NEW YORK -- If Groupon isn't as ubiquitous as, say, Facebook, it's getting there. The website, which offers daily coupons to local restaurants, bars and other businesses, has 60 million members worldwide.
Groupon's business model is simple: It posts one deal a day, such as $10 for $20 worth of food at a local cafe. Visitors have 24 hours to sign up for the deal.
I tested Groupon along with some copycat services. I learned that while the formula of these sites doesn't change much, the mix of bargains you find does.
Groupon ( www.groupon.com )
What I like: Groupon sometimes offers deals at national chains -- say, $25 for $50 worth of clothes at The Gap. The site also offers the best variety of deals, mixing things like restaurants, yoga classes and bowling. Many of the deals are good for a year; others expire after 6 months or so. Each deal needs buy-in from a certain number of visitors to take effect, but because Groupon is well known, it usually does. Groupon has apps for the iPhone, Android and BlackBerrys.
What I don't: Because Groupon has so many members, deals sometimes sell out.
LivingSocial ( www.livingsocial.com )
What I like: True to its name, many of LivingSocial's deals were tailor-made for groups and couples. Perhaps because the deals are so activity-focused, you'll see some that you won't on other sites, such as a six-week foreign language class. Its "Escapes" section sells hotel stays in locations as diverse as Cozumel and Cape Cod. The coupons last for six months to a year.
What I don't: The only available phone app is for the iPhone. The service could use more restaurant deals.
Scoutmob ( www.scoutmob.com )
What I like: Scoutmob takes a refreshing approach: the coupon is free. If you see an offer you like, just click a button to receive the coupon via text message or e-mail. You'll only pay when you show up at a cafe, for example, and use it for half-off drinks. You can also claim deals using a free iPhone or Android app.
The result is a guilt-free experience. Often, I hesitate to pounce on deals from other sites because I worry I won't get around to using the coupons in time, especially if they require schlepping to an out-of-the-way neighborhood. But with Scoutmob, I can rack up as many coupons as I want and know that I haven't lost anything if I forget to use them.
What I don't: For now, it's only available in New York, San Francisco and Atlanta, though it will soon launch in nine more cities. The deals only last one day, and they aren't as varied as Groupon's and LivingSocial's. With the exception of a day spa, they've all been for restaurants and bars. The deals expire after about three months.
DailyCandy Deals ( deals.dailycandy.com )
What I like: DailyCandy, which sends e-mail newsletters to readers in 12 cities, already curates lists of restaurants, stores, theaters and galleries. So I trust DailyCandy as an arbiter of taste, perhaps even more than Groupon's persuasively snappy write-ups. As with Groupon, DailyCandy requires that you buy into the deal up front. The deals are good for about six months.
What I don't: It's only available in New York and Philadelphia, with Los Angeles coming soon. There is no dedicated phone app.
Gilt City ( www.giltcity.com )
What I like: Gilt Groupe is a flash sale website, meaning it holds time-limited sales of small quantities of deeply discounted goods. As such, it's already in the business of selling luxury goods and hotel stays, so it's easy to imagine it hawking three-course dinners and other posh outings as well. Gilt typically lets people buy up to five coupons for each deal, making it easy to share these experiences with other people.
What I don't: Only available in a few cities, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and Boston. Even with the discount, some of Gilt's outings are pricey. One example was a $75 ticket to a wine and cheese tasting, down from $130. Many of the coupons also expire relatively quickly -- in three or four months. And, like LivingSocial, the only app is for the iPhone.
