Group coupon sites are a classic example of businesses and consumers coming together for mutual benefit. The business model of social commerce works nicely for both parties. Social media in its various forms has of course played a part in disseminating information. Both parties benefit – businesses get a lot of customers and customers get discounts and attractive deals on what would otherwise be full-price purchases.
Here we present to you the top ten most popular group coupon sites that offer lots of deals and have a dedicated following.
1. Groupon – Easily the 800-pound gorilla in the group coupon domain. This site covers 23 countries, more than any other site and promises you the best deals on “the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy” in your area. The company claims to negotiate discounts that can be as much as 90% with established businesses and then it shares it with its subscribers.
2. Buy with me – This one is U.S only. A cool feature with this group coupon site is that if you can get three referrals for a deal, you get that deal free of cost. The vouchers are transferable and you can give them as gifts.
3. Crowd Savings – This site exhorts you to be a part of the crowd; that’s putting the old adage of standing out from the crowd in its head. But there are benefits here. You can save big on the deals these guys put up and you promote. After the close of the deal, you visit the site and check what you’ve saved.
4. Certifikid – This site focuses on family-friendly restaurants, music classes, kids haircuts, party packages, maternity boutiques, events, etc. It covers the Washington-Baltimore area. As with other such sites, the extent of discount is directly proportional to the number of people participating. You are encouraged to go out and spread the word via social media. It helps all parties.
5. $25 Tuesdays – Spa Sally offers $25 Tuesdays to all those wishing for some great spa treatment at great prices. It’s a new spa from NYC every Tuesday and it’s always $25. Sign on for the deal. You have up to a year to redeem the coupon. You cannot exchange the $25 coupons but hey whoever wants to exchange a chance to visit a spa and that too for $25!
6. Two Buck Duck – The company describes itself as an online resource of “Daily deals for darn little”. And rightly so, its just two bucks. Give these guys two bucks and they give you the deal coupon that may save you 50% and more on items.
7. Gilt City – The site covers 10 American cities – Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta. The deals scoured by these guys are the premium type and hence the word “Gilt” in the name. Deals are for a limited time and often get sold out. But you can add yourself to the waitlist and hope that the deal returns.
8. Crowd Cut – This site paraphrases the group coupon business model quite succinctly – You bring the crowd, we cut the deal! It focuses on Atlanta, and St Paul / Minneapolis. A reference to this site can earn you $10, so there’s a neat affiliate marketing opportunity here. 50% off on vacation trips, restaurants, urban dining, etc are common. Deals with up to 90% off are also advertised.
9. Half Off Depot – Check the site to see what these guys are about. One thing’s for sure – they are huge. They cover North America, Europe, and Australia.
10. Tippr – The site claims to pioneer the new wave in collective buying and help you fulfill your daily cravings for shopping. There is a tipping point for each deal and once that is achieved, i.e. a critical mass of buyers is attained then the deal just keeps getting better and better. Unlike other sites that focus on promoting a single deal each day; Tippr throws up three new deals everyday and with their exclusive arrangement with businesses, those are the best deals you will get anywhere.
