The fantastic evolution of online deal platforms

One might argue that the concepts of “flash sales” and “daily deals” are very new concepts, but they have been working well for over a decade online. The recent attention is based on the incredible influx of users that has turned the retail cottage industry into a mega-business model of its own.

Sites like Groupon and Living Social have been making the biggest splash in the last couple of years. The concept of short-term, group buying deal making is translating into niche industries such as Mighty Deals for web professionals and Dealers United for car dealers.

In this infographic, we explore the incredible journey the industry has taken so far from the days of Vente-Privee all the way through to today and beyond. Click to enlarge.