Editor’s Note: This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams
Clipping coupons is an age-old tradition of housewives and frugal individuals interested in saving a few bucks at the supermarket. But for the rest of us, there is an updated version of the customary newspaper coupon, the Groupon. That’s right, the Groupon. Groupon is a free website dedicated to providing members with localized and interested goods and services at discounted rates.
The website works off of “combined buying power”. Each day, the site emails subscribers the deal of the day, which could include discounts at restaurants, spas, attractions, retail stores, and many other venues. These discounts work much like gift certificates, for example $50 worth of food at the local Italian restaurant can be purchased for $25. If a subscriber is interested in purchasing the discount, they simply click “BUY” on the email before midnight of that day.
The only catch lies in the fact that a certain number of subscribers must purchase the discount for it to be activated. For instance, 100 members must purchase the same Groupon to the Italian restaurant for the deal to be complete. If you purchase a deal and the subscriber purchase minimum is not met, you won’t be charged for that Groupon. This is an overall win-win situation for every party involved. The businesses benefit from an influx in patrons, while consumers benefit from enjoying their favorite goods at discounted prices.It’s also important to note that Groupons can be gifted to friends, family members, acquaintances, etc., and that members do not have to use the deal the day of purchase. Most deals will have an expiration date, however, so subscribers should make note of those. The site also makes an effort to inform subscribers that the Groupons aren’t just for food or discounted spa treatments, they actually have very interested excursions and experiences available as well. Julie Mossler, spokeswoman for Groupon, says, “Customers look to us to get them off the couch and introduce them to something. For a lot of people, the discount is more of a catalyst or excuse to do something you wouldn’t normally do.”Since its launch in 2008, the company claims they now have over 18 million subscribers in 29 countries, and they have saved people in North America over half a billion dollars already. Those numbers are astounding. If you’re not a Groupon subscriber, or a member of the various competitor sites cropping up online, consider joining. The savings, goods, and experiences might be worth the few minutes it takes to logon.
About the Author: This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online college courses. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 @gmail.com
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