Online Group Booking Rises in Popularity

Already popular in the US with websites like Groupon.com, online group booking has just started to take up the Middle East by storm.

Though Groupon is well known for offering special deals to mass bookings, it looks like Lebanese based websites Presella.com and Rikbit.com have yet to catch on. Because—unlike U.S based websites—they still offer the same prices online as in person.

Rikbit, a website created by Marwa Bohsaly and Rawad, Tony and Elias Hajj, aims to ease the hassle of booking and planning of events. You can invite your friends, pay online (though this feature isn’t yet available), and reserve your spot, all with the click of a button.

Here’s the drawback though: many of the events require a certain number of people to reserve, so if your event isn’t populated, your reservation is cancelled. Which is kind of weird, seeing as the event still occurs

With plans to expand to Dubai in the future, Rikbