The key to getting people to click away from Amazon? Convenience. For example, the Fitbit Charge 2 retailed recently for $139.99 on Groupon Goods, but ranged from $147.99 to $179.95 on Amazon:ĭespite Amazon’s online dominance, other companies are not giving up the fight as evidenced by Wal-Mart’s 2016 purchase of Jet.com to beef up its online reach. A quick scan suggests they are not for certain items. In 2017, the retailer-owned nearly half of all e-commerce sales.īecause consumers rely so heavily on Amazon, many don’t even know if they are offering the best prices. Whether I need socks or stereo speakers, I used to shop around on Google for the best prices, but now I head straight to Amazon. Here’s why the time is right for Google to buy Groupon.ġ- Google is uniquely positioned to break the Amazon monopoly.Īs a longtime Prime subscriber, I am as guilty of Amazon addiction as anyone. By joining forces, Google and Groupon could provide shoppers with greater choice, convenience, and savings while bolstering their organizations. As an entrepreneur myself, I believe real competition in the marketplace is essential. The e-commerce behemoth rules online shopping, but it is not too late for the rest of the industry. The reason boils down to one word: Amazon. A potential partnership between the King of Search and the daily deals business would benefit not only the companies but also consumers. Today, Groupon is worth a fraction of its original valuation – but the timing could not be better for a new deal with Google. After the deal fell apart, Groupon went public with a valuation of $13 billion and saw its shares tank immediately.

Eight years ago, Google tried – and failed – to buy Groupon for nearly $6 billion.

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