Facebook Drops A Bomb With Local Places Deals

And now that I have actually checked the link, my point stands even clearer. Develop a strong brand. SPecialize in a product or product range people enjoy. Learn from the big players. This is going to make a lot of people a lot of money, not least of whom is FB. Big G vs FB is the match of the century, no doubt about that now.

Cool ok I agree with your points there. Surely though this change will bring about some changes for businesses?

I know personally if I am in an area looking for a cafe and I knew I could get the best deal if I looked at my Iphone then I would and I would chose based on the deal a close by cafe was giving e.g. 2 for 1 coffees

Hmmm, I think it's a great idea, especially for restaurants near any major corporations during lunch. But also for Facebook.

It still amazes me how many people don't use FB at all. This could be a way for them to get more referrals to their "service". And... to get some of the quitters to rejoin. People will do all sorts of things to save a few $$$.

It's also neat to see the liberal options they're giving businesses to set their own "deal" qualifications.

Rashell

I think there is no doubt they have their eyes set on taking over the world lol. What's next I wonder?

I think it gives Offline Consultants another bullet in their bag helping SME to set this up as part of their overall marketing plan.

According to the AP release "The number of people using such services (such services being check-in services) is still small -- just 4 percent of the U.S. Internet population have ever used it and just 1 percent on any given day, according to a survey released Thursday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

It also, however, goes on to say "But Facebook's entry into the space is significant because the company commands the attention of so many more people. As such, it could help shift turn location-sharing from something embraced by few tech-savvy early adapters into something commonly used by a broad range of people."

Personally, I handle check-in with care. I was just reading an article the other day however about how the younger generations care nothing about their privacy or who knows where they are at any given moment in time, and that is coming back to haunt them, an illustration was given of people who are supposed to be at work or elsewhere are checking in at local non-work or non-elsewhere places and somehow their management or their wife or somebody else they don't want knowing that is finding out. Oops. So you ruin a career or marriage for a 2-1 Starbucks.

Clearly not going to happen to everybody, but could happen to quite a few.