Dealtoday.com.mt, deal.com.mt, offertispecjali.com.mt, dealsmalta.com.mt. It seems Groupon mania has finally hit Malta with several relatively new websites dedicated to bringing good online deals on products and services to the Maltese public.
Websites seem to face common challenges and are trying to make the best use of social media
Groupon.com, derived from ‘group coupon’, is an international deal-of-the-day website that features discounted gift certificates usable at local or national companies.
It was launched in November 2008 in Chicago and today is available in 48 countries; Malta is not one. Despite the rise in popularity, the company is still struggling to be financially successful.
However Groupon’s popularity seems to have inspired a mix of local and foreign entrepreneurs to launch a Maltese version of the Groupon concept.
Dealtoday.com.mt is the brainchild of two Danes, Michael Steen Pedersen and Kris Jes Petersen, who openly admit to the Groupon influence.
“Yes, the concept is inspired from Groupon, however one must keep in mind that DealToday is local, not an international cooperation. Our focus is the local market from A to Z,” Mr Pedersen explained to i-Tech. “We really find these deal sites appealing as it gives people the chance of getting new experiences for much less. DealToday gives people an even bigger reason to try new restaurant, spa, or hotel they never thought they would go to.
“We really felt that Malta needed a site that offered a superb deal: a ‘real’ deal of half the price or more. Who doesn’t like a new experience and save money at the same time? Plus Malta’s online market is growing – we wanted to be a part of this.”
It seems that foreign influence is strong for these daily deal websites.
Deal.com.mt was born in February last year when Ilia Lazarov came to Eman Borg with the idea from Bulgaria.
“Group buying has become very popular in Bulgaria and Ilia suggested we start up a group buying website for Malta. We had done a lot of research on names, finally we came up with the name Deal,” explained Mr Borg, the managing director of the company operating the website.
Dealsmalta.com.mt is the brainchild of public relations professional Sharon Plunkett, the operator of Deals Ireland, who turned to an Irish prime-time TV show to raise the necessary capital for her latest venture, The Sunday Times reported last month.
Besides the common foreign influence, these websites also seem to face the same challenges and are trying to make the best use of social media to lead the crowded daily deals online market.
“Perhaps the biggest yet most exciting challenge has been to put our name on the local market, reaching both clients and businesses,” according to Mr Petersen of DealToday. “Our extensive marketing campaign which includes social media, online ads, radio, and magazines has definitely helped us in our success. Additionally, we have ensured a practically 24-hour customer service centre where both clients and businesses can call and get any information they require.”
Mr Borg of Deal.com.mt cites the business challenges: “There are several challenges, primarily the awareness of group buying to the local market. Unlike traditional coupons we have to bring group pricings to the consumers. This poses a challenge for both the businesses and first-time customers. However, it is very rewarding to see happy customers and more people buying in.”
When earlier this year i-Tech reported on offertispecjali.com, a representative of the website admitted that “the online shopping industry is a very challenging environment and Maltese e-shoppers do their homework very well before they buy or order online, and likewise at local retail stores.”
However social media is there to support the marketing efforts of these daily deal website and it is used extensively as it is cost-effective.
Mr Borg of deal.com.mt explains: “We mainly use social media and more modern day media solutions to promote Deal. Social media especially, as this really goes hand in hand with Deal given that if our clients spread the word on Facebook, it increases their chances of securing the deal.
“Our affiliate users and websites also get 30 to 40 per cent of our commissions and we developed a system to allow other websites to integrate Deal into their own websites. We also use e-mail marketing and Google marketing with great success. As with any business, we are always looking to adapt to new trends and forms of advertising.”