Groupon-Like Sites for Business - Quick Guide
Looking to bring in new customers, maximize the revenue from existing ones and reactivate former ones? Couponing could be a great answer. To speed up your research into this new marketing channel, we’ve put together a list of 16 sites similar to Groupon with brief insights into each.
As a business coach, I can’t help but pose the all-important question “Is couponing right for your business?” Asking the questions and digging below the obvious is critical in making the right decision. That makes this an excellent question to explore with me, your professional FocalPoint Business Coach. There are plusses and minuses and what’s right for one business isn’t necessarily right for yours.
click here3.46 MB.Buy with me is a group buying website with deals all over the United States and in Canada (Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.)
They have deals that span a wide range of different topics, from artistic to adventurous. For example, this is the current deal running.
If you want to be considered for a deal, scroll all the way down and click “Businesses.”
Buy With Me has several videos featured that explains what kind of results you can expect and how the whole process works.
Once you have an idea of what you’re signing for and who the company is, if you’re interested, fill out the “Showcase Your Business” form on the right.
CoupMe is a group purchasing website focused strictly on New England. Because they have such a specific market, they’re able to offer better deals for consumers as well as better returns for local businesses.
This is what a deal on CoupMe looks like:
If you want to create an offer for CoupMe’s audience, scroll down to the footer bar and click “Businesses.”
CoupMe has prepared a page detailing how the program works. Read through it, then contact CoupMe through the provided contact information.
If you’re interested in promoting CoupMe to a New England audience, you can sign up for their affiliate program in the footer bar as well.
If you own a business in New England, CoupMe can be a phenomenal way to get more business. All their traffic is extremely targeted and ready to buy.
Deal On is a group buying website that features a very wide range of different kinds of businesses. From music schools to cleaning services, restaurants to spas, deal on has it all. It doesn’t just stick with the same formula that many other group buying websites do.
For example, this is a current deal running for a singing workshop.
To have your business featured, click “Feature Your Business” in the top bar.
Deal On has prepared a fact sheet, along with other details about their program. Read through the details so you know a bit more about the company you’re signing up to work with.
Finally, fill out the contact form to get in touch with them.
The great thing about Deal On is that just about any kind of business can get in touch with them and have a good chance of getting featured. You don’t have to fall into the typical mold that Groupon or Living Social tends to look for.
Dealster is a group buying site with a twist. It has a number of unique features for users, including the ability to buy deals for friends as gifts and the “earn $5 for referring a friend” program. For merchants, Dealster has an innovative “manage your own deals” system.
Of course, all deals still have to be approved by Dealster, but the overall process still gives you a lot more control than other group buying sites.
Let’s get started.
This is what your deal will look like on Dealster once it’s approved:
To start the setup process, click “Get Featured” in the top navigation bar.
Briefly read through the “What Dealster Can Do for You” section, then click “Get Started.”
Then go through the signup process to create your account and create a deal.
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll essentially have your own store and the ability to add deals to that store.
Eversave is a group buying program where every one of their purchases is covered by the “Eversave Pledge.” Essentially, this is a money back guarantee for all their customers, resulting in more trust for the merchants and more people buying who might otherwise be on the fence.
This is what a typical deal on Eversave might look like.
To be considered as a partner for a deal, scroll all the way down and click on “For Businesses.”
You’ll be taken to a page with more information about their program. If you’re interested, contact them by phone or email using the information provided.
If you’d rather work with Eversave as an affiliate, you can do so by scrolling all the way to the bottom and clicking “Affiliate and Blogger Program.”
Then fill out the application form.
Whether you’re working with Eversave as a deal provider or as an affiliate, there’s a lot of money to be made in the group buying space.
Groupon is the pioneer in group buying. They started the whole trend and in general can drive more customers to a business than any other group buying website.
Here’s the way it works: Consumers come to the Groupon website and see a main deal and several smaller deals. The deal always involves consumers buying large quantities of a local product or service. Often there are limited quantities.
This is an example of what a deal might look like.
To be considered for running a deal, click on “Run a Deal” in the bottom navigation.
You’ll be taken to a “Get Featured” form. Fill out the form as completely as possible.
You can also contact Groupon directly if you have questions about the getting featured process.
Keep in mind that in order to be featured on Groupon, you need to be able to support large amounts of customers. If you run a spa and can’t support a sudden influx of a few hundred customers, Groupon probably won’t consider your business.
On the other hand, if you have the infrastructure to support a lot of new clients and have the margins to give customers discount and pay Groupon a commission, then Groupon can be an absolutely amazing way to rocket launch your business.
HomeRun is a group buying website with a special twist: It’s geared to help business owners get recurring clients, rather than just one-time discount seekers.
If you’re accepted as a merchant, you’ll be able to publish deals repeatedly to people who’re interested in receiving discounts from your business.
This is what a deal on HomeRun looks like:
To sign up as a business owner, click “Business Owners” along the bottom nav bar.
You’ll be taken to a page with more information about HomeRun and working with HomeRun. Read the page and watch the videos carefully to learn more about your future potential partner.
Once you’re ready, click on “Run Your First Offer.”
Then fill out the signup form.
Working with HomeRun is quite a bit different than working with other group buying websites as you actually have an offer management backend you can use to maximize your earnings from every customer.
