Groublogpon – The Serious Blog of Groupon

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.

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The quiet period is over! Our IPO process was a wild ride, but we’re excited to get back to business and are focused squarely on the future. The last six months have been the most productive in our history, seeing the launch of great new services like Groupon Now!, Groupon Rewards, Groupon Getaways, and Groupon Goods. And with the addition of product and travel deals that are handpicked to make perfect gifts, Grouponicus, our corporate wintertime holiday (currently only celebrated in the USA), is off to a roaring start. We sold over 650,000 Grouponicus deals between Black Friday and Cyber Monday – an increase of over 500% from last year – saving consumers millions of dollars, and delivering tons of business to our merchant partners.

A huge thanks to our customers and merchant partners, who continue to embrace Groupon with a passion that makes us feel like we have the best jobs in the world. We’ve got even more lined up for the next six months than we did in the last six months, so stay tuned! We’re back to communicating like a normal company again… well, as normal as we can muster at Groupon.

Today’s guest post comes from our Grouponicerge Susan M.:

Greetings! Grouponcierge Susan M. here, checking in after a few weeks of traveling the country and sharing my top gifting advice with shoppers nationwide.

Thanksgiving Thursday I found myself in Hoosier Country at the local FOX Indianapolis studios. The folks there were swell, especially considering it was 6:00 a.m. on Turkey Day! On this morning before the country’s biggest shopping day of the year, I was eager to showcase some top holiday shopping tips & tricks, as well as highlight some of the best offers within the local Grouponicus Holiday Shop.

Oftentimes it’s hard to find the perfect gift for two halves of a whole. That’s why I recommend couples’ gifts — an experience that your favorite tag-team or loving duo can enjoy together. This week, Indianapolis shoppers have the opportunity to give an indulgent five-course fusion dinner for two. Nothing says “Happy Grouponicus!” like a night out with your special someone.

Check out more of my tips and travels…after the jump!

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Our recruiting department wishes you a happy holiday and wanted to let you know that one of Groupon’s new siblings, Groupon Getaways, is hiring!

We put together a video giving an inside look at Getaways and what type of people we are looking for to fit the bill. We are mainly seeking Account Executives to build relationships with hoteliers and lodging suppliers, but have other roles related to travel available. Please note that the Hovercraft Pilot is currently staffed. If you are interested in applying or viewing all available positions, you can check out www.groupon.com/jobs.

Groupon Now! Serves Lunch Nationwide for $1

Lunch is traditionally served in the middle of the day after breakfast, before dinner, and during brunch. Other than its ability to sound strange when said out loud too many times, lunch also fills the stomach so one can sustain alertness for twenty minutes before the inevitable “food coma” takes over the system.

To celebrate this middle-meal, Groupon Now! is partnering with Feeding America, the nation’s largest organization dedicated to fighting domestic hunger through a network of food banks. This great charity helps provide fresh produce and nutritious meals to families struggling with hunger through mobile pantries and food banks, food stamps, disaster relief, children’s free-meal programs, and advocacy efforts.

In partnership with this organization, a portion of the proceeds from $1 Lunch Day will help provide half-a-million meals to families in need. This is the largest Groupon Now! promotion to date, featuring $1 lunch deals from thousands of the best merchants across all 25 Groupon Now! markets. From sushi, wraps and pizza to five-star restaurants, burger joints and bakeries, customers can find $1 deals from their favorite spots across town or spend their lunch hour discovering different eateries.

If you packed a lunch today, you can still check out Feeding America’s G-Team campaign and make a donation! Feeding America can help feed a family of four for an entire week for $11. Thanks for your support!