Groupon expands into Japan, Russia

By Wailin Wong
Posted Aug. 17, 2010 at 3:52 p.m.

Daily deal site Groupon is continuing its international expansion with acquisitions of similar companies in Japan and Russia.

Chicago-based Groupon said it has bought Qpod of Japan and Darberry of Russia. TermsĀ  were not disclosed. Both sites were launched this year, and their founders will stay on, with the sites being redesigned to be consistent with Groupon’s brand name over the next several months, Groupon said in a release.
Rob Solomon, Groupon’s president and chief operating officer, said the new “markets represent a tremendous global e-commerce opportunity for us.”

According to Groupon, the site operates in 29 countries and has more than 13 million subscribers worldwide. In May, the company acquired European daily deal site Citydeal for an undisclosed amount.

Groupon offers new deals each day for local businesses, with the promotions getting activated if a minimum number of people sign up for the offer.

Its rapid growth has inspired a slew of competitors, with some aping Groupon’s business model and others offering their own twist. A small cottage industry also has sprung up around this new segment of group-buying sites, with services that aggregate deals and online marketplaces for consumers to buy and sell coupons.

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