LivingSocial Has Westport Ties

As Washington, D.C.-based LivingSocial.com expands into dozens of markets, Westport became the first suburb to be included in this actively growing online venture.

Area residents can thank Westporter Ellen Bowen for alerting LivingSocial to Farfield County's market potential.

"I was using the LivingSocial website for voucher deals that are offered in New York City," Bowen said. "But I really wanted the site to offer products that are closer to home. I contacted the company and told them that about the Westport community and that this area has theater offerings and great restaurants and other active businesses, and they invited me to visit them in Washington, D.C., for a chat."

Three weeks later she was offered the job as the account executive for southern Connecticut. Bowen and Amy Peck, also of Westport, are deemed as the dedicated "city experts," who are on the ground in every LivingSocial market. The pair constantly research the best in local attractions to bring a savings of up to 90 percent to area consumers.

"Amy's experience is similar to mine," said Bowen. "She also contacted the company, was invited for an interview and got hired soon after."

The LivingSocial website – which previously was focused on metropolitan territories such as Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia and Manhattan – enables area residents to access new promotional offerings every morning from popular  shops, restaurants, activities and services.

Deals remain live for 24 hours, from 5 a.m. to 5 a.m.

"We try to create as sense of urgency so that people have to make buying decisions on the spot," said Bowen. "Additionally, LivingSocial has a referral model in place that gives users their deal for free if they refer three friends who also participate."

Kazu Japanese Restaurant in South Norwalk was the first business to be featured when the Southern Connecticut site went live on July 13. The company offered 50 percent discount coupons to its restaurant at a cost of $30.

"We sold 96 discount coupons to Kazu in the first 24 hours of operation," Bowen said. "Two days later, 80 dozen cupcakes were sold to Cake Suite, which recently opened in Saugatuck. The owner, Michelle Klem, was thrilled."

Spas, housecleaning services, hair salons and ethnic restaurants are among those scheduled to be featured in coming days. "We don't work with chain stores," Bowen noted. "We only support local merchants through this website."

Coupons offered on the site do not contain gimmicks, Bowen stresses. "We want consumers to have a positive experience when they shop with us," she said. "We avoid coupons that have restrictions. The coupons we sell can be used every day of the week and are good for all products on a menu."

She estimates that LivingSocial's southern Connecticut website reaches about 25,000 viewers, who reside in a territory ranging from Greenwich to New Haven.

"Merchants who advertise on our site get tremendous exposure," she said. "Plus, they earn money based on what we sell through the site. We handle the purchases and the transactions and, at the end of the 24-hour online posting period, our merchants get a commission on our sales. This is an advertising method that has a measurable response."

For information on the Southern Connecticut LivingSocial site, email ellen.bowen@livingsocial.com.

LivingSocial is currently live in 52 markets and three countries (the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada). Other cities added on July 13 include Sacramento, Miami, Las Vegas, Toronto, Memphis, Buffalo, Detroit and Vancouver.

In a press release, Tim O'Shaughnessy, CEO and cofounder of LivingSocial, refers to the addition of the 25 cities the "tip of the iceberg", and says the service has seen explosive organic growth since its launch in July 2009.

To date, LivingSocial claims to have attracted 85 million viewers.