UK Facebook users to get ‘bargain deals’ by sharing exact location

LONDON - British Facebook users can have access to shop discounts and restaurant “bargain deals” by just sharing their exact location through a new smartphone feature.

The Places Deals service is designed to log a member’s location and then find money-off deals in their local area, which can be shared with online friends.

“Friend deals” depend on tagging a number of friends to share savings while “loyalty deals” require multiple check-ins, similar to a traditional punch card.

The application, which is part of Facebook Places, was launched in the US in November, and Starbucks, Debenhams and Argos have all developed offers in conjunction with the social networking site.

Now rewards will also be available in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, and each special offer will be unique to Facebook users.

“Facebook is built around people and sharing personal experiences and Deals is a great extension of this,” the Daily Mail quoted Joanna Shields, vice president of the company in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as saying.

“By bringing valuable and relevant offers to you wherever and whenever you want them, Deals delivers a powerful experience that combines technology and location in a way that a pure online or offline experience could never deliver,” she stated.

But Dan Olds, an analyst at The Gabriel Consulting Group, said there are a many reasons why someone might be hesitant to use the feature.

“Would you want a wide number of people to know that there’s no one home at your house?” he asked. (ANI)