[LINK] Google 'Offers'

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

Google April 23 


Google confirmed it has rolled out its 'Google Offers' Groupon clone 
service in Portland, Ore., offering people in that city local discount 
deals of 50 percent or more to restaurants, bars and other stores.

The Google Offers landing page also currently invites users to sign up to 
receive local deals in New York City, Oakland/East Bay, Calif., and San 
Francisco. 

 <https://www.google.com/offers/t#!subscribe>

Users whose cities are not yet represented in the drop-down menu may 
click to enter their email addresses and zip codes to let Google know 
they want Google Offers in their city. 

"Today we launched a marketing campaign inviting Portlanders to sign up 
for a test of Google Offers - to get great deals delivered right to their 
in-boxes," Google told eWEEK. 

"Offers is part of an ongoing effort at Google to make new services that 
give consumers great deals while helping connect businesses with 
customers in new ways."

Google Offers closely hews to the formula popularized by Groupon, which 
rocketed to stardom in 2010 and spurned a $6 billion acquisition bid from 
Google in December. Groupon, which competes with LivingSocial, Gilt 
Groupe and others, went on to raise $950 million from investors and has 
met with bankers to discuss an initial public offering.

Following Google' failed acquisition bid for Groupon, word of Google 
Offers leaked in January, suggesting Google was preparing the service in 
its Web service pipeline in the event it couldn't bag Groupon.

According to an early fact sheet, Google fashions marketing material for 
an offer, emails it to local subscribers, and advertises it on the Google 
Offers Web page. 

A subscriber, once receiving the local deal of the day, may buy that 
deal. 

When enough people have made the purchase through Google Checkout, the 
deal kicks in. Users may then redeem their coupon at a local store by 
printing it out beforehand or on their mobile phone.

Google will reportedly pay out 80 percent of a business' revenue share 
three days after its deal runs. Google will hold the remaining 20 percent 
for 60 days to cover refunds before sending the rest.

Ironically Google Offers is going to beta in Portland, amid Margo 
Georgiadis’ departure from the post of vice president of Google’s Global 
Sales Operations to become Groupon's new COO. 

That's a big coup for a company making hundreds of millions of dollars by 
offering customers discounts to their local businesses. 

Meanwhile, Google Offers has just been named in a blanket lawsuit by 
Walker Digital, which claimed in Delaware court the services infringe 
four patents related to online deal making.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Web-Services-Web-20-and-SOA/Google-Offers-Nips-
at-Groupons-Heels-in-Portland-698920/
By: Clint Boulton  2011-04-24

Cheers,
Stephen