Groupon: The next level in online shopping

Here's the thing: I was shopping around the other day for some percussion instruments, as I have started playing again with a jazz band and a blues band as well.

Without thinking, I went directly to the Internet and started looking for the various pieces of equipment I needed.

All of a sudden, I just stopped surfing the Net and started reflecting on what I was doing and it became very clear to me that over the last 10 years, at least 95 percent of my shopping is done online. The remaining 5 percent is done at the grocery store and gas station.

No matter what I am looking to buy, the ease of sitting at my desk and surfing is relaxing, economical and, I must say, fun.

There is such a plethora of online stores to choose from and the deals that I find are incredible, with a 10 to 30 percent savings every time.

Every major store chain has a site that you can go to and shop and then there are all the online stores to choose from as well. One can almost never say that they cannot find the particular item or service they are looking for when shopping on the Internet.

Well, hold on to your heavily weighted down with money fanny pack, because there's a new online shopping site that has hit the ground running and is changing the way online shopping is done.

This is all coming from one Andrew Mason, a 29-year-old music major from Northwestern who in 2008, with lightning speed, created and launched the fastest growing Web-based business in the history of the Web.

The young entrepreneur has brought to life an online company called Groupon, which is a combination of the words group and coupon. Groupon's purpose is to invoke huge sales and easy profits along with creating a solid connection between retailers and online consumers.

Of greater interest is the fact that the Groupon philosophy is a direct throwback to the dot.com era and what it was supposed to have been about.

The company provides an online audience with deep discounts on a product or service and uses the "act now" slogan as its main pitch, followed by, "you have only so many hours before this offer expires." All of which can be considered familiar come-ons, yet they are still very effective, as seen in Groupon's incredible online success.

Groupon lists with vendors in every city and they list the deals of the day on the site for consumers to partake of in their own area or any part of the country they choose.

When you shop on the site, you will find everything from tickets to sports events, museum exhibits, classes at yoga studios or spas, ice cream shops, clothing stores and so much more. I found that the savings are typically around 50 percent on must items or services, while putting you, the customer, in touch with vendors you who might never have thought of patronizing since you weren't aware of their existence.

One of the main things that has made Groupon a big and fast-moving success is its use of Google and Facebook. By connecting with them, Groupon is able to gets its offers in front of a tremendous consumer base that is estimated to be around 13 million subscribers.

I have personally been shopping online using Groupon for the past year and have consistently been amazed at the ease of use and the deals that I have come across in the process.

The young Mason has definitely created a winner and you will most definitely find Groupon a fun-filled, bargain-rich site.

Have a great time shopping and try not to spend all that money in your fanny pack. Isn't it kind of geeky to still be wearing a fanny pack?

- Andino Ward