News

LivingSocial adds communication platform for merchants

November 17, 2014

LivingSocial has launched Connect, a communications toolkit for merchants to engage and build relationships with customers acquired through its platform.

According to a news release, with the addition of the Connect features to LivingSocial’s Merchant Center, businesses can now:

• Personalize thank you emails to new customers that incorporate the business’ brand and voice;
• Customize emails with a business’ brand and voice to remind customers that a promotion is about to expire;
• Re-engage customers who purchased a LivingSocial deal by sending additional free offers or incentives with no additional fees to LivingSocial;
• Build their social brand by communicating with customers on multiple social media channels; and
• Review new customers’ ratings and respond to their comments and questions directly.

"Small and large businesses alike turn to LivingSocial for introductions to high-quality customers," VP of Product Management Kerry Lenahan said in the release. "With Connect, businesses now have new ways to communicate with those customers, reaching them across multiple channels before they ever come through their doors and increasing the chances that newcomers become loyal fans."

Before the nationwide launch, LivingSocial tested the toolkit with more than 2,000 merchants in eight different markets throughout several months. During this time, businesses sent more than 18,000 custom thank you emails and provided LivingSocial consumers with more than 8,500 additional offers, which were claimed by 10 percent of available customers.