Groupon Launches in Charleston

Upcoming Features Include Yoga, Ice Cream and Kayaking

CHARLESTON, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Groupon (http://www.groupon.com), a shopping website that offers a daily deal on the best local goods, services and cultural events in more than 165 markets around the world, launched in Charleston, South Carolina on August 2, 2010.

“Charleston is among South Carolina’s largest cities and a top tourist destination rich in culture and history, making it perfect for Groupon”

“Charleston is among South Carolina’s largest cities and a top tourist destination rich in culture and history, making it perfect for Groupon,” said Groupon founder Andrew Mason. “We look forward to helping residents and visitors experience the best that Charleston has to offer, while establishing a new stream of customers to local businesses.”

Using the principles of collective buying, Groupon negotiates unprecedented deals with top businesses. Groupon subscribers receive free daily emails alerting them to the deal. These deals are only activated if a minimum number of people agree to buy, encouraging subscribers to share the promotion with family and friends via social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. By guaranteeing a large number of new customers, Groupon creates a win-win for local merchants. So far, this innovative approach to e-commerce has generated millions in revenue for local businesses while saving millions of subscribers in North America more than $370 million.

“Groupon brings buyers and sellers together in a fun and collaborative way,” said Mason. “We offer the consumer a great deal they can’t get anywhere else and deliver the sales directly to the merchant.”

During its first week in Charleston, Groupon's featured deals included a local café, a spa and a historic pub tour. Upcoming features include a Bikram yoga package, an ice cream shop and a kayaking tour. Charleston is the first city in South Carolina to enjoy savings from Groupon.

About Groupon

Groupon, launched in November 2008 in Chicago, features a daily deal on the best stuff to do, eat, see and buy in more than 165 cities around the world. Groupon uses collective buying power to offer unbeatable prices and provide a win-win for businesses and consumers. For more information, visit http://www.groupon.com.

To get Groupon’s daily free email for the best in your city, subscribe at http://www.groupon.com.

For more information on Groupon apps for the iPhone and Android, visit www.groupon.com/mobile.

To learn more on how to become a featured business on Groupon, visit http://www.grouponworks.com.