The daily deals field just got a little more crowded. On Tuesday, Facebook launched its own localized deals in five cities.
Rumors of Facebook's challenge to Groupon started circulating last month. The new product, called Deals on Facebook, is different from check-in offers, the service Facebook launched in November that rewards mobile users with discounts when they check in at different locations via the Facebook app. Initially, Deals on Facebook are available in Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, San Francisco, and San Diego, but the service will likely expand to more cities in the future.
"While many Deals on Facebook offer discounts, it's more important to us that you find interesting experiences around you to do with friends," Emily White, Facebook's director of "local," wrote in a blog post. "We've worked with partners and local businesses to help deliver the best social activities in your area. And once you've found a deal you like, having the deal on Facebook makes it easy to share, buy, and plan with your friends."
Some of the first offers are a pair of tickets to a Wiz Khalifa concert, regularly priced at $82 for $38; a tango dance lesson that usually costs $15 for $9; a Napa wine-tasting trip that's worth $800 for $375, and many others.
Facebook said it has partnered with other deal companies including Gilt City, HomeRun, viagogo, zozi, Tippr, ReachLocal, PopSugar City, Plum District, OpenTable, kgb deals, and aDealio to make these discounts possible.
Many companies have jumped onto the daily deals bandwagon recently. Last week, Google launched a beta test of its deals program, offering discounts for people in Portland, New York, and San Francisco. Additionally, the New York Times Company launched a high-end competitor to Groupon called TimesLimited.