Groupon Reveals its Secret Weapon: Gnome and Its Outlook

Here is another article that I published on Seeking Alpha. Groupon has expanded its portfolio outside of "daily deals" and now has shown us a clear roadmap from a payment app, Breadcrumb, to a fuller merchant solution with its own hardware and software for the merchants called Gnome.  This is innovative but at the same time it is a daunting task.  Here are the summary from the article:

• An integrated merchant platform can be a key to secure the future growth.
• Rising operating costs continue to hinder the overall profitability and send  Groupon's stock to 52-week low.
• Groupon can potentially turn its risks into a competitive advantage.

"Don’t leave home without it!" Think it again. Groupon (GRPN) envisions a not-too-distant future where you don't need to carry credit cards with you when you make purchases.  Imagine you can enjoy your Bahamas vacation without the wallet as if you were at home. If you are a small business owner, there is no more frustrated and embarrassing moment in front of your customers when your card reader does not work properly.  This vision may become a reality as Groupon just announced an iPad-based checkout platform called Gnome that can replace merchants' cash registers. 

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