v2.4.0.6

Investments in Equity Interests Investments in Equity Interests Text (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011 E-Commerce [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 E-Commerce [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 E-Commerce [Member]	May 31, 2012 E-Commerce [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 E-Commerce [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Life Media Limited (F-Tuan) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2012 Life Media Limited (F-Tuan) [Member]	Jun. 25, 2012 Life Media Limited (F-Tuan) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life Media Limited (F-Tuan) [Member]
Equity Method Investment, Ownership Percentage				49.00%	40.00%	0.00%	49.80%	49.00%
Purchase price for equity method investments				$ 45,200,000	$ 4,000,000	$ 32,900,000
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee, Cumulative Number of Shares Issued for All Transactions				2,908,856
Payments to Acquire Cost Method Investments										25,000,000	5,000,000
Cost Method Investment, Ownership Percentage									19.00%			0.00%
Related Parties Percentage Ownership of JV					10.00%
Gain on E-Commerce transaction	$ 56,000,000	$ 56,032,000	$ 0

X

- Definition

Cost Method Ownership Percentage - The Company's aggregate percent ownership of cost method investment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	grpn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Payments to Acquire Cost Method Investments

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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X

- Definition

Related Parties Percentage Ownership of JV - The percentage of ownership a related party has in a JV with the Company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	grpn_RelatedPartiesPercentageOwnershipOfJv
Namespace Prefix:	grpn_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 18

-Subparagraph f

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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 323

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6382943&loc=d3e33918-111571



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 18

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a (1)

-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.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The difference between the carrying value and the sale price of an investment. A gain would be recognized when the sale price of the investment is greater than the carrying value of the investment. This element refers to the Gain included in earnings and not to the cash proceeds of the sale.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of or advances to an equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3213-108585



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 17

-Subparagraph b

-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.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Cumulative number of shares issued or sold by the subsidiary or equity method investee on all stock transactions.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 5

-Section H

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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Period Type:	duration