What is Groupon?

Groupon is here in San Diego, and I hope to stay. It means group+coupon, because in order to get a Groupon deal a certain number of people have to buy the deal. Here's how it works.

The ABC restaurant decides they want to offer a 30% discount on their meals, so they put an add on Groupon. If 100 people sign up for the deal (or whatever number the restaurant decides) then the deal is a go, and if you purchased it, you own it. It's really fantastic, both for the retailer and the consumer.

Groupon started in Chicago, and is now in dozens of cities across the country. My friend Michael works for the company and he expects Groupon to be huge. Retailers whose business is down or a company new in town, will offer a special to the public. They will get hundreds of customers from the Groupon promotion and hopefully these customers will become regulars at the regular price.

So what kind of businesses promote on Groupon? The answer is any and all. Just the other day a local tour company that does walking tours of San Diego restaurants had a promotion. The three hour $75 tour was available for $44. So I bought it, along with several of my friends, and we will have our own tour of the tastes of San Diego later this year. Spas, gyms, yoga studios, restaurants, dessert shops (cupcakes are big), tours of local attractions and car repair are just some of the many types of services you can find promoted on Groupon.

Go to www.groupon.com and check them out. If you register, you will get a new deal every morning in your in box. It's a great way to start the day. Most of them you won't buy, but every so often something great comes along that you can't live without. Take a look at what they offer and I hope you enjoy.