll processor,
to help you save time and hassle on one of your major bookkeeping chores
— employee payroll. You’ll spend only minutes on your payroll
each pay period and receive completed checks overnight.
ADP offers an EasyPay program designed for businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The service includes summary reports for the merchant and guaranteed compliance with all tax regulations. Employees receive a professional-looking check and stub including year-to-date totals for pay and deductions.
MRA members receive a 10-percent discount on all ADP services. New participants also receive the first month of service free.
Salary survey
MRA’s wage, salary and benefits survey of members gives retail-specific
information by region, size of store and type of employee.
Loss Prevention
MRA’s series of Loss Prevention booklets deals with issues that
impact your bottom line: shoplifting and employee theft, bad checks,
credit card fraud, counterfeit currency and returns and layaways. Order
booklets online.
For more information on signing up for these MRA services, contact your regional marketing representative or fill out our online information request form.
