Facebook looks to take on group-buying deals

"Facebook is testing a Groupon-style local-deals service that the social giant hopes will let it secure a slice of a social-commerce market. The move effectively adds a local layer to Facebook's existing Deals service, allowing brands to target promotions to users in their area and use Facebook's social tools to generate buzz around their offers. BIA/Kelsey estimates the social commerce market will hit $3.93 billion by 2015."

looks like facebook is trying to envelop more and more services. the group-buying model is so easily duplicated that there is no advantage in simply entering it. Facebook needs to create an edge to differentiate itself from the hundreds of group-buying website. One way is to markets itself as an all-in-one social media platform (whereby friends could easily "suggest" deals for you and you could look at which friend has bought the deals)- making group buying even more of a social experience.