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Well, China has 100+ Groupon clones (updates: 4500+ now!) and Malaysia is picking up as well on its own scale.

Group buying sites are popping out lately in Malaysia. It's a bit of deja-vu like many were attempting to build a local social network site some years back.

The barrier of entry though is relatively lower to build a group buying site, technically. If you are too lazy, just buy a groupon clone script from here or here.

It's the business itself that's far more challenging - signing up quality retailers who offer irresistible deals, and basically bridging the gap between (offline) retailers and online consumers.

Before losing count, here's a compilation of group buying sites in Malaysia. Do leave a comment if any is missing, so that I can append to this list. Thanks!

1. Everyday Coupons



About: This is an expansion from Everyday's main site, which is a social platform to connect retailers, advertisers and consumers.

Currently covered cities: KL, Penang, Ipoh, Johor, Singapore.

Updates: Being acquired by Ticket Monster, terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Updates 2: Ticket Monster being acquired by LivingSocial, hence now being rebranded to LivingSocial Malaysia.

2. MyDeal



About: Originated from a Singapore sibling, invested by a Germany-based company. Despite raising USD 1 million fund, MyDeal had bad reputations soon after they started to operate (not sure whether it still persist).

Currently covered cities: KL, Singapore. (Johor, Penang coming soon)

Updates: Kudos to MyDeal representative who actually contacted me to clarify the situation and I hope they improve!

Updates 2: Don't miss out the epic joke of the town here.

3. Togethergether



About: Are them still alive? Last deal offered was on July 2010 at the time of writing.

Currently covered cities: KL, Selangor.

Updates: First one to die? R.I.P.

4. GroupsMore



About: New player but the people behind it are not. Started by Youth Asia which is already master in community driven projects, looks promising!

Currently covered cities: KL.

Updates: Being acquired by Groupon, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

5. Roonchit



About: Self-declared "the new revolution of e-commerce, Asia's most innovative group-buying site" is launching in October 2010, sounds too gobbledygook isn't it?

Currently covered cities: Not available.

Updates: R.I.P.?

6. Groupego



About: Similar with Roonchit, launching in October and also using iPhone4 as pre-launch bait. They are also as gobbledygook in their writeup, and the presidential introduction. But kudos to them, they have had a good start.

Currently covered cities: Klang Valley. (Johor Bahru, Batu Pahat, Kota Kinabalu coming soon)

7. The Sun Daily Deal



About: The freely distributed newspaper has also joined the game by introducing the daily deal site. They have an edge with advertisements in their 300,000 daily circulations.

Currently covered cities: Malaysia.

Updates: R.I.P.

8. Wow Deal



About: Another newcomer, can't comment anything yet because they are very new.

Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur. (Penang, Ipoh, Johor Bahru coming soon)

Updates: R.I.P.?

9. Daily Sugar



About: Strictly speaking not a group buying site because purchase will be valid regardless of whether minimum purchase is met. Aims to be a "lifestyle partner" to consumers as different kind of deal will be offered on different days of the week.

Currently covered cities: Not specified yet.

Updates: R.I.P.?

10. 24 Mall



About: OK again not exactly a pure breed group buying site but it works similarly, featured daily deal fixed on 50% discount and minimum purchase not required. Site design is below par though.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: Transformed into a food review site?

11. OrangeDeal



About: Just launched in December 2010, this one is a "pure breed" group buying site as minimum purchase need to be met in order for the deal to be on.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: R.I.P.?

12. Baloi



About: One of the eye-catching stunt done by Baloi is by registering http://www.groupsmore.com.my/, in which http://www.groupsmore.com/ belongs to GroupsMore (no.4 above). Needless to say, they redirect http://www.groupsmore.com.my/ to their own site. The start of group-buying war eh?

Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P.?

13. Squarelet



About: A well designed site if compared to most of its peers.

Currently covered cities: Penang.

14. My Fat Deals



About: OK, I will stop writing the about section unless there is something special.

Currently covered cities: KL, Selangor.

Updates: R.I.P.?

15. Ezi Voucher



Currently covered cities: Penang, Ipoh, Johor, KL.

16. I Love Discounts



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley. (Penang coming soon)

17. Coopun



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P.

18. Group Voucher



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur, Selangor.

