

Ask HN: Groupon and others: Why emphasis on local? - mudil

As a publisher of a medical technology blog (Medgadget.com), I was looking for ways to increase our revenues. One idea was to setup a white label Groupon clone, to sell medical devices via an ad on our blog. Understandably, the process is cumbersome to setup and difficult to arrange with device distributors. That brings me to the question. Why Google Places (and Groupon, LivSoc) place all the bets on small local businesses? Wouldn't it make sense for Google and others to open a deal platform targeting websites and corresponding businesses? (Google can even integrate this platform with AdSense.) I would love to have an ad with a clock that says that only 4 hours left and one CT scanner to go to get a discount.:) But seriously, websites like mine can display today's medical deal (and get a cut from  merchandise sold), and surfing sites will have a surfing deal. Why all emphasis on local, am I missing something?
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sajid
You're thinking about this backwards.

Historically, online advertising platforms have not succeeded in tapping the
enormous local business market. People tried lots of different approaches but
not of them worked. Finally, Groupon came along and cracked the code. It turns
out that the daily deals model is a form of online advertising which works
well for local businesses.

BTW Non-local deal sites do exist, see woot.com or appsumo.com . So there's no
a priori reason why your idea wouldn't work.

