Just like cars and pianos, people need a little tuning up from time-to-time. Today’s Featured Merchant, owner Crystal Areal from Vitality Wellness Center, helps people in the Salem, OR area do just that.
As a new business owner, Crystal was looking for a way to build her client list and compete with existing businesses. Click through to read how Crystal accomplished that and more.
Today’s post is guest-authored by Grouponcierge Brett R.:
Hello Grouponicus practitioners!
This past week has been a blast! It’s been so fun to visit your local cities – from Raleigh to Boston to Salisbury, MD – and help connect you with the best local experiences to give your friends and loved ones this holiday season.
But don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about the rest of you! Even on the road, I always have time for gifting guidance.
We took a survey on our Facebook page about your trickiest gifting scenarios. We wanted to know who on your list is the hardest to shop for this year. Check out some of my top Grouponicus gift suggestions and remember, One Shall Not Own a Dog During Grouponicus.
Greetings from the Product team here at Groupon! Today we’ve announced Groupon Scheduler, a new online appointment calendar that provides an easy way for Groupon merchants to manage their schedules and accept bookings directly from consumers.
Groupon Scheduler grew out of technology from our September 2011 acquisition of OpenCal, an innovative company founded in 2009 by product designers Arash Shiva and Simon Vallee in Vancouver, Canada. We recognized that there were thousands of appointment-based Groupon merchants looking for a simple way to implement online scheduling. Groupon Scheduler can accommodate schedules for different employees, services, and business locations, allowing consumers to book appointments without having to call or email.
Groupon consumers can book appointments with participating merchants through their account on Groupon.com and will receive a reminder email 24 hours before the scheduled appointment. In addition to booking Groupon clientele, merchants can place a “Book Now” button on their website to schedule non-Groupon appointments and manage their entire calendar.
We’ve kicked off a pilot program in Sacramento and Miami and plan to implement Groupon Scheduler in markets across the U.S. and internationally soon. If you’re a business owner, learn more and register to be notified when Groupon Scheduler launches in your local market on our merchant page http://www.groupon.com/scheduler.
David Katz
VP/GM Retail Solutions
Even though the daily-deal industry is about as fast paced and exciting as they come, for some reason Groupon employees insist on having interests outside of work. In response, Groupon has established many extravocational clubs and societies to entertain employees for the hours after they are done working but before they go to sleep in our on-campus housing. Here are just some of the clubs we have here at Groupon:
Today’s post is guest-authored by Grouponcierge Caroline T.:
Greetings Grouponicus shoppers and giftees,
This past Sunday, I started the week off right spreading Grouponicus cheer in one of my favorite cities in the world – Chicago! As Frank Sinatra would croon, ”Chicago is one town that won’t let you down. It’s my kind of town.”
The famous Marilyn Monroe statue outside of NBC Chicago studios
Since I’ve already helped Chicagoans discover the best local gifts, I figured I’d spread the love with some expert advice on the coolest Grouponicus experiences across the country this week.
My recent Groupon Getaway to Napa - a great gift option I mention on NBC Chicago!
With Grouponicus, we have new ideas coming at you throughout the week, so check back often. And remember, giving the gift of experience like one of the options above will be much more memorable than a necktie or new slippers.
That’s it from me for now. Catch you later this week from Salt Lake City.
–Caroline T.
This past month, Groupon employees again raised money to support prostate cancer and other male cancer initiatives by donning a traditional face wreath during Movember. Some participants waited patiently for their follicles to make an appearance, some reported their significant others were not too keen on the stubble, others just blinked and Tom Selleck appeared over their upper lip.
Not just limited to men, there were several females who rallied in support and became a Citizen of Movember. And while not exactly able to sprout a handlebar, these Mo Sisters still helped raise funds for the cause. Below are some of the fine young men who participated this year. Notice just how much the mustache affects their wardrobe, posture, and healthy glow.
If you would like to learn more about how you can raise awareness about the cause, please visit Movember’s site.
Check out more ‘staches after the jump!
Ok everyone, it’s December 1; how’s your gift list shaping up? I have most of my shopping done thanks to Groupon, including Armani sunglasses, this cute olive oil set and and a giant inflatable land shark. I have weird friends.
For the second year in a row, our Grouponicus Holiday Shop empowered Black Friday and Cyber Monday consumers in the U.S. to give unforgettable local experiences. With more than 400 merchants featured over the holiday weekend from sleigh rides to spa experiences, shoppers skipped the chaos at the malls to buy local from the comfort of their own homes.
Although the shopping season is barely underway, Groupon customers’ holiday weekend purchases provide interesting insight into this year’s gift trends:
Shopping local is the new black (Friday).
Black Friday isn’t just for national retailers with large ad budgets. The most popular ‘gifted’ local deal was from GT Dream Cars in New Jersey. More than 860 shoppers grabbed the opportunity for a loved one to race an Aston Martin or Lamborghini for just $59! And in support of Small Business Saturday®, all Groupon deals on Saturday, 11/26 showcased local merchants.
Even without the office snowman competition in balmy 40 degree weather, this week has been busy. Grouponicus holiday deals featured such national brands as Old Navy and Sony and mustaches ran free with the close of Movember. Chase, DonorsChoose.org, and G-Team also ran a unique one-week-only giving opportunity to help purchase essential classroom supplies. With everyone’s generosity, the G-Team deal sold out before the week came to a close!
DonorsChoose.org is a nonprofit website where public school teachers describe specific educational projects for their students, and donors can choose the projects they want to support. This was an especially successful campaign due to the partnership with Chase who gave an additional $40 for every $10 donation. Over the last five years, Chase has gifted more than $180 million to educational programs and nonprofits.
Since its inception in 2000, DonorsChoose.org has provided more than $91 million to help fund everything from books and art supplies to electronics and classroom furniture. Known for its super local impact, this organization was also the first charity featured on our site and now our most successful.
Even though the campaign ended on Groupon’s site, you can still show your support by donating directly on DonorsChoose.org. Also, if you have an organization you would like to see a local G-Team campaign for, tell us about them here: www.groupon.com/G-Team. Thanks for making this G-Team campaign such a success!
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