For those who don't know, when a business uses Groupon they have to pay 50% of the list price to Groupon when an item sells.
So if they are listing a normally $60 massage for $35 on Groupon, the masseuse actually only gets $17.50 for that sale.
The benefit is the distribution that Groupon gives the businesses. Getting in front of that many new faces and potential new customers can be worth it, even when only getting around 25% of their normal price point.
My idea (which would only work for smaller businesses, probably not large retailers) is if you see something on groupon you are interested in, do NOT buy it on Groupon. Instead contact the business and say you were about to buy it on groupon, but instead offer them slightly less to get the product outside of groupon. By cutting out groupon you would pay less, and the vendor would simultaneously get more.
So if you bought a $40 massage on groupon, the massage therapist would get $20.
Instead call them up and offer $30. You will pay 10 less, and they will get 10 more.
genius, right?