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Investments Investments in E-Commerce and Life Media (F-Tuan) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Jun. 30, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Sep. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Investment [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Cost Method Investment   $ 25,000,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment       $ 2,100,000.0grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment $ 13,600,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment  
Gain (Loss) on Investments         56,032,000us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfInvestments      
Fair Value Inputs, Discount Rate   25.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate     30.00%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate      
investment Cost Method and AFS Debt Security         77,500,000grpn_InvestmentCostMethodandAFSDebtSecurity      
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments 85,500,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments   2,036,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments 85,925,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments 50,553,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments      
E-commerce [Member]                
Investment [Line Items]                
Equity Method Investments, Ownership Percentage   49.80%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_EcommerceMember
           
F-Tuan [Member]                
Investment [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Cost Method Investment   25,000,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
          8,000,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
Cost Method Investments, Ownership Percentage 19.10%grpn_CostMethodOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
19.10%grpn_CostMethodOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
  19.10%grpn_CostMethodOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
       
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference, Value 85,500,000us-gaap_PreferredStockLiquidationPreferenceValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
    85,500,000us-gaap_PreferredStockLiquidationPreferenceValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
       
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments       85,500,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
50,600,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
     
August 2013 [Domain] | F-Tuan [Member]                
Investment [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Cost Method Investment               6,500,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
/ grpn_PaymentInstallmentsAxis
= grpn_August2013Domain
October 2013 [Domain] [Domain] | F-Tuan [Member]                
Investment [Line Items]                
Payments to Acquire Cost Method Investment $ 1,500,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
/ grpn_PaymentInstallmentsAxis
= grpn_October2013DomainDomain
    $ 1,500,000grpn_PaymentstoAcquireCostMethodInvestment
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= grpn_FTuanMember
/ grpn_PaymentInstallmentsAxis
= grpn_October2013DomainDomain