Local Group Buying Site Launched For Roanoke and New River Valleys

Online, August 17, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com today launched roanoke.com Daily Deal, the area's first online group buying website where consumers can access savings of 50 to 90 percent each day from local businesses including restaurants, salons and other retailers in the Roanoke and New River valleys.

Those interested in the deals can sign up at http://dailydeal.roanoke.com to receive the email every weekday. They are then encouraged to share the deal with their friends by email and through social networking sites. A certain number of people must purchase it for the deal to be activated.

The deals will also publish in The Roanoke Times, but interested buyers must then go to http://dailydeal.roanoke.com to sign up and purchase the deals. As an additional incentive for sharing, consumers can earn credit toward future Daily Deal purchases when friends purchase the item that they have shared. Other features of the site include profiles and user reviews of the participating businesses.

"This is a win for both businesses and shoppers. Retailers gain new customers, and consumers get incredible deals simply by sharing and following their friends' recommendations," said Heather Hernandez, Advertising Director of The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com. "For more than a century, we have been connecting local advertisers with consumers they want. Daily Deal is a new twist using different tools but the same methodology - generating sales for area businesses."

Group buying sites are a trend nationwide, offering businesses an effective way to expand their reach and raise awareness through referral marketing.

"Group buying platforms are popping up in many cities, and we are excited to provide it here in our market," said Dan Wheeler, Director of Digital Media "Everyone is looking for a bargain, and with the explosion of online shopping and social media use in our area, this is an ideal way for businesses and customers to connect."

To find out more or to sign up, go to http://dailydeal.roanoke.com.