Want to be a Groupon VIP? All it takes is $30 a year

by Tucker Cummings (Guest contributor/Digital Journalist)

In a recession, it’s hard to spare the cash for things that make you feel like a VIP. But Groupon is hoping that buyers wanting a taste of “luxury” will shell out $30 a year to feel special.

TIME reports that the deal-of-the-day website is testing their new VIP service in two markets: Tampa and Hampton Roads, VA.

Pay $29.99, and you’ll get early access to deals (12 hours ahead of the hoi polloi), as well as the ability to purchase deals after they have expired or sold out. Refunds are also reported to be easier for those VIP Groupon members.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Groupon spokeswoman Julie Mossler called the program “a must-have for Groupon addicts.”

Groupon competitor LivingSocial has a similar premium offering, called “LivingSocial Plus.” When the service debuted last year, Josh Constine of TechCrunch wrote, “LivingSocial may have figured out the next big thing in daily deals. Now it just has to watch out for copy cats offering even bigger bonuses.”

TIME previously reported that Groupon’s stock price would likely fall in 2012 due to “Groupon Remorse,” the phrase used to describe the feeling buyers get after buying multiple deals that they may never use.

This article originally appeared on Digital Journal [Link]