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May 12, 2010

Livingsocial – Unbeatable Deals Straight to Your Inbox

Who doesn’t love a good deal? Whether you’re looking to save money on spa treatments, new shoes, or even on drinks at your favorite brewpub, Livingsocial is an application that can help you get up to 90% off the cost of your favorite goods and services. The only catch? Deals advertised on Livingsocial are available for a limited time only—typically just 24 hours—which means anyone who doesn’t act fast is likely to get left in the dust.

Once you sign up to get Livingsocial’s daily deals, you’ll start receiving a city-specific newsletter in your inbox each morning. Each day’s deal will list the name of the participating business, the amount that the deal costs to buy, and the actual retail value of the product or service being advertised. In addition, Livingsocial will list the number of users who’ve purchased the deal so far, a short description of what you’d be buying, and a countdown clock listing the hours, minutes, and seconds until that deal is no longer active. If you’ve decided this deal is for you, just click the “Buy Now” button, enter the quantity of deal coupons you’d like to buy, and make a payment. Your credit card will be charged as soon as the deal ends, and you’ll receive an email when your deal coupon is ready to use the next day.

Because Livingsocial is all about sharing great deals with others, the site encourages users to email or tweet any particularly enticing deals to friends, and offers incentives such as free deal coupons to users whose friends make a certain number of purchases. Although Livingsocial is currently only available in 18 major cities, the site is growing quickly. If you’re someone who likes getting a bargain on the products and services you already buy, then Livingsocial can offer you fantastic deals that can’t be found anywhere else.

Practical Uses:

  • Get half off your next haircut
  • Buy a $20 gift card to a yogurt shop for only $10
  • Purchase your girlfriend a gift card to her favorite clothing store
  • Find out about a new restaurant, then buy a dinner there for half price

Insider Tips:

  • A minimum number of users must purchase most deals before they become active
  • Credit card transactions don’t go through until the deal is no longer available for purchase
  • Get your deal for free if three friends purchase the same deal
  • Accrue “Deal Bucks” for every friend who signs up for the site up through your invitation

What we liked:

  • Deals offer up to 90% off of great products on services
  • Livingsocial is available in 18 cities, which is more than some other discount sites
  • A wide variety of businesses are represented in the Livingsocial deals
  • Users can purchase deals with one simple click

What we didn’t like:

  • Users shouldn’t get their hopes up about any deal, since the deal isn’t active until enough other users have purchased it
  • Only a limited number of large cities are available at this time

Alternatives:

Company Info:

  • Launched: July 2009
  • Privately Held
  • Headquarters: Washington, DC
  • Founded by: Tim O’Shaughnessy, Eddie Frederick, Aaron Batalion, and Val Aleksenko
  • Web site: http://livingsocial.com

Costs:

  • Free to join

Comments

  1. Consumerhugh

    I love woot and Groupon and Dealon. Dealon has the most deeply discounted items though hands down. Groupon sometimes does but not always.

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