Groupon Joins The Bulk-Buying Ranks With Newly Launched Groupon Basics

Once upon a time, if consumers wanted to satisfy their bulk-shopping needs they had to drive to the warehouse store, push a heavy cart from aisle to aisle, wait in line to pay and then drive home. Not anymore. Now with just a click of the mouse you can order a 20-pack of paper towels from online retailers like Amazon and have it delivered to your front door. Well, you can add yet another online retailer to the list of companies hoping to give traditional bulk retailers a run for their money.

Groupon Basics, a newly launched expansion of the site’s Groupon Goods portal, offers discounts on bulk purchases of household, personal care and health products – all without a membership fee, TechCrunch reports.

“We’re putting the bulk buying power of Groupon to work for our customers, helping them save on serious quantities of the things they buy and use every day –– all from the convenience of their home,” Aaron Cooper, senior vice president of Groupon Goods, says in a statement.

Starting with 100 items — including vitamins, razors and feminine care products — the company plans to expand into canned and packaged foods in the next several months.

Discounts on products range from 20% to 30% off retail prices. Free shipping is offered on orders over $24.99. Achieving free shipping shouldn’t be difficult; a quick glance at the site shows there are only two products currently available under $24.99. Additionally, the company is giving consumers 5% of the total purchase back in “Groupon Bucks,” the site’s loyalty currency.

Groupon is just the latest online retailers expanding into a new goods ventures. Last week, Amazon announced Prime Pantry, a grocery shopping service with about 1,000 items.

Groupon Goes After Costco And Sams Club With Groupon Basics, A Portal For Home Goods [TechCrunch]

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist