LivingSocial Offering Local, Short-Term Deals
LivingSocial is getting deeper into the local ad market today with Instant Deals, a mobile feature that lets consumers find deals within a half-mile radius.
The feature, available through LivingSocial’s mobile app, is test launching in the company’s hometown, Washington, D.C., and will highlight nearby deals that are usually for a much shorter term than the company’s regular offers, which are live for 24 hours and then can be redeemed for six to 12 months.
For example, LivingSocial is offering a deal in Washington for the Spy Museum that’s good for four hours. Equinox, a local restaurant, will run deals on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays to help drive traffic during slow times. Some 44 merchants have signed up for the program so far, a rep says.
LivingSocial isn’t the only company eyeing local mobile search for growth. AT&T last week announced ShopAlert, a mobile service that notifies consumers of nearby deals from Hewlett-Packard, Kmart, JetBlue and others. That service is available in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco.