Groupon files for IPO
Andrew Mason's desire is for Groupon to be where you go when you think "I'm hungry or I'm bored"<p>If you're calling bubble and confused about how they're running at a loss don't miss this line:<p>"Participating Merchants: 56,781 in the first quarter of 2011, up from 212 in the second quarter of 2009"<p>That database of 56,781 merchants is GOLD.<p>The way their sale staff works is to create direct relationships, phone contact etc - that is not a cheap proposition.<p>In terms of growth potential there are 10x as many restaurants in the USA as Groupon's entire universe of merchants today.<p>If they continue to capture the consumer mind that they're the best in the world to answer those two questions, their valuation and growth potential is insane.<p>Refs:<p><a href="http://answers.ask.com/Food_and_Drinks/Restaurants/how_many_restaurants_are_in_america" rel="nofollow">http://answers.ask.com/Food_and_Drinks/Restaurants/how_many_...</a><p><a href="http://www.geekosystem.com/groupon-im-hungry-im-bored/" rel="nofollow">http://www.geekosystem.com/groupon-im-hungry-im-bored/</a>