Groupon Singapore Expands Mobile Reach

Whatever mobile device you have, whichever operating system you prefer, you will be able to avail of great discounts on Groupon Singapore. The group deals company recently launched Symbian and Windows Phone 7 Groupon apps, expanding the suite of operating systems for mobile devices that includes iOS and Android.

Groupon Mobile Applications Now Include Symbian and Windows Phone 7

Groupon mobile applications now run on Symbian, Windows Phone 7, iOS and Android, adding more value to the group deals company's offerings. (Image: Groupon)

Groupon Singapore CEO Karl Chong believes the complete suite of mobile Groupon apps will benefit customers as well as businesses.

The customer today wants to be able to do things while on the go. Be it catching up on the latest news, to shopping, people aren’t confined to their desks anymore. Businesses need to be looking to better the experience for their customers which is why mobile technology is a core element in Groupon’s strategy. We don’t expect people to go to their desktops or laptops anymore whenever they want to purchase a deal, which is why we are bringing Groupon to them.

The Groupon application gives users easy buying and redemption options, while offering businesses a wider market for potential sales. The Groupon App features Daily Deals and Top Deals browsing, where subscribers can check and enjoy the latest and best group deal. Subscribers can use the app to sign in to their accounts while on the go, open the deal they just bought and show the redemption coupon from the screen to the merchant — no need to print coupons any more.

Mr Chong knows Singaporeans love great deals, having built up Beeconomic.com (acquired by Groupon in 17 August 2010, just three months after its launch) and gaining a solid foothold of the group deals market in less than a year.

Beeconomic is an online city guide that features a daily deal on something cool to do, see or taste in Singapore. The model is simple: a deal is offered to our subscribers for 24 hours but is only available if a minimum number of people sign up for it. If not enough people sign up, the deal is off and no money is exchanged.

Groupon’s global buying spree over the past couple of years have helped establish its presence worldwide by using home-grown companies to take care of their own territories. This local yet global reach helps Groupon maintain its customer base despite changes in tastes, merchants backing out and fickle subscribers opting out.

When Groupon bought out a lot of companies, Google and Yahoo in turn tried to buy out Groupon in 2010, but got turned down. Groupon went public in November last year. It has been a rocky road for the company, with the stock currently trading at half its IPO price plus the US Securities and Exchange Commission (US SEC) investigating Groupon’s restatement of its fourth-quarter results.

Groupon Singapore however, has grown from strength to strength — despite other  group deals sites tanking in Singapore. The expansion of the mobile app will certainly add value to a service that most Singaporean subscribers can’t do a day without.