As the time-honored adage goes, if at first you don’t succeed at buying a company in a multi-billion dollar deal, try to out perform it with a competing service of your own. Such is the tack Google is apparently taking against Groupon.

After Google failed to acquire Groupon with a $6-billion offer, the Internet giants have now turned to creating their own brand of online coupons for local deals with Google Offers, says Mashable, citing sources who they say provided fact sheets about the new launch.

Google Offers would work a lot like Groupon, sending subscribers a daily email with deals in their neighborhood, with a limited amount of time to buy into that deal. And then, much like Groupon, after enough people sign up, the deal is “tipped” and the discount goes into effect.

Mashable received the below comment from Google on their story:

Google is communicating with small businesses to enlist their support and participation in a test of a pre-paid offers/vouchers program. This initiative is part of an ongoing effort at Google to make new products, such as the recent Offer Ads beta, that connect businesses with customers in new ways. We do not have more details to share at this time, but will keep you posted.

Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but something tells us Groupon won’t see it that way.

Google to Launch Groupon Competitor [Mashable]

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