KGB deals is a group buying website with an emphasis on fashion and weight loss. You’ll find things like deals with department stores, teeth whitening offers and beauty products on offer.
This is what a typical KGB Deal might look like:
One unique feature of KGB Deals is its hover over feature. Instead of having all the information in a sidebar, consumers can just hover their mouse over a deal to learn more about it.
To register as a merchant, scroll down and click on “Register as a Merchant.”
You can then fill out the “Let’s Get started” form to get in touch with KGB Deals.
When you fill out the “What Would You Like to Do With KGB Deals” section, fill it out as if you were filling out a job application. Spell out clearly why you’d be a good candidate for working with them.
Own a business in the United Kingdom? Instead of trying to advertise with an international group buying site, why not work with a local site that understands your business and your customers?
LikeBees is exactly that: A group buying website based in the UK, catered specially for UK businesses and consumers.
For example, this is what a deal on LikeBees might look like:
To start the process of getting featured, scroll down to the footer and click on “Get Featured.”
LikeBees has an open invitation to contact them by either email or phone. Their contact information is provided there.
You can also apply by filling out the application form below, with your business details and deal ideas for LikeBees to review.
Living Social is the second largest group buying website, second only to Groupon. For smaller businesses that might not be able to handle the torrent of bargain-seeking visitors that Groupon often sends, Living Social can be a great alternative.
Like Groupon, Living Social features deals from local businesses to consumers seeking bargains in many cities both nationally and internationally. This is what a deal might look like.
If you’re interested in having your business featured to Living Social’s customers, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on “Businesses.”
Click on “Apply Now.”
Then fill in the complete application form on the page.
After filling out the application, it can often help to give them a call and actually talk to someone about the whole process.
Like unconventional deals, or run an unconventional business? Then Social Shopper is the place to be. Most group buying sites tend to feature just restaurants or spas – But not social shopper.
Social shopper’s deals include visits to nearby farms, visits to the local handgun shooting range, luxury wax coating for your car and much more. If your business doesn’t fit the traditional mold, Social Shopper may be a great place to advertise.
This is what a deal on Social Shopper looks like:
To sign up to produce a deal with Social Shopper, scroll all the way down and click “Why Social Shopper” under “For Business.”
Watch the introductory video that Social Shopper prepared for businesses that want to work with them.
Then scroll all the way down and fill out the “Get Featured” form. Though the “Message” section is optional, it can really help to fill out a bit of basic information on your business and to make a quick case for why working with your business is a good idea.
Social Steals is a group buying website that focuses on just four cities: Space Coast (FL,) Long Island (NY,) New York City (NY,) and Houston (TX.) Because they have a more narrow focus, they’re often able to deliver more targeted deals for consumers and better results for businesses than national group buying companies.
This is what a typical Social Steals deal might look like:
Want to reach Social Steal’s audience with a killer deal? Scroll all the way to the bottom and click “Add Your Business.”
Read over the information on how the deals are structured. Learn a bit about their company. Their “FAQs” section can answer a lot of questions that business owners often have when working with group buying companies.
Finally, if you think Social Steals is a good match for your business, fill out the application form on the right.
If you own or operate a consumer oriented business in one of the four cities that Social Steals operates in, chances are they’ll be able to bring you a lot of new business.
Tippr is a group buying website with deals in 18 different cities all over the United States. It’s backed by NBC. Unlike many other group buying sites, Tippr has a mobile side that makes it easy for consumers to find deals while on the go.
This is what a deal on Tippr looks like:
If you want to get featured, scroll down and click “Tippr for Businesses.”
Then click on “Contact Us for More Information.”
Fill out the contact form.
If you have a business that fits the profile they’re looking for, they’ll get in touch with you to talk about what the whole signup process looks like.
TownHog is a group buying website with an emphasis on Arts & Entertainment, Dining, Fitness, Health & Beauty, Recreation and Retail. They have deals all over the United States, as well as deals in Canada and Great Britain. Furthermore, they have an iPhone app that users can use to find deals while on the road.
This is an example of what a deal on TownHog looks like.
To get your business featured on TownHog, click “Feature Your Business” on the bottom of the page.
Read through TownHog’s information about how the deals program works.
If the program sounds like something you want to participate in, fill out the “Get Featured” form to get in contact with them.
Before applying make sure to look through their city list to make sure they have a customer base in your area.
YouSwoop is a Chicago-only group buying website. Because they understand their demographics and target market much more specifically, they’re able to provide a higher quality of service to both their consumers and their business partner.
This is what a deal on YouSwoop looks like:
To get featured, click on “Feature Your Business” under “Partner With Us” in the footer.
Fill out the form on the next page. Make sure to provide a few detailed, creative and appealing potential YouSwoop deals in the final box.
Run a company targeted towards people with an active lifestyle? If your company deals with sports, working out, adventure sport or anything adrenaline related, Zozi is the place to go.
Zozi is a group buying website with an adventurous angle. They feature businesses like kayaking expeditions, bikram yoga and fencing classes.
For example, these are some of the deals Zozi has going on in San Francisco:
To apply to have your business listed with Zozi, click “Businesses” in the bottom bar.
You’ll be presented with a page of information about Zozi. Read through the material to learn more about the company and the customers they serve.
To contact Zozi for a consideration request, click “Apply to feature your business” on the right.
You can also just send them an email at merchants@zozi.com with your company’s bio.