Google Buys TheDealMap for Location-Based Deals

Google has purchased TheDealMap, a location-based deals service that will almost certainly be integrated into Googe's recent Deals service.

TheDealMap, which happened to be one of PCMag.com's best Web sites of 2010, rounds up local deals via an online map, and also separates them out via category. Users can also find deals by brand or by city, as well as via categories such as "restaurants," "medical," and "food and drugs," among others.

Google recently launched its Google Offers program in Portland, Ore., and later moving to New York's Manhattan and the San Francisco Bay Area. Like Groupon and other daily deals sites, Google Offers focuses on offers in a specific region, generally offering users the right to purchase a deal coupon for 50 percent off or more.

To date, though, Google's Offers beta places deals in a generic region, such as New York's MidTown, or "Oakland/East Bay". With TheDealMap, deals can be found outside those regions, with a much more refined sense of location. Google's strength in its Maps offering, with its Google Places becoming more of a home for businesses.

And Groupon recently launched Groupon Now, which provides location-based deals with time constraints as well, one-upping its competition.

"We believe Google provides the ideal platform to help us accelerate our growth and fulfill our mission. We're passionate about helping people save money while having great local experiences, and in Google we've found the perfect partner that shares this passion, as well as our vision and strategy," the company said in a statement posted on its site. "We believe that joining Google will help us innovate in new and unexplored areas of commerce."

It's unclear, however, how long TheDealMap will exist as a service.

"For the time being, we will continue to support The Dealmap's core products and partner services. People will still be able to access local and daily deals through The Dealmap website, mobile apps, and daily email, and we'll continue supporting The Dealmap API and feeds for existing sourcing and distribution partners. As we're ready to share more about integration and transition plans, we'll update our partners and consumers on progress and any news."

TheDealMap claims that it has over 2 million users of its branded mobile, Web, social, and email products, and that over 1 million people have installed its iPhone and Android apps. The site also claims over 85 million visitors have accessed its DealExchange distribution network.