Groupon is a mobile app which offers a daily deal at restaurant, spa or other service. There is one offer per day at a substantial discount. Groupon has received a great deal of free press because it is one of the first social busying apps. I saw an article about it. Groupon also advertises on newspaper web sites.
I downloaded the iPhone app from the app store and set it up to check on Seattle deals. I have also used it in other cities. I first used Groupon when it advertised a deal at a bar around the corner from my house that I had been meaning to check out – The Waterwheel. The offer showed the price and discount, how many hours the deal would be available, how many people had already purchased it.
There is a ‘Fine Print’ tab with details on deadlines for the deal and what specifically is included. The app includes a ‘Discussion’ button where users can ask questions and make comments. Sometimes they pinpoint confusion about the deal. Users answer questions for one another adding a social element to purchasing a coupon.
The ‘Share This Deal’ button allows you to email, post it on Facebook or Tweet it. I could see this being useful if it’s a place you had already gone to, liked and wanted to suggest to a friend. But most deals are limited to one person, so tipping a friend off and showing up with 2 Groupons wouldn’t work.
I purchased my Waterwheel deal after logging on. The app stores credit card information. Once purchased the coupon appears in a ‘My Groupons’ tab.
I went to the bar made my menu choice and asked about the Groupon discount. The waitress was not familiar with it but the owner came over and explained it. The offer had just been posted and already attracted hundreds of buyers, which surprised me because it’s just a small place. I thought the owner might feel overwhelmed at having to honor the substantial discount for so many people, but he was thrilled. He felt that if even a small proportion of users came a second time, the offer would be worth.
I found the app easy to use, almost too easy. I ended up putting it in a folder on my iPhone so I wouldn’t be so tempted to look at it ever day and purchase a deal impulsively. I have read that Groupon plans to begin to personalize the deal to the users interests. There would still only be one deal per day, but different people would get different offers. This appeals to me and would make the app more useful.
Hmm. Do you think it makes sense to have something like this on your mobile phone? Is it simply convenience?
It’s a convenience and it also serves a need. I think cellphones are what we look at when we have a few minutes of down time, checking out email, rss feeds and checking in on deals with places like Groupon .