I doubt this will work because it doesn't take into account Zipf's law. The problem is that we live in a world where 1% of the population creates 90% of the content, so it'll be impossible to get enough people actively participating except for maybe with places like Shake Shack that don't need it anyway. If they created a new service specifically designed just for this then it might work with a few tweaks, but creating something just for the Loopt user base seems like a dubious decision.
Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
21–30 of 55 posts
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#22Honest question... Does anyone on HN use Loopt? I've tried it a few times over the years and it never really comes to close to making me want to continue using it.
I tried it, but found it slightly less compelling than Foursquare or FB Places (which I tried for a month of solid use); none of these services really hold my interest.
The only thing I am interested in is where my actual friends are looking at doing things in the next 0-8 hours, not where people I know from facebook are during the day. Google Latitude actually does a better job of this for me than any other service I've tried, but it's still basically useless.
Checkins were marginally useful to me in seeing where I ate lunch each day. Looking at things retrospectively was the most interesting use, and turned out to be somewhat depressing (home, gas, office, lunch across the street, office, fry's, office, datacenter, home, repeat indefinitely).
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#23While it's a theoretically cool concept, the actual implementation doesn't appeal that much to me as a consumer and I'm not sure it'll really appeal to businesses. Would I want to get $20 at a nearby pizza place for $10? Sure. But how useful is it if I have to wait an indeterminate amount of time (if ever) to get the deal? I'm likely to only suggest local businesses that I frequent a lot anyway, and how useful is it…
This is a much better idea. Instead of daily deals, realtime deals. Let the business offer a limited time deal (30mins, 1hr, or until they cancel). For example, an empty restaurant or bar could post a 50% discount for customers placing orders in the next 30 mins - not only giving their staff something to do but a busier restaurant/bar gives social proof attracting further customers later once the deal expires. Would…
Groupon is headed this way with GrouponNow:
"Introducing Groupon Now: Real-time deals that attract customers exactly when you need them."
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#24While it's a theoretically cool concept, the actual implementation doesn't appeal that much to me as a consumer and I'm not sure it'll really appeal to businesses. Would I want to get $20 at a nearby pizza place for $10? Sure. But how useful is it if I have to wait an indeterminate amount of time (if ever) to get the deal? I'm likely to only suggest local businesses that I frequent a lot anyway, and how useful is it…
I think Groupon is already doing something like this. Check out their "Now Deals"
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#25I can't see this variation of the model working because usually when you are near a store, the deal or offer is something that needs to be acted on within a few minutes
Imagine you are going out to get lunch. In the GroupOn model you have already pre-purchased a deal and you can plan ahead. In this Loopt model you can't make an instant decision based on where you are since it involves going back to loopt, etc. etc.
This would be more interesting if vendors could list their deals or vouchers on loopt and it would alert you when you are near one (based on location and/or time)
Ten years ago there was a trial of a similar system - the name of which I cannot recall. But it involved sending bluetooth alerts to your phone when you were near a store that was running a promotion or deal. I used it once to grab lunch and it worked well (you would give your phone number at the counter, the discount was ~30% IIRC).
Vendors would likely be interested in a system where they could specify something along the lines of: send me a thousand customers over the next month between 2-4pm who are within 2 miles of my location and are interested in 30% off a pizza. Do not send me customers who have already redeemed a coupon in the past x months. The problem is that type of system would involve a large upfront investment from loopt in going out and getting the customers onto the system.
Loopt have the location users, but not the deals. On the other hand GroupOn have the deals, the vendors and the users but do not have the location system. One of these is easier to build than the other
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a much better idea. Instead of daily deals, realtime deals. Let the business offer a limited time deal (30mins, 1hr, or until they cancel). For example, an empty restaurant or bar could post a 50% discount for customers placing orders in the next 30 mins - not only giving their staff something to do but a busier restaurant/bar gives social proof attracting further customers later once the deal expires. Would…
Groupon is headed this way with GrouponNow: "Introducing Groupon Now: Real-time deals that attract customers exactly when you need them." http://www.groupon.com/merchants/welcome
Interesting. Still, the realtime location data Loopt have would make this much more effective. People might not want to travel to a realtime deal running somewhere in their city, in case it ends before they arrive. But if the deal is running at a bar next door or on the street they are walking along then that problem is eliminated.
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#27I've been thinking about better ways to use location data for awhile now, and this one is interesting but (for many of the reasons mentioned here) I don't think it's a winner.
Here's what I'm working on - a way to use a firehose of location based check-ins to allow venue owners to issue microbribes to get customers in the door.
For example: I'm in Tribeca running a bar. I have a dashboard that lets me see in realtime how many check-ins are occurring and where (and I can filter by distance and venue type). I can set thresholds (I'll pay $1 to get any customer in the door, I'll pay $20 to get a group of 4 in the door, etc) OR let an algorithm determine the spot value of getting a customer in the door. My dashboard then automatically generates the appropriate deal. When my other threshold (current capacity/throughput in my venue) is reached, the deal expires. (Of course, I can see how someone who had to wait a long time for a cab might be burned if the deal expires before she arrives - there must be a way around that).
Right now, the issue I'm having is - how do people get notified about the deal? If it's in-game and I get a partnership w 4sq, it's a little easier...but it's still irritating to be "pitched to" every time I'm out on the town. If I sign up to a third-party system riding on top of 4sq, it takes me out of the awesome game-mindset that 4sq engenders. Maybe within 4sq, I can click a "bribe me" button?
I think nhashem and I are chasing the same battleship - anyone else have any thoughts?
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#28This is wrong on so many levels.
The first one is that as a business you are supposed to use deals to bring in new customers, not to let the ones that already know you have a discount
The second one is how it'll be marketed to business owners, I understand that a fool is easily parted with this money but this is borderline stupid
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#29While it's a theoretically cool concept, the actual implementation doesn't appeal that much to me as a consumer and I'm not sure it'll really appeal to businesses. Would I want to get $20 at a nearby pizza place for $10? Sure. But how useful is it if I have to wait an indeterminate amount of time (if ever) to get the deal? I'm likely to only suggest local businesses that I frequent a lot anyway, and how useful is it…
This is a much better idea. Instead of daily deals, realtime deals. Let the business offer a limited time deal (30mins, 1hr, or until they cancel). For example, an empty restaurant or bar could post a 50% discount for customers placing orders in the next 30 mins - not only giving their staff something to do but a busier restaurant/bar gives social proof attracting further customers later once the deal expires. Would…
Why wouldn't a business just use Twitter or Facebook for announcing a realtime, short-term deal like that?
I follow most of my local businesses for that reason - many of them already tweet about on-the-spot deals which works the same way. Plus, it's an incentive for customers to follow their social media accounts which also helps with other types of advertising and promotion.
Re: Loopt Tries a Groupon in Reverse
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a much better idea. Instead of daily deals, realtime deals. Let the business offer a limited time deal (30mins, 1hr, or until they cancel). For example, an empty restaurant or bar could post a 50% discount for customers placing orders in the next 30 mins - not only giving their staff something to do but a busier restaurant/bar gives social proof attracting further customers later once the deal expires. Would…
Why wouldn't a business just use Twitter or Facebook for announcing a realtime, short-term deal like that? I follow most of my local businesses for that reason - many of them already tweet about on-the-spot deals which works the same way. Plus, it's an incentive for customers to follow their social media accounts which also helps with other types of advertising and promotion.
I'd guess because they'd have an audience including potential new customers with an app like that whereas anyone following them on Twitter or Facebook is already a customer.