Twongo and Groupon deals!

We are taking a break from our weekly back to basics articles to give you some more information about a couple new options for getting good deals at area businesses. I met with Brad Halferty from Twongo.com and chatted with Fred White at Posh the Salon in Durham this week. Brad shared with us how Twongo works and where that fun catchy name originated. Posh the Salon recently offered a great discount for their services through Groupon.com. Check out the video and read on for all the details on getting fabulous discounts all around town.

There are two great new deal sites in the Triangle that allow you to take advantage of group buying. The sites are called Twongo.com and Groupon.com. They both feature a deal every day that offers big discounts on various restaurants, services or goods. I really like that they feature local area businesses including some fun and unique options like horseback riding lessons.

Twongo, which officially launched in January, offers discounts that get deeper as more people take advantage of each daily deal, called the Big Deal. It's a pretty interesting concept that uses team buying and social media to offer better deals.

Here's how it works: Businesses offer discounts for their products and services. The discounts are posted daily on Twongo.com. If you find a deal you like, you agree to buy the deal at the posted discount. If enough people buy the deal, the discount gets bigger. They even show you how many more people need to buy a deal in order for the discount to increase. So, if you buy a deal, tell all your friends about it so they buy it too and the discount gets even better!

Once the deal ends, your credit card will be charged for the highest discount it reached. The discount won't be less than the one you locked in when you signed up for that deal. You will then get an e-mail letting you know that your voucher is ready to print. At that time you can print out your certificate and use it at the business. Sounds pretty easy.

This is a great way to try some new restaurants and services, often at a 50% or better discount. The site was started by local Triangle area residents and if you want to suggest a business to them or feature a discount for your business, contact Twongo through their contact section on their website.

Headquartered in Chicago, Groupon.com has been offering discounts nationally in many cities for a couple years. They have just come to the Triangle and recent offerings have included discounts on brewery tours and fitness classes. There have been a number of restaurants and salons featured as well.

Here’s how it works: Each day, they feature a discounted deal at a local business. For instance, they may offer a $40 restaurant certificate for only $20. If enough people take advantage of the deal, it’s on. If there are not enough people who take advantage of it, you won’t be charged and the deal just goes away. I have to tell you though, everytime I look at the site, the deal of the day has already had enough people buy it to make it effective. Once the deal has ended, you will receive an e-mail with a link to sign in to Groupon.com and print your Groupon.

I look forward to enjoying some Twongo and Groupon deals in the future. Feel free to post here if you tried either option and let us know how the process worked for you.