AT&T to Take On Groupon

AT&T will itself get into the social shopping business by launching its own service within the next several weeks in Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas-Fort Worth.

The service, apparently to be housed within AT&T's yellowpages.com subsidiary, confirms the potential of social shopping as a new part of the local advertising business, historically where directories have part a part of the business as well.

The U.S. social shopping or group shoppingmarket, offering discounts at local businesses, will grow to $3.93 billion in 2015, from $1.25 billion this year, according to BIA/Kelsey.

Some might not believe the business will last, and in that case AT&T is just chasing a mirage. But there is good reason many now are optimistic about what might be possible as mobile devices, location awareness and local advertising and promotion meet to create what some believe is a genuinely-new business capable of diverting spending from other existing channels at the very least.

AT&T to Take On Groupon With $10 Promotion for Daily Deal Site - Bloomberg