As finals are wrapping up, Groupon is being met with a good amount of competition from all sides. Facebook, Google, and many small startups are jumping into the location-based app market in direct competition with Groupon. Facebook is updating its Deals program so that users can check in via mobile device, while Google is experimenting with a "Groupon-like app for Android phones" (Sweeeeeeeet). While Groupon is going strong in acquiring new merchants, start-ups are targeting new customers on a basis of retention by providing a variety of interactive approaches to keep the customers coming in. Google Deals, for example, is implementing a rating system based on the number of uses of their program, which provides better deals as you go along.
It's pretty cool to see all of these companies fight for customer retainment. Perhaps this means that there will be an increase in the number of fun deals we students can take advantage of over Spring break. One thing that comes to mind, though, is what happens when a location-based savings market gets saturated? Or is such a thing even possible? Moreover, will Groupon be taken down by the emphasis on customer retainment? Time will tell. In the meantime, I plan to check out these new ways to save.
http://mashable.com/2011/03/16/facebook-groupon-turf-war/
http://adage.com/article/digital/groupon-envy-clutches-sxsw/149394/
No comments:
Post a Comment