Street Fight Daily: 01.12.12
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal media, technology, advertising and startups.
Appearing on 60 Minutes, Groupon’s Mason Says Being Founder Is an Edge (CBS News)
Despite earning the title of “the fastest growing company ever,” Groupon has yet to turn a profit. And in the run-up to going public, as Groupon disclosed its accounting methods, some analysts began calling the company “unviable,” even “a Ponzi scheme.” Founder Andrew Mason addresses those labels and concerns in the interview.
Gilt Groupe CEO: Restructuring Rumors Overblown, IPO Still on Track (AllThingsD)
Gilt Groupe CEO Kevin Ryan is denying rumors that the luxury e-commerce company is undergoing a massive restructuring, and said nearly all of its 900 employees and business units will remain intact. “We are not closing down any businesses. We are not closing down Gilt Taste, and we aren’t merging Gilt City and Jetsetter,” he said.
Skyhook Brings Location-Based Services To the Kindle Fire (ReadWriteWeb)
Location provider Skyhook can bypass the lack of native location hardware in the Kindle Fire because it does not use GPS or other device components. Skyhook is built off a software-only Wi-Fi Positioning System that exists outside of device requirements.
The Wrong Way To Do Hyperlocal (iMedia Connection)
Bethany Simpson: Insiders agree that location is a powerful tool for targeting consumers. But how many companies are using location-based and hyperlocal targeting correctly? Shouldn’t we be able to just geo-fence a physical location and see results? Not so much, says PlaceIQ CEO Duncan McCall.
The Top EveryBlock Discussions Last Year (EveryBlock)
Becca Martin: When we redesigned EveryBlock eight months ago, our goal was to put our users and neighborhood conversations front and center. We wanted to help people improve their communities by connecting them with their neighbors. And now that 2011 has come to a close, we’re happy to say that’s happened many times, with great results.
10 Reasons Why Groupon is Terrible for Merchants – Womply’s Latest Infographic (Daily Deal Media)
Womply, the innovative San Francisco-based analytics start-up featuring automatic loyalty rewards, released their latest infographic this week showing some of the potential drawbacks for merchants who work with Groupon and other daily deal publishers. The infographic follows merchant feedback Womply has received regarding their experiences in the daily deal space.
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