Groupon takeover links with merchant checkout
BY SANDRA GUY Business Reporter sguy@suntimes.com May 29, 2012 6:14PM
Groupon said Tuesday it has bought checkout-system company Breadcrumb for an undisclosed amount, moving the daily-deals site closer to its stated goal of adding services for its merchants, and particularly to restaurants.
Breadcrumb is known in tech circles for its efforts to build a software solution for the iPad for small businesses’ checkout systems, according to media reports.
Breadcrumb founder Seth Harris and his “team” will provide Groupon experience in hospitality management, including an understanding of how small businesses operate on tight budgets and “often struggle to find technology products that work perfectly for them,” Groupon’s vice president of mobile, Mihir Shah, said in a blog post.
Groupon has been adding to its portfolio of solutions that help merchants set up customer reservations, fill tables or seats during slow times, schedule appointments so they don’t get overwhelmed and offer Groupon customers enticements to come back and spend full price.
