By Alicia Broadest, Account Manager
Could the news this week that Groupon – the daily online voucher company – has reported an unexpected loss on sales profits be a knock on affect from fears of further recession, or a sign that online couponing has become somewhat lackluster with an oversaturated market and the introduction of new technologies?
The launch of couponing and discount websites such as Groupon were a welcome commodity to many looking for a bargain during the first wave of the recession. However, the quest for a bargain is fast becoming notably easier with the unveiling of near field communication (NFC).
We have already seen many major companies backing this short-range wireless technology as a way to facilitate cashless payments, from TFL to Google Wallet. Though it is still a relatively new technology, 2012 is poised to be the year for NFC with reports from the BBC predicting that NFC equipped mobile devices will lead the way, allowing users to expand the use of mobile technology for cashless payments.
Even so, electronic payments are just one of many potential uses of NFC, with numerous organisations already offering Mobile Couponing. Companies such as Mahindra Satyam, who launched their own mobile couponing and geo-tagging solution last year, are recognising the benefits of providing discounts to ‘Joe Public’ and embracing NFC technology. Allowing users to present coupons via mobile phones that can be easily and conveniently scanned and redeemed, without the need for printed vouchers and offers like those obtainable through Groupon.
NFC is the lynchpin in future technology, combining payment, offers and loyalty in a single transaction and my prediction is that these financial results are a sign of things to come and voucher sites such as Groupon will soon be Group-gone!
