Group Buying Sites, GoodNews, and $1 Gelato
byGroup buying is the hottest trend in spending, changing the way you buy while promoting your purchases to friends. These subscription-based services allow you to get fantastic deals on anything from manicures to meals. More and more businesses in Vancouver are signing onto these services which can either be a hit, or a real miss.
How Group Buying Works
Popular group buying sites (like Groupon) offer deals at local restaurants, conventions, shows, and spas. You can sign up for their service and be notified whenever a new “deal” becomes available in your area. Deals might include 2 for 1 meals at a restaurant in town. You can buy into this deal however it will only become “active” and redeemable if say, 50 other people buy in. So if you want this deal, you need to help them market it by contacting your friends and colleague using social media in order to find 49 other buyers. Once a required number of people buy in to the deal, it becomes valid and redeemable. Should the minimum number of buyers for the deal not be met, you will get a refund or credit of some sort.
How GoodNews is different
While it’s hard to compete with the Groupon juggernaut right now, Vancouver-based GoodNews offers a little extra incentive for group buyers. Since their launch in July they have partnered with local non-profit organizations and have donated a percentage of their monthly sales.
Tony Lam, COO of GoodNews explains their reasoning. “We wanted to make a really easy, friction-less way for people to feel good about their community and that they’re contributing to it — on top of getting a great deal.”
Their latest initiative starts today as they team up with Bella Gelateria to offer $1 gelato.
Head to GoodNews today to sign up for the deal and at the end of the day you’ll receive your coupon for $1 gelato by email. You can then redeem the coupon anytime between September 23rd and December 31st and the entire dollar will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.
I decided to profile GoodNews because they’re local, they provide that extra component of giving back and they are associated with a friend of mine (in other words, I was not paid to write this post).
Aside from the $1 gelato that will support the Food Bank, GoodNews is also offering up a $50 credit to one Miss604.com reader. If you would like to try out a group buying site, this is your chance. Please leave a comment below to enter and I’ll draw a winner from the entries this evening at 8:00pm.
Update The winner of the $50 credit is Donna.
40 Comments — Comments Are Closed
What a great idea! Thanks for the GoodNews tip.
Yum. I knew about groupon but not goodnews. More gelato for me!
Sign me up!
awesome deal!!!
Great to hear of a local company doing this.
Ooh. I’m liking the group buying sites, and am eager to try out goodnews…
…but man, I wish they’d try to get less food-based coupons! I want adventure, not eats! 😀
Awesome deal! That gelato sounds amazing.
I didn’t know about Groupnews! I like their donation idea. 🙂
I didn’t know about Groupnews! I like their donation idea. 🙂
Gelato!!
Nice to see a local company who gives back. Well done.
Sounds like a great deal!
I went to Bella G the other day and it was the best gelato I’ve ever had! Yes, it’s very pricey, but also very delicious.
For $1, it’s a steal…plus it goes to the Foodbank. Really win win all around.
Everyone loves a good deal.
I like that the dollar goes to a worthy cause.
I love this concept!
This is awesome! Heading over to Good News to buy my coupon now!
Group buying is awesome! I’ve used several great deals already, although I always end up spending more than the value of the coupon – good for those businesses if everyone does the same! Definitely going to support the Food Bank and finally try Bella Gelateria at the same time 🙂
I’m loving all the group buy sites lately, find I’m out on the town more as a result! GoodNews has a great twist on that idea – hope the are able to stand out from the crowd!
Bella Gelateria makes the best gelato in Vancouver. The $1 coupon is a fantastic deal!
hooray, everybody wins in this instance! I hope GoodNews really starts to take off!
This is a great company, benefits us as customers and other organizations in need!
I signed up to receive their deals not long ago, I heard about them through a friend. I would LOVE to win a credit, so I can start getting in on some of the bargains 🙂
What a fantastic deal! I love the fact that they give back to the community 🙂
Count me in 🙂
I buy group deals often. But it’s always nice to support something local and for a good ’cause. Thanks for sharing what makes ‘Good News’ stand out. I’ve wanted to try Bella Gelateria AND I’m in for the draw.
I joined and bought the deal this is a greta site!! I hope I win.
I used good news before and it was a good experience. Bella Gelateria is great too.
I’ve also used some other canadian group buying sites – teambuy.com and grooster.com which were good.
I’m buying four of these coupons and I really hope the partnerships Good News has established with local not-for-profits will provide extra incentive to consumers so Good News can compete with Groupon!
I would like to try it out.
what a great pairing!
This is a yummy deal!
Just brought a coupon for some yummy Gelato! Keep the deals coming 🙂
this is a pretty cool site! bookmarked!
I like the little guy flavour of goodnews.com. Just a couple days ago I bought my first one of their deals, $5 at Michi Sushi which I’ve been meaning to try.
I bought the $1 gelato deal today! feels great to get gas and contribute to the community at the same time!
This is just great! Go Good News!
I want to try this out
I love this, what a great way to get exposed to some different restaurants, so cool venues and some great deals. I like the social awareness the site has as well. Thanks for the profile on this business.
If you like group buying but hate spam, try this site out:
vancouver.misermcgee.com
They’re the only daily deal aggregator that’s been able to consolidate ALL collective buying deals in Vancouver! I was missing out on side deals with other social shopping trackers but this one really gets them all! Cheers!