Cat Lovers on Campus? 17 Things to Consider Before Launching A Daily Deals Site

In a few short years, Groupon slapped a buy button on a website, hired some sales people, and is now reportedly making $760 million annually with a multi-billion dollar valuation.

Easy, right?  I mean there are 600+ new group buy sites and new ones popping up every day.  Got a great idea for a daily deal site?  (My favorite thus far is the niche site at the cross section of Cat-Lovers on Campus)

Before you get too carried away and quit your job to set up shop in your garage, here’s 17 things to consider:

Technology:

• How will you get the word out?  Will you need to build an affiliate network?
• Which analytic tools will you use and how? Everyone wants to know what’s working and what’s not, how will you measure results?
• How will you collect and store new email subscribers? You’ll need an integrated email service provider.
• How will you integrate with Facebook and other social networks?
• Mobile:  Most emails are viewed on a mobile device, the experience is important.  Will you have an app or mobile browser capabilities?
• Are you PCI compliant?  This is important…

But, services are the iceberg under the tip of technology:

• Who will source deals? For daily deals, you’ll need at least 30-40 a month.
• Who will assure deal quality? Not every deal is created equal.  Lots of things factor into a good deal.  Things like price point, % of discount, # of locations, audience, etc.
• Who will write and design deal creative? Don’t forget about the catchy little descriptions that convince people to buy or just open the email.
• Email layout and design – hopefully you’re a graphics artist and a copywriter.
• Who will work with the merchants to ensure the offer is presented correctly and the merchant is prepared for the flood of new customers?
• Are you a logistics expert?  Coordinating 30+ business owners at once is no easy task.
• Who will manage social campaigns and marketing programs to promote the daily deals?

You’ve figured out the technology, deal logistics and marketing.  The deal goes live, then what?

• You have to take credit cards, how will you process them?  PCI Compliance and Security is a top concern these days.
• Who will provide customer support when someone wants a refund?  Or can’t print a voucher?
• Who will provide merchant support during deal redemption?
• Who will own merchant accounts payable?

From source code to post-sale support, you have options.  Want to hear more about Tippr’s white-label group buying platform and services?  Contact us.