
"Google is communicating with small businesses to enlist their support and participation in a test of a prepaid offers/vouchers program," the company told Mashable. Google's offering, to be called Google Offers, will work under the same business model, Mashable reported, and is already collaborating with local businesses for a launch in the near future. The users generally have a short time window to use the deal. The company's business model is to email subscribers an exclusive coupon of the day for a business in their area. Groupon made headlines by turning down a $6-billion US takeover offer from Google in December, and is now planning an IPO in the $15-billion range.


is preparing a rival to coupon website Groupon, technology website Mashable reported late Thursday.