19. Dealmates



About: Possibly the first one to launch in 2011, just check out their media partners and you can speculate that Catcha is behind this. They are also the deal channel for MSN Malaysia: http://msn.goingout.com.my/dealmates/

Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

20. Koupon



Currently convered cities: Klang Valley.

21. RakanShop



Currently convered cities: Klang Valley.

Updates: R.I.P.

22. Milk A Deal



About: This is an interesting one, ties up with Nuffnang and Churp Churp thus with its social influences it can grow pretty fast.

Currently convered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

23. Funtora



Currently convered cities: Klang Valley.

24. Qpon



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

25. Hahah



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: Collaborate with Digi's MySimplifieds.

26. MadnessDeal



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

27. QmuRate



Currently covered cities: Penang.

28. Jack Cow



About: Operated by Qinetics, a division of Berjaya.

Currently covered cities: Klang Valley. (Penang, Johor coming soon)

29. Group Discount



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

30. Price2Check



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: R.I.P.?

31. Super Deals



About: Powered by 701Panduan, a co-joint company by Star Publications (M) Sdn Bhd and Singapore Press Holdings Ltd.

Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

32. i1more



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P.

33. WheeGroup



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

34. WeBuy



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

35. MyMetroMall



About: Not exactly a group buying site but more like a daily deal site. Minimum purchase is not required for the deal to go through and the numbers bought is also not published publicly. A player to watch as it's operated by Harian Metro (NSTP) with its wide coverage on media.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

36. CheapSkate



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P.?

37. StreetDeal



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

38. Red Elephant



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: Revamp = R.I.P.? 

39. Lady Jimat



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: Revamp = R.I.P.?

40. The Deal Bites



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

Updates: R.I.P.

41. Coupon Houz



About: A deal site that doesn't take commission from merchants but membership fee from members. Reported in The Star.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

42. Niwo



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

Updates: R.I.P.

43. Guben



Currently covered cities: Johor Bahru.

44. Good Deals 2U



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

45. Discount Deal



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P. 

46. Grab It!



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: Revamp = R.I.P.?

47. Beblob



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P.?

48. Kuponan



About: This is a group buying feature on eBay Malaysia site.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

49. JoyDeals



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

50. QponKini



About: A deal site by MalaysiaKini.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: R.I.P.

51. Slosht



About: A group buying site for drinkers!

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: R.I.P.? 

52. BuddyDeals



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

53. Aibay



Currently covered cities: Penang.

54. Deal4Real



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

55. DealTok



Currently covered cities: Penang.

56. Weconomic



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

57. Iced Chili



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley, Penang, Johor Bahru.

58. Wright Offer



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

59. Collpon



Currently covered cities: Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Malacca, East Coast.

Updates: R.I.P.

60. Deal Hangat



Currently covered cities: Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Kuching, Putrajaya.

61. e9deal



Currently covered cities: Melaka, Klang Valley, Johor, Penang, Kuching, Sabah.

Updates: R.I.P.?

62. JigoCity



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Ipoh, Johor Bahru, Penang.

63. JuzDeal



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: Revamp = R.I.P.? 

64. Savemall



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: R.I.P.?

65.  SugarDeal



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Updates: R.I.P.?

66. Dokonee



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

67. Smart Deal



Currently covered cities: Penang.

Updates: R.I.P.

68. Buynett



Currently covered cities: Penang.

69. Coolpon



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

70. GroupASave



Currently covered cities: Miri.

71. Hulala



Currently covered cities: Kuala Lumpur.

71. Myooo.my



Currently covered cities: Penang.

72. Hotvoucher



About: Use SMS to buy SMS vouchers, read more here.

Currently covered cities: Not specified.

Updates: R.I.P.?

73. Buy Discount



Currently covered cities: Not specified.

74. Cari Deals



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

Updates: R.I.P.?

75. jvBuyer



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

76. MyCoupon



Currently covered cities: Klang Valley.

77. GroupMe



About: Group buying site owned by Lelong.my, obviously you can expect more physical products here.

Currently covered cities: Nationwide.

78. myiMart



Currently covered cities: Not specified.


Update: GroupsMore founder said only 3 can survive Groupon-clones war.
http://e27.sg/2010/12/22/only-three-can-survive-groupon-clone-wars-say-groupsmore-founder/

Update: Read interview with Joel Neoh, CEO of GroupsMore aka Groupon Malaysia here:
http://www.malaysiacrunch.com/2011/02/interview-with-joel-neoh-ceo-of-groupon.html