Have I Got A Deal For You!

Did you know that there are over 550 "Deal" sites in operation today?  Groupon and Living Social may be some of the most well-known/popular but there are many others that have copied these industry leaders.

Confession time - I subscribe to 4 different "deal" sites.  One (The Capital Deal) I subscribed to in order to get the free Papa John's pizza.  I subscribed to Specialicious because they tried to sell me on deals for the store and I wanted to get a better idea of their offerings and product.  I've been a Groupon subscriber (both in this area and San Diego) for quite a while (and it is the only one from which I have purchased deals).  And I subscribe to the local Old Town Alexandria Patch deals (which are fairly infrequent at this point).

In thinking about my Groupon usage, I think I've only let one expire without having the opportunity to use it.  I've used the others I've purchased, either for things that I already knew I wanted or something I wanted to try.  However, with the exception of one, I've not returned to the restaurant or service provider after using the Groupon.  It wasn't that any of it was a bad experience - I guess I got what I wanted for it but wasn't left wanting more.  Am I typical?

I have thought a great deal about the value of offering a deal for the store.  Do you make money?  Do you actually gain repeat customers?  Are you really reaching your target market(s)?  Is a good method for getting your name out there?  How do people perceive businesses that offer deals?

I was recently approached by someone whom I know about offering a deal on a niche site here in the Alexandria/Arlington area.  I do like their target market and their approach to the deal process.  She was able to provide me with concrete numbers on subscribers, open rates, and purchase rates.  She was able to show me the contract language up front.  She has signed up others in my same category who I admire and who already have successful businesses.  And she is someone I trust.

So, pending the final contract review, I think I'm going to take the plunge into the "Daily Deal" world!  I'd love to hear your experiences and thoughts.