Groupon, the once invincible market leader in the daily deals segment; now, holding only a slight edge over LivingSocial just grew another opposable thumb in their evolution.
Time-sensitive, single day only deals. No, not to buy them. But, to use them. With Groupon Now (currently only available in Chicago), you type in your zip code, you select your category, e.g. restaurants, and you instantly see dining options near you offering instant deals for today reimbursement only.
This is a great way to find a place to eat via mobile device when you’re visiting a new area. A great way for a business to get an instant rush of traffic buying at cost or lower prices. But, in terms of long-term relationship building and financial success? We’ll see.