Dooplan

Dooplan, which also operated under the brand El Grupazo, functioned as an online marketplace specializing in offering daily deals and discounts on a variety of local services, events, and products.

The company was founded in 2010 by Spanish entrepreneurs José Luis Benítez, Francisco Alcaraz, and Germán Heredia. Their platform connected users with local businesses, offering a wide array of discounted experiences ranging from restaurant meals and spa treatments to leisure activities and travel packages. The business model was centered on collective buying, where a deal would become active once a minimum number of people purchased it. This model generated revenue by taking a commission from the sales made through its platform, providing businesses with a channel for customer acquisition and promotion while offering consumers significant savings.

A significant milestone in the company's history was its acquisition by its main competitor, Grupalia, in October 2012. This consolidation was a strategic move within the competitive Spanish daily deal market, aiming to create a stronger entity with a larger user base and market share. Following the acquisition, the El Grupazo brand and its operations were integrated into Grupalia, expanding the latter's reach, particularly in the Andalusia region where El Grupazo had a strong presence. The co-founders, after the acquisition, were reported to have continued contributing to the joint project.

Keywords: online deals, collective buying, daily discounts, local marketplace, e-commerce, customer acquisition, leisure activities, travel packages, local merchants, Grupalia acquisition, El Grupazo