Groupon Launches App for iPhone and Android

Published by Kelly Levinsohn on Oct 31st, 2011, 1 Comment

In response to the dramatic increase in the number of smartphones currently in use in the South African market, Groupon South Africa announced today the launch of the official Groupon application for iPhone and Android smartphones, as well as for the iPod touch. The app is available for download in the Apple App Store and the Android Market.

Wayne Gosling, joint Groupon SA CEO said that “South Africa really is a mobile-tech environment; we have limited access to internet compared to other countries, and so most people use internet through their phones. Groupon international now feature Blackberry, iPhone and Android apps, and as these options become available in South Africa it will start to have a real effect on the way consumers purchase.”

With the smartphone apps, South Africa has joined a growing number of Groupon markets worldwide that offer mobile app capabilities via mobile devices, including North America, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Some of the features available through the new apps will revolutionize the way group buying is conducted in South Africa. Features include:

The ability to browse daily deals and buy on the go.
Accessing your account (sign in to your existing Groupon account to find and organize your library of previous purchases).
Signing in to your account through Facebook or signing up for a new Groupon account directly through the apps.
The ability to redeem your Groupon’s wherever you are.
Pulling up and presenting Groupon’s to merchants directly from the device’s screen, which means that no printout is required.
The ability to activate the GPS feature so consumers can purchase Groupon’s closest to their current location.

To download the app for iPhone click here.

To download the app for Android search for “Groupon” in the Android Market.

Nicole

Groupon dictate that you make a loss and this is why http://www.meat-me-online.co.za walked away from it.

Groupon business partners customers must consider the following before signing up:

- What demographic of consumer are you trying to appeal to? e.g. cheap-skate never to be seen again consumer or a long term customer with repeat business. The former is usually whom you get when discounting products between 50%-90%

- How much is each deal actually costing you? i.e. You pay your supplier R160 for and item you sell at R200, you sell a R100 OFF voucher x 1000 deals @ R50 (50% of R100) Groupon gives you R25 per deal and you must foot the R35 as a marketing liabilityexpense. Multiply by 1000 per month x 24 months that’s R35 000 per month for a never to be seen again customer! Careful this is what sinks small businesses!

- Groupon only pay you for what is redeemed. So if they sell 1000 and only 500 are redeemed you don’t get the expected R25 000 you will only get the R12 500 for those redeemed 3 months after the fact. Yes that’s right Groupon keep the rest and no revenue split! Ethical?

- They lock you into a 24 month contract. This is always a sign that there is something to be wary of with the business model. Apart from the obvious (Ponzi scheme) ask yourself if you really want to be discounting your productservice for 24 months and viewed as a mass discount bizarre? This is your businessbrand’s reputation

After all we are all in business to make money – not just Groupon!

Groupon customers beware!

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