By Graeme McMillan
For those who feel that daily deals sites would be a lot more interesting if only they offered deals on something other than spas and local restaurants, Groupon has an offer for you: $500 off a brand new car.
Admittedly, you'd have to be in Detroit to take advantage of the deal—paying $199 to get $500 off a new or pre-owned vehicle from LaFontaine Auto dealership—but it's another sign that Groupon is taking the daily deals framework into areas where you wouldn't expect it. The company has recently also offered a deal for $500 off closing costs for real estate purchases.
These moves may be a way in which Groupon aims to distinguish itself from the masses of competitors springing up recently (GoogleOffers, Amazon Local, et al) but beyond the headlines it'll generate, it's uncertain how successful such big ticket items will be with the site's 80+ million members and whether it'll end up sending some of those members to other daily deals sites where they can more easily afford what's on offer.
That said, as soon as someone starts offering 50% off transatlantic air fares, I'm there.
