When a company that offers coupons is the talk of the town ...

When a company that offers coupons is the talk of the town and wall street, isn't it a time to worry?

I really don't think something like this would fly in 2006. It would probably have been laughed out of town.

A sign of the times? I think so.

reply to post by ppk55

you may need to expand your post a little. how about a link? it would help to put your thoughts there too.
2nd
regards f

reply to post by fakedirt


Ok I don't want to start naming company names here, but as time progresses it's easy to forget how unthinkable something like this would have been just a few years ago.

So when a company that plans an IPO based upon discount coupons is embraced by all and no one blinks an eye, that is cause for massive concern.

Some may say it's a signal of the first stages of deflation.

Now whether deflation is actually a concern is a matter for debate, Japan has actually done quite well out of it. The question is how the west will adjust to this new paradigm.

With no link, and based on your replies...I suppose you are saying that offering stocks with a discount coupon is unusual...well, yes.

If that is not what you are saying...coupons...especially good ones, are the talk of small towns since they started coupons. When we leave church on Sunday, you can hear folks talking about the good buys and who has what on sale... probably what they are having for Sunday dinner.

But coupns for stock IPO...good way to drum up interest..heck, we are talking about it...now aren't we?

reply to post by AlreadyGone


Your talking about Groupon, which isnt a traditional coupon company as you're trying to indicate, but is actually a very powerful localized social advertizing tool.

Localization is the next big step for the tech industry, social media is the current big thing, put them together and you have businesses like Groupon being valued for huge amounts.

Makes me wish I'd followed my gut and started up a UK Groupon clone two years ago.

Originally posted by maskfan
but is actually a very powerful localized social advertizing tool.
.

Do you work for them?
Sounds a little like it.

reply to post by ppk55


I have to work for a company to understand its something other than what you're trying to make it out to be?

No I don't work for them, but I do work in the field of Internet Marketing.

reply to post by maskfan


Thought so. I'm actually not that concerned about it on the micro level, I'm more interested that it could be a harbinger of deflation on the macro level.

reply to post by ppk55


The thing is its not even remotely a traditional coupon dispenser, of which there are many online that get absolutely no attention. The reason Groupon is getting so much attention is because the way it is set up is designed to create a real social buzz around a local business, a business which in turn doesn't have to allow the discount rates (or pay advertizing fees) until enough people (dictated by the business) have said they're going to attend a 'discount event', thereby making it one of the most cost effective, call to action forms of advertizing available today.

Either way being worried that people having the opportunity to get discounts off of the frankly excessive retail mark up price of goods or services in exchange for doing a bit of social advertizing is a sign that the economy is going to collapse is a fallacy. Though yes if you're in the US, you should definately be concerned about your economy collapsing, not for this reason though.

If what you're trying to insinuate was true, the other big coupon sites (like couponsherpa et al) would also be big news, but they're not. Why ? Because Groupon is an advertizing vehicle pretending to be a coupon site, not an actual coupon site as you would like to lead us to believe.

People love to save a buck anytime, but especially in trying economic times, which we're definitely in. Why is this unusual? Are you saying that it's just another sign of the times?

What's just as interesting to me is that Cheezburger (home of the LOLcats) nabbed $30 million dollars in funding. Guess people want to feel good too

I'll tell you a funny story .. and it kind of directly relates to this ...

Once we (Australians) considered Americans to be rude, arrogant, angry, self interested people.

Having just visited the US for the 3rd time, I've noticed a major change.

I would now say Americans are more humble, extremely polite, more caring and dare I say it a little more sincere.

I believe Australians have become the old Americans. We now display all the negative attributes we once associated with Americans.

How does this relate to the thread? Once the US starts a campaign of coupons, discounts, reductions, savings, austerity etc, It's significant. It's not a country known for these things. It's a big deal.

It's something to pay attention to.

edit: I am on a campaign to change the silly US phrase for a place to park your car from 'parking structure' to the Australian term .. 'carpark'

How does this relate to the thread? Once the US starts a campaign of coupons, discounts, reductions, savings, austerity etc, It's significant. It's not a country known for these things. It's a big deal.

Actually the US is classically known for using coupons / discounts / sales as an advertizing vehicle. It's something that's been very popular since the 50's, though the concept wained in popularity somewhat during the 90's. Which is why it's really not a big deal (at least not in the way you mean).

Afaik during the 50-70's coupons where a big and standard part of most working class americans lives. Crazy sales as a means to boost retail profit at certain times of the year are common in the US and have been for a long time. Similarly offering 'super discounts' for today / this weekend / next week only (which is what Groupon does) as part of radio / television (i.e. media) advertizing strategy is also a popular tried and true method that never went away.

However I'm also not an American so perhaps someone who is could illuminate the situation a bit more.

edit: ps I support your campaign to introduce the word carpark to the US vocabulary.

Originally posted by maskfan
Actually the US is classically known for using coupons / discounts / sales as an advertizing vehicle.

But a major IPO for a company based on this model ?
All I'm saying is, it's not something you would have seen 5 years ago.

I think it's a harbinger.

Originally posted by ppk55

But a major IPO for a company based on this model ?
All I'm saying is, it's not something you would have seen 5 years ago.

I think it's a harbinger.

It's not just a US company though, its trying to be a global company which if successful will be a major player in the emerging field of localized web based advertizing, that means big money, but it takes big money to get to the level it needs to be. So yea an IPO.