The Digital Wave
Will We Follow Sea Isle’s Lead on Beach Tag Technology?
Now that Sea Isle City has announced it will take the plunge into the digital beach tag world this summer, the buzz around the island is not if, but when will Stone Harbor and Avalon follow?
One of the two boroughs seems more inclined to do it than the other.
“We are very interested in Sea Isle City’s and Margate’s implementation to see how it goes this year,” says Stone Harbor Councilwoman Jennifer Gensemer. “We are not looking to replace our existing beach tags but as a supplement to make it easier for our beachgoers. It would be an added convenience.”
Gensemer, who chairs the Borough’s Administration and Finance Committee, says she might advise her fellow council members to consider implementation in 2025, depending how Sea Isle City and Margate fare in their first digital ventures.
The councilwoman says she recently attended the League of Municipalities Convention in Atlantic City with former Stone Harbor Mayor Suzanne Walters, who is a beach tag inspector.
“[Walters] was very excited to introduce me to the business administrator of Margate and wanted me to hear all about it,” Gensemer said. “We were both very interested in what he had to say.
“We always lament the family that parks the car, unloads it, gets to the beach and gets all of their kids settled and stuff set and realize they don’t have beach tags. They then have to go back to the car, go back to town to go to the ATM and get money for beach tags.
“Digital beach tags would be an added convenience to make things easier, but we realize it’s not for everyone. Credit card use has not always been available at the beach – we hope it’s there for 2024 – but digital beach tags would absolutely cure any types of challenges we have with credit cards. It would be another system in place.”
Avalon Administrator Scott Wahl was more hesitant to make any commitment – or predictions – if or when the borough would consider any form of digital beach tags.
“We’re familiar with the program but most of the conveniences that the digital program provide are already available to our visitors here in Avalon,” Wahl says. “Is it something we would look into? Maybe. I can appreciate the sentiment of convenience, but those who want to purchase beach tags in Avalon can pay with cash or credit card right on the beach or at the beach tag booth or at Borough Hall. So, it’s already pretty convenient.”
Wahl says he thinks most people prefer the physical tag, plus most of Avalon’s sales are seasonal tags. Avalon sold 32,906 preseason tags and another 6,248 tags in-season last year.
“We don’t sell a lot of weeklies, and we sell some dailies,” he notes.
The other question is would both Stone Harbor and Avalon have to agree to enter the digital tag world together since their beach tags are reciprocal between towns?
“I don’t think so,” Wahl says. “I would assume if Stone Harbor offered digital tags and Avalon didn’t, Avalon would have to accept Stone Harbor’s digital tags if they were presented. But I am not sure of the logistics.”
Sea Isle’s digital system
Sea Isle City beachgoers will have a choice this year: traditional beach tags or digital.
Beach tag purists and collectors should know the city has no plans to replace hard tags with digital ones. In fact, seasonal beach tag buyers will still have to pick up a hard beach tag from City Hall, even if they purchase it online.
Beginning sometime in April, My Beach Mobile can be accessed at mybeachmobile.com or downloaded as an app on your phone or tablet to purchase daily, weekly, and seasonal passes using a debit or credit card. Users will then be issued a unique QR code that will be presented to beach tag inspectors when asked for daily and weekly passes.
“It really comes down to convenience,” says Sea Isle City Director of Community Services Katherine Custer. “There has never been a thought of getting rid of the hard tags. This is just another option for those who prefer to purchase them digitally.”
The impetus for the decision came after Viply, the former company Sea Isle City used to process credit card and debit card transactions for beach tag purchases, went out of business, according to Sea Isle CFO Jennifer McIver.
“We were looking at a few companies and then realized My Beach Mobile could not only replace Viply, but it would also offer customers the ability to purchase beach tags and then authenticate those beach tags right on the screen just like if you were going to a Phillies game,” she says. “It just made sense.”
For those who plan to buy Sea Isle beach tags digitally, it will cost a little more for that convenience on top of the beach tag increases City Council set earlier this year. Tags for 2024 are priced at $10 for a daily pass, $15 for a weekly pass, $25 for a seasonal pass purchased before May 15, and $30 after that date. Digital customers can expect to pay as little as $1 extra for the daily pass to $3.17 extra for the season badge after May 15.
“Those convenience fees go to My Beach Mobile, but the city receives the full amount of the beach badge,” says McIver, assuring the city will not lose any revenue for offering the digital version.
How it works
Sea Isle City residents can purchase beach tags like they always have. They can still have them shipped to their home form jerseycapetags.com; purchase them in person at the city’s Tax Office; purchase them at the beach tag vending machine in the City Hall lobby; purchase them at the Welcome Center; or purchase them with cash or check from beach tag inspectors.
Those who choose to use My Beach Mobile can purchase daily, weekly or seasonal badges on the day of use or in advance. However, if you purchase seasonal badges in advance, you still have to pick up a physical beach badge at City Hall as you will be instructed to do on the app. Seasonal digital beach tag buyers cannot show beach tag checkers their mobile purchase.
Those who purchase daily and weekly tags will receive a unique QR code that can be presented to beach tag checkers.
“Download the app, buy the tag and they are good to go,” Custer says.
Sharing digital tags and authentication may be the biggest question for families who share tags or property owners who include tags with rentals.
McIver says My Beach Mobile’s software is active so that when the tags are scanned, inspectors will know whether it’s an active tag or if it’s someone who tried to take a screen shot and share it with other people to cheat the system.
“The software is built in to validate beach tags so they can see them every time they check that it is active and working,” she says. “Even if there is bad cell service, the software will work and validate properly.”
According to My Beach Mobile’s website, beach tags are transferrable to others using the app. Once another user accepts the transfer, “the original user will no longer be able to access the shared tags/badges until the time they have designated expires. Once that duration ends, the shared beach tags/badges will be automatically transferred back to the original user’s account, provided the tags/badges have not expired. A beach tag/badge can only be valid for a single user at any given time.”
Because all beachgoers are still required to have a beach tag – whether digital or physical – Custer says employment of beach tag inspectors will not be affected in any way.
Hard tags are staying: Custer says Sea Isle City has no plans to eliminate the plastic tags for a variety of reasons, particularly that residents and visitors love them.
“People collect them and treasure them,” she notes. “We never thought about getting rid of the hard tags. There are some serious beach tag collectors out there. I can’t imagine that we would ever eliminate hard tags. Hard tags will always be an option.”
Most beach municipalities use special beach tags to help generate beach revenue in the offseason. For example, Sea Isle City offers a St. Patrick’s Day-themed tag, while Avalon offers a Christmas-themed badge, plus its main badge is designed by Avalon elementary students in a contest judged by the mayor.
“I think it’s fair to say beach tags are Avalon’s No. 1 sought-after collectible,” Wahl says. “Part of that is driven by that student contest. We even have a beach tag wall here at the borough. And people really want those holiday tags, which has a Christmas design on them so they can give them as holiday presents. So, even if we considered a digital option, I am certain people will aways want the actual beach tags. Just go to eBay and you will see beach tags not just from Avalon, but from all over … and people pay premiums for some past ones.”
Stone Harbor, which offers special tags for the holidays and veterans, would also keep physical beach tags for a variety of reasons.
“We certainly understand the collectability and nostalgia and love of physical beach tags,” Gensemer says. “And in no way do we want to take that away. We added mail order in the past couple of years. You have to stop and think about the 21st century, and it’s all about convenience. We’re trying to make our borough customer-service friendly to our taxpayers and visitors.”
Kim Ennis shown here recently assembling beach tags for the summer of 2024. She is just one of more than 50 residents employed in the manufacturing process at Jersey Cape.
DID YOU KNOW?
Beach tags for most communities in the state of New Jersey have been manufactured right here in Cape May County by Jersey Cape, a local non-profit for the past 48 years. They produce millions of tags each year. Jersey Cape is the unrivaled authority in coastal beach access in the United States. “As pioneers in beach tag distribution, we recognize the importance of adopting to the changing needs of our patrons,” said Joe Sittineri, executive director at Jersey Cape. “We are committed to continue manufacturing our physical beach tags. Many towns have expressed that these beach tags are a part of the Jersey shore beach culture and something that they want to continue to provide to beach patrons. While physical beach tags will always have a place in our landscape, we understand the significance of embracing technology to enhance inclusivity and convenience for all beach goers.”
