Clipping coupons from advertisements could be the next thing to disappear into yesteryear, following pagers, beepers and floppy disks.
Groupons, or virtual coupons for group activities, are now available to penny pinchers in Baton Rouge.
“Groupon is a deal-of-the-day website. We offer discounts of 50 percent to 90 percent on all the things you like to do,” said Groupon marketing manager Julie Mossler.
Groupon offers daily deals on things to do, places to see, places to dine and more, Mossler said.
“It could be a restaurant … skydiving or going to the gym, pretty much anything fun or that you may not have tried,” Mossler explained.
The Baton Rouge edition of Groupon has gained about 10,000 subscribers since its launch Sept. 27.
Discounts for the Old Governor’s Mansion, Truly Free Bakery and Deli and massage parlors are just some of the local Baton Rouge venues with coupons by Groupons.
Local deals can be sent to your e-mail or iPhone, Mossler said.
There is a quota for the number of customers who must use each deal. Groupon users can purchase a voucher for the deal, but it will only be validated and the customer’s credit card charged when the quota has been met.
“When the minimum number of customers is reached, you receive a voucher in your e-mail and you take it to the business,” Mossler said.
If the minimum number is not reached, the transaction is canceled and no one is charged.
Groupon got its name from the idea of putting a group together with coupons for collective saving and buying, Mossler said.
Groupon also works with big corporations like Gap and Threadless, an online T-shirt store.
“We’re really selective in the businesses we feature,” Mossler said. “[Customers] know they aren’t going to go to a business that’s shady or doesn’t take care of their customers.”
Groupon has a strong college focus, Mossler said.
The deals will target that audience because of Baton Rouge’s large college population, Mossler said.
Shaunna Richard, sociology senior, said she would use Groupons because clipping coupons involves too much effort.
“You have to clip it, save it, put it in your wallet [and] wait until you go to the store,” she laughed.
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Contact Julian Tate at [email protected]