Bay area bargains offered online

If you're looking for another way to stretch your dollar, there's a new Web site offering Bay area residents good deals.

A local start-up is adding to online bargain hunting with Groupocity ( www.groupocity.com). Similar to Groupon, the Web site offers daily deals on products and services such as bar tabs, dining and spa treatments.

The site launched Monday and is promoting deals with Deck Pizza, Frostings Etc. (a cupcake company), 717 South and NoHo Bistro restaurants and Posh Salon. Company management is mum on other deals in the works.

All select deals are 50 percent off regular prices. Getting the deals is easy, just not that easy. Translation: A minimum number of people must sign up for the deal to go through.

Groupocity plans to expand to nine cities in a year's time, said Chad Jaquays, founder and CEO of Groupocity.

Each day at 4 a.m., a new deal launches and is available for 24 hours. Credit cards are not charged until the target number of people sign up on the Web site. When the deal goes through, those who signed up receive a voucher they print and redeem.

Wednesday's deal was half off on a $30 dining tab at 717 South on Howard Avenue.

Signing up provides consumers a good deal and supports small local businesses Jaquays said.

"The economy has been horrible. The small businesses have been doing what they can to keep their head above water," he said. "We're hoping this helps."

Frostings Etc. was Tuesday's deal of the day, offering customers four gourmet cupcakes for $8. The regular price is $16.

The deal is a win for everyone, said Joe Barbato, who co-owns the cupcake company with his fiancee, Sharon Tabasco.

"The thing about this is that they're writing you a check," he said. "It's a great deal for the business and the people buying because they get half off the product."

The couple, both involved in real estate, hit tough times in the struggling economy. Wanting to switch gears, they opened Frostings Etc. in June with Barbato out front and Tabasco baking up a storm.

"I was in the mortgage business and was starving. I made a lot of money, lost a lot, and I'm back to being broke again," Barbato said. "But this is the most fun I've ever had."

Not such a bad deal.