The core concept of a group buying site is that users share deals with friends, all building towards a magic number. That magic number is usually the point in which the economics make sense for the business to provide the deal.
One the first deals on StarDeals by Groupon Australia is for 1 month membership at Balmain Fitness for only A$49. Apparently this will normally cost users A$200 per month, maybe they have golden treadmills there. Earlier today, the deal had only 1 single purchaser, yet the ‘Deal is on!’
Sydney only
The other complaint about the launch of Groupon Australia is that while Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth are all displayed at the top of the page, launch deals are only available to the residents of Sydney. Sure its the largest city in Australia, but what kind of a launch is it that appeals to 4.5 million, less than a quarter of all Australians. This feels very undercooked, something I wouldn’t have expected from the US-giant.
More information at http://stardeals.com.au/
