Thursday, May 5, 2011

Attack of the Groupons: 5 Great Sites for Groupon Deals

We have yet to meet one person who is not in love with the Groupon concept. It’s easy to see why: the Groupon concept is simple and attractive. Deals for just about anything from shopping discounts to service discounts are made available in certain websites and certain cities. Now, the catch is that the discount or group coupon can only be claimed if a certain number of people purchase the discount. It’s a great deal for both store owner and buyer, because the buyer gets the service for cheap, and the store owner gets enough customers to make the discount worthwhile. The success of the original Groupon concept has spurred on other companies to do the same. Today, there’s a variety of Groupon sites to pick from. Here are a few of our favorites.
  1. LivingSocial- It’s safe to say that LivingSocial is one of the biggest Groupon competitors out there. Available in three countries and 89 cities, LivingSocial uses a great marketing gimmick called the "tempt strategy". If a user can tempt three or more of his friends to get a particular deal, then that user gets the deal for free. LivingSocial also has an iPhone app that allows its users to see the latest deals even while on the go.
  2. Dealster- Available in over 50 cities in the United States, Dealster is another Groupon site that is slowly making it big. The great thing about Dealster is that its users are notified daily if there are any deals going on in their particular cities. Also, Dealster offers coupons that are transferrable, and can be given to friends and family.
  3. Groupon- We can’t knock the original that started this awesome madness! Groupon still beats the competition as it offers more local deals in more cities in the United States compared to other group discount sites. The great thing about Groupon is that every major city in the US can more or less expect a deal to pop up every day. What’s more, Groupon purchases aren't limited to its users' needs. Users can get Groupon deals for their family, as well as Groupon gift certificates.
  4. SocialBuy- This group discount site is most suited to the social individual, the one who always wants to go out. Compared to other Groupon sites that offer deals for just about anything, SocialBuy focuses on discounts for food, beverages, health products and entertainment services. Every time a SocialBuy user successfully recommends a friend to use SocialBuy, the website gives that user $10 SocialBucks to spend on the discount that he wants.
  5. Homerun- Homerun is another site that uses a sly marketing concept. When you join Homerun, you are forced to use your own virtual currency to get deals and discounts. Members can choose from multiple deals within their first 30 days as members. Also, Homerun has been known to offer a lot of freebies for various restaurants and bars.

About the Guest Author
Sam Briones is a freelance writer who covers an array of topics from finding cheap auto insurance to safety tips. If you are interested in writing a guest post, please contact PF Stock at the Email address listed in the sidebar.