LivingSocial Reveals Q3 Purchasing Trends

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Beaches and pool parties might be how some Americans celebrate summertime, but according to LivingSocial's Q3 Member Must-Haves Study, LivingSocial members were busy dreaming of becoming race car drivers, prepping for football season and going out for brunch this summer. The complete findings look at trends among the 4.8 million Daily Deals LivingSocial sold in the U.S. during the third quarter (July-September) of 2011.

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"By analyzing our offerings on a quarter-over-quarter basis we're able to better understand the sorts of experiences that are resonating with our members and can more accurately forecast trends," said Mandy Cole, Senior Vice President of Sales, LivingSocial. "From Segway tours, to indoor rock climbing, to go karting – our members had a great time this past quarter. LivingSocial will continue to offer a mix of quirky, fun and practical offerings to match the interests of our members."

Results from the study were compiled based on the percent change in average number of vouchers sold per deal from Q2 (April – June) to Q3 (July – September) 2011. Findings follow:

Geek is chic

Getting your geek on is cool – at least among LivingSocial members who contemplated checking out roughly 520,600 exhibits during history museum tours this past quarter. Other education-related offers on the rise in Q3:

• Magazine subscriptions sold – up 236%
• Segway tour vouchers sold – up 13%
• History/cultural museum tickets sold – up 11%
• Language classes sold – up 4%

Good sports

This past quarter members rappelled some 13,726 indoor rock walls - talk about a good workout. Other activities that grew in popularity in Q3 include:

• Football tickets sold – up 411%
• Soccer tickets sold – up 136%
• Indoor rock climbing vouchers sold – up 17%
• Surfing vouchers sold – up 5%

Need for speed  

Americans put the pedal to the metal this quarter, but were sure to take care of those rides, completing roughly 29,066 oil changes in Q3. Popular driving-related offers in Q3:

• Go kart vouchers sold – up 22%
• Car racing tickets sold – up 15%
• Car maintenance/repair vouchers sold – up 10%

Morning fuel

Among LivingSocial members breakfast is the most important meal of day. It just might not be the healthiest as some 59,904 donuts were devoured this past quarter. Popular breakfast items on the rise in Q3 include:  

• Brunch vouchers sold – up 32%
• Donut vouchers sold – up 29%
• Bagel vouchers sold – up 13%
• Sit down cafe vouchers sold – up 13%

Grill master

Burgers beware! LivingSocial members scarfed some 28,742 hot dogs in Q3 leaving burgers in their dust. The breakdown:

• Hot dog vouchers sold – up 43%
• Burger vouchers sold – down 27%

Experts in local commerce, LivingSocial offers a variety of handpicked experiences to surprise and delight members worldwide:

• LivingSocial Daily Deals – handpicked local offers delivered each morning encouraging local discovery;
• LivingSocial Adventures – fully-produced events and excursions encouraging members to try something they wouldn't have or perhaps didn't know existed nearby;
• LivingSocial Escapes – affordable, accessible "trips in a box" inspiring people around the world to find, share, and enjoy unique travel experiences;
• LivingSocial Families – local, family-friendly experiences selected to help parents and kids discover hidden gems around town; and
• LivingSocial Instant – real-time, instant offerings delivered via smartphones and the web helping answer the question, "What is cool to do right now?"

For a full list of LivingSocial products and the cities where products are available, go to livingsocial.com. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/livingsocial. Join us on Facebook at facebook.com/livingsocial.

LivingSocial products and services are subject to the Terms and Conditions found at livingsocial.com/terms.  

About LivingSocial

LivingSocial helps people around the world find, share and enjoy great local deals and new experiences. We'll help you get more out of your city. Through its daily deal e-mails and alerts, LivingSocial introduces members to handpicked local businesses, products or services each day at significant savings. With a range of products for different interests, like Families and Adventures, LivingSocial helps delight members with the perfect deal for them. Other services include LivingSocial Escapes, which features easy "vacations in a box" to leading destinations, and LivingSocial Instant, which helps members discover real-time discounts at nearby restaurants, stores and businesses. LivingSocial works with each merchant partner to create customized marketing solutions that attract and retain loyal, long-term customers. Based in Washington, D.C., LivingSocial now has more than 46 million members in 25 countries.

SOURCE LivingSocial