Even though the trend nowadays is to cry that the bubble's about to burst for group-buying businesses, Groupon partner Loopt has just introduced an interesting new wrinkle on the model that might promise some more longevity. U-Deals, announced today, allow users to request their own deals.
Given that Groupon teamed with Loopt for Groupon Now, it seems that things are heading towards more reactive, immediate and personalized deals for everyone instead of the one-size-fits-all, take-it-or-leave-it ones that are offered daily.
The appeal for business owners is obvious as they're guaranteed customers, but it's uncertain whether Loopt has the concentrated customer base in local areas to assure this clever idea's success.
It's only currently being tested in San Francisco, which is too bad, since it seems like it'd be just the thing Groupon would need to turn around sagging areas like Boston and Chicago.
On the other hand, how many more ways are left to revolutionize or rethink daily deals?
