Innovation Watch: Collective buying with The Point

by Nathaniel Whittemore · 2008-11-13 12:27:00 UTC
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I've mentioned The Point before as one of the online social action platforms most dilligently experimenting with creating new user contexts for action.They've just launched a new service that, while not explicitly philanthropic in nature, demonstrates the potential of aggregate power in helping social entrepreneurs acquire the resources they need.

The Daily Groupon is a collective buying tool powered by The Point platform that offers group discounts for cool Chicago events (The Point is based in Chicago). The neat thing is that you don't necessarily need to bring the whole group. Today's Groupon offer are reduced-rate tickets to The Nutcracker only available to groups of 15 or larger. With The Point, I can agree to attend if and only if another 14 people sign up and we can get the reduced rate.

What are the types of things that nonprofits could come together to buy with a similar process?

Nathaniel Whittemore is the founder of Assetmap. Previously he was the founding director of the Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement.
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