By Wailin Wong | Chicago-based
social commerce site Groupon has acquired a European daily deal site,
expanding its reach to 140 cities in 18 countries.
 
Financial terms of the deal with Citydeal, the German company, were not
disclosed. In a Sunday statement, Groupon said Citydeal is the “world’s
largest Groupon clone.” While Groupon has dozens of copycat competitors
in the U.S., this transaction marks the first time the company has
acquired one of its imitators.

“Citydeal’s rapid growth across Europe has proven that the Groupon model is truly global,” Groupon founder and chief executive Andrew Mason said in the statement.
 
Citydeal was founded in November 2009 and ran its first deal in January in Berlin. The company’s services will be re-branded under Groupon’s name.