To some extent the stigma that brands turn to Groupon when they’re having a hard time selling stuff themselves seems overblown— I don’t know of anyone dying to eat at PF Changs, but just holding out for a Groupon offer.
Still, given the trouble the newspaper industry has had turning a buck in the digital age, and the trouble the New York Times has had getting people to bite on its paywall, it does seem somewhat ironic to see a $1 subscription to the Times on Groupon. The deal is good for another 2 days, and will buy you two months worth of access to the site—a 94% discount.
Spinning off his newspaper division into its own entity recently Rupert Murdoch insisted, “People will pay for news. It is the most valuable commodity in the world.”
You may agree, and when your Groupon trial runs out you may want to throw down and buy the Times fair and square. But if you don’t, there’s a painfully easy way to get around the Times’ paywall with one stroke of your delete key. See how here.
