LivingSocial Joins Instant Mobile Deal Space

Instant deals designed for mobile consumers on the go look like the next big extension in the deals space. LivingSocial told AllThings D that it is offering instant $1 “Walk In” deals for lunch in its headquarters city of Washington, D.C., as a promotion for its mobile apps. Users who sign up for the feature will see all deals within a half-mile of their GPS-enabled location. Users buy the deals right on their phones.

The entry of LivingSocial to the instant deals space follows earlier efforts by TipCity, which has partnered with The San Diego Union-Tribune to provide instant deals, and New York-based GroupTabs.

TipCity has a paperless system — users simply say “TipCity” to counter people. It works with restaurants on an account basis. Another site, GroupTabs, is a mobile app that provides discounts after thresholds are reached for a promotion (i.e., 20 people buying a margarita within a two-hour window). GroupTabs made a splash when it kicked off last August but has not been heard of since.