v2.4.0.6

Description of Business	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS [Abstract]
Nature of Operations [Text Block]	DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS Groupon, Inc., together with the subsidiaries through which it conducts business (the "Company"), is a local commerce marketplace (www.groupon.com) that connects merchant partners to consumers by offering goods and services at a discount. The Company, which commenced operations in October 2008, creates a new way for local merchants to attract customers, while providing consumers with savings and helping them discover what to do, eat, see and buy in the places they live and work. Each day, the Company emails its subscribers with discounted offers for goods and services that are targeted by location and personal preferences. Consumers also access deals directly through the Company's website and mobile application. The Company, based in Chicago, Illinois, was founded by Andrew D. Mason, the Company's CEO, Eric P. Lefkofsky, the Company's Executive Chairman, and Bradley A. Keywell, one of the Company's directors, evolved from a business they founded called The Point (www.thepoint.com), which is a web platform that enables users to promote collective action in support of social, educational and other causes. The Point originally was established as a limited liability company ("ThePoint"). Effective January 15, 2008, The Point converted its legal form to a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, and merged with and into ThePoint.com, a newly-established corporation ("ThePoint.com"). ThePoint.com subsequently changed its legal name to Groupon, Inc. The Company has organized its operations into two principal segments: North America and International. See Note 14 "Segment Information."

X

- Details

Name:	grpn_A1DescriptionOfBusinessAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	grpn_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the nature of an entity's business, the major products or services it sells or provides and its principal markets, including the locations of those markets. If the entity operates in more than one business, the disclosure also indicates the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination (for example, assets, revenues, or earnings).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Publisher AICPA

-Number 94-6

-Paragraph 10

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 275

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6003-108592

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NatureOfOperations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration