After spending the past 10+ years as a radio and online journalist, I’m about to have my work published in print for the first time. Laptop Magazine asked me to research and write an article comparing Groupon and LivingSocial, the two largest daily deals sites. The article will hit newsstands next month, but it’s already available to read online.
I spoke with representatives from each company and tracked the deals each company offered in Philadelphia and other regions for a couple of weeks and tried to write up a fair comparison of the services including mobile apps, customer protection, group buying incentives and other features. What’s nice is that you don’t actually have to choose one or the other, because bargain hunters can register for as many sites of this type as they like. But if you’ve been wondering what sets Groupon and LivingSocial apart from one another, I’m pretty sure we’ve come up with a more comprehensive comparison than you’ll find anywhere else.
Sure, I’ve written close to 3 million words on Liliputing and Mobiputing alone, not to mention all the writing I’ve done at Download Squad, TV Squad, PVR Wire, WHYY, NPR, and elsewhere. But there’s something special about actually seeing your name on a printed piece of paper that still feels special. Unfortunately I still have to wait until mid-May to see that happen. I guess there’s still something special about the web too: It’s a lot easier to publish things quickly online.
I’ve just completed extensive research on the major online couponing sites and one early conclusion I have reached is that LivingSocial is going to out perform Groupon. Reason? LS has great customer service (after all, Amazon, who also owns Zappos, has a stack in them). Plus LS does not rely on a hard sales approach as does Groupon. There are many predictions that LivingSocial will surpass Groupon in 2012 and I agree. BTW, my most recent post is at – http://www.406strategies.com/2011/05/04/the-a-student-living-social/ – love to hear your input.
How long does it typically take for LivingSocial to get back to a merchant that has inquired about a deal?