Report: Google Buying Groupon for $2.5B

Is Google adding online deals to its arsenal of acquisitions this year? According to a site called VatorNews, Google is purchasing Groupon for $2.5 billion, though All Things D's Kara Swisher says the deal will likely be upwards of $3 billion.

VatorNews had few other details about the purchase and Google and Groupon are not talking. Swisher was actually the first to report about a possible Google-Groupon tie-up back on November 19.

At the time, talks between Google and Groupon were still ongoing, and Swisher suggested that others might also be interested, including Microsoft, Amazon, or eBay. Yahoo was rumored to be interested in Groupon earlier this year, but a deal was not reached.

Swisher also noted that Google could face regulatory scrutiny. In July, the company purchased travel software firm ITA for $700 million, a deal that is under review by regulators and has been criticized by rival travel companies.

Groupon is a discount site that offers one major deal per day (buy $50 worth of clothes for $25, for example). Earlier this month, the company launched Grouponicus, featuring online deals tailored for holiday gifting.

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Chloe Albanesius

Executive Editor, News

My Experience

I started out covering tech policy in DC for The National Journal, where my beat included state-level tech news and all the congressional hearings and FCC meetings I could handle. I later covered Wall Street trading tech before switching gears to consumer tech. I now lead PCMag's news coverage.

My Areas of Expertise

Getting my start in DC means I still have a soft spot for tech policy; Congressional hearings can sometimes be as entertaining as a Bravo reality show, for better or worse. But PCMag is all about the technology we use every day, as well as keeping an eye out for the trends that will shape the industry in the years ahead (or flop on arrival). I've covered the rise of social media, the iOS vs. Android wars, the cord-cutting revolution that's now left us with hefty streaming bills, and the effort to stuff artificial intelligence into every product you could imagine. This job has taken me to CES in Vegas (one too many times), IFA in Berlin, and MWC in Barcelona. I also drove a Tesla 1,000 miles out west as part of our Best Mobile Networks project. Of late, my focus is on our hard-working team of reporters at PCMag, guiding and editing their robust coverage.

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