Anyone on a budget can appreciate a good deal.
This is the logic behind LivingSocial, an online resource that offers daily coupons for businesses in a customer’s area.
On Jan. 13, LivingSocial expanded its territory to include nine new U.S. markets, one of them being Gainesville.
“We observe a couple of different facets when looking at new markets,” LivingSocial spokeswoman Maire Griffin said. “We look at merchants and consumers and determine what people want.”
For the LivingSocial Gainesville launch, Fresco Neighborhood Italian restaurant offered the first deal. About 250 customers purchased a coupon worth $30 for only $15.
Restaurant owner and manager Gordy Braund said that within 24 hours he noticed a change in incoming business.
“We have a predominantly local clientele,” he said. “On a given Friday night I usually know two-thirds of the customers. Last Friday, I probably only knew one-third.”
LivingSocial is not the only company to recognize the growing popularity of online discount advertisements.
UF students Zak Elfenbein and Michael Kaplan recently licensed a franchise of the website Coupon Cocktail, a discount source similar to LivingSocial. They, too, launched their business Jan. 13 in Gainesville.
“I think Gainesville is a great market for a company like this because students are living on tight budgets,” Kaplan said. “These coupons could definitely help them with their basic needs.”
