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[RestaurantDoctors]

Facebook launches Groupon competitor with 'Deals' platform

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At a press conference at its head office today, Facebook announced a new Deals platform that allows local merchants to target and offer deals to Facebook users. The new platform could prove to be big competition for social-buying giant Groupon.

The Deals platform is built around Facebook's Places feature. It allows users to find specials around them, and it allows merchants to offer specials to drive more business, without paying Facebook a dime.

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Interesting stuff. The fact that they dont take ANYTHING from the deal reminds me in a way of Googles approach --- give "stuff" away for free just to get users to "always" be using your site. Hence Gmail ( they monetized it ), Google Docs ( they have "pro" versions of it ), Maps ( monetized ), etc, etc, etc.


So Facebook is giving away the ability for restaurants to share deals - and what will that do? Draw more people into the Facebook web.

Be interesting to see if they continue the trend with the "check in" service to go head-to-head with Foursquare as well....

Is anyone here a part of the original trial group? Insights? Pros / Cons?