On Wednesday, Groupon announced the full-fledged release of G-Pass, a partnership with Ticketmaster that will print bar code and seat information directly on the voucher.
G-Pass launched in beta in October at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, and several Harlem Globetrotters events around the country, the company said.
Previously, customers who signed up for GrouponLive events had to take their Groupon to will call and exchanged it for an actual ticket. The company pitched the G-Pass idea as an "expedited entry" plan, but in reality, G-Pass customers are just receiving the same benefits already enjoyed by other ticketholders. Ticketmaster reserved tickets have had seat information printed on them for years.
"G-Pass is a massive benefit to both box offices and event-goers, dramatically increasing the value GrouponLive delivers to the market," said Groupon vice president and GrouponLive general manager, Greg Rudin, in a statement. "We're proud to launch it with our partner, Ticketmaster, who brings the value of G-Pass to an industry-leading set of venue clients."
Groupon recently said that it continued to expand its test of its VIP program, which began in February, that gives subscribers early access to deals for a cost of $30 a year. The program now includes Baltimore, Kansas City and Philadelphia, as well as Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus (Ohio), Minneapolis, and Orange County, Calif.
In other Groupon news, Groupon on Tuesday launched the Groupon Kidz Club, a twisted take on the childhood television programs from the youths of Baby Boomers and Generation Xers alike. Although the site is supposed to serve as a portal to kids-oriented deals, it also includes characters like FopTop, a child found lying on the beach, and Pyles, a bunch of trash.
Financially, Groupon has struggled, reporting a loss for the first period since its IPO. At the end of March, Groupon revised those earnings downward, lowering fourth quarter by $14.3 million and net income by $22.6 million. Officially, Groupon's revised numbers for the fourth quarter include $364.3 million in revenue and a loss of $64.9 million.
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