Groupon Clone W/ Minor Tweaks
Scope Overview:
The solution for this project must be “Ready to Run” Script (back/front end) to create a heavy traffic/transactional e-commerce web site with the following characteristics:
• All the required functionality to clone groupon.com
• 100% Open code/No obfuscation and secure
• Web 2.0 feel/usability
We are looking for a functioning site similar to groupon.com with some minor changes in mechanics and how it operates (this will be disclosed once a provider is selected). Please familiarize yourself with how http://www.groupon.com works; you can also take a look at, http://www.buywithme.com.
The website should allow us to sell coupons for businesses. The coupon will give the buyer a product or service at a business for a discounted price (the ‘Deal’). However, in order for this ‘Deal’ to occur, a minimum number of coupons must be sold. For example, there may be a ‘Deal’ featured on the site that requires a minimum of 100 people to purchase it before the deal goes ‘live’. If the minimum number is not met, nobody will receive the ‘Deal’ and nobody will be charged for it.
There will be a new ‘Deal’ each day/week, so the member will have to purchase the coupon before the deal expires. At any given point in time, we will only be offering one ‘Deal’ for each category.
In short, we need a back-end system that will give us the ability to provide ‘Daily/Weekly Deals’ to members.
Specifications:
For completeness, I will list some features that will be required for the platform. Of course, these are not the complete requirements and adjustments may be required, so please visit Groupon.com to gain a fuller perspective on what is required.
Administration Rights:
• The ability to control the site through an interface, with a secure login, so that an administrator can login remotely.
• The ability to create multiple administration accounts with different rights / privileges.
• The ability for an administrator to create a new ‘Deal’ for the category for which they have permission.
• The ability to specify an start date / time, ending date / time, minimum purchase requirements, maximum purchase requirements, and the key terms and conditions (cost per coupon etc.)
• The ability to view all members, their contact details, and coupons purchased.
‘Deal’ Features:
• The ability to create separate ‘Deals’ or coupons for each category.
• The ability to set a maximum of the number of coupons that can be sold (a) in aggregate; and (b) to any one member. If the limit is reached before the deal closes, nobody should be able to purchase any more.
• The ability to set a minimum number of coupons that need to be sold before the ‘Deal’ becomes available. If members purchase a ‘Deal’ that does not reach the minimum, they are automatically sent an email stating that the ‘Deal’ closed.
• The ability to restrict the time period for which ‘Deal’ is available (typically 24 hrs to 7 days).
• One the side, the ability to post a ‘Bonus Deal’ or ‘Side Deal’. This functionality would be hidden in the beginning.
• Each coupon will need the following fields: ID Number; Price Paid (by the member); Coupon Value; Short Description; Logo; Address of the Business; Key Terms & Conditions (expiry date etc.)
• For each ‘Deal’, a discussion page in which members can ask questions about the ‘Deal’ and an administrator can login and answer questions for all members to see.
Expired ‘Deals’:
• The ability to select certain expired ‘Deals’ to show on a “Prior Deals” page.
• For each expired ‘Deal’, the ability to show the client’s logo, the ‘Deal’ offered, the number of coupons sold, the total dollars saved.
• Emails:
o The ability to create an auto-generated HTML email, which is sent to all members who opted in for either a site wide or specific category email, alerting them of each day’s ‘Deal’.
o When a member signs up for emails to be sent to them, they should fill out their email address and select which category they would like ‘Deals’ for.
o The ability to create an auto-generated HTML email, which is sent to the member post-purchase, with a link to where they can login and print out any coupons purchased.
E-Commerce Functionality:
• The ability to facilitate payment options with direct credit card transactions or via PayPal.
• The ability to store credit card information for members so that coupons can be purchased once they are logged in.
Member Login:
• The ability for members to login to the site to view and print coupons purchased, credit card information, personal details (name, contact details).
• The ability to import contacts from Facebook, Hotmail, Twitter etc. and refer contacts to our site.
• An affiliate system that credits customers accounts upon the referral of other members (once they make an initial purchase).
• The credit should only be used for the purchase of other offers i.e. cannot be withdrawn for cash.
• Client (Business Owner) Login:
• The ability for clients to login to the site and see total coupons purchased for their specific ‘Deal’.
• The ability to check-off coupons that have already been claimed by a member.
• The ability to print a list of coupons outstanding (not yet redeemed).
Data Collection:
• The ability to collect data for each ‘Deal’: the number of members that viewed the ‘Deal’; the number of coupons sold.
• The ability to download data into a CSV file for any ‘Deal’.
• Integration:
o The ability to integrate the ‘Deal’ each day with Facebook, Twitter and email.
o Search Engine Optimization for Google, Yahoo!, and Bing web searches.
Other:
• The ability for members or business owners to suggest new businesses that they would like to see a ‘Deal’ for.
• Basic information pages: About Us, Contact Us, FAQ, Terms & Conditions etc.
• Overall, the website should be flexible in terms of functional amendment. In the future, the provider may be hired to add or remove certain functions. This will likely be an iterative and on-going assignment.
• We will provide the logos, text, and design (mockups) for the site, the web developer must provide the full script which will be based on Groupon.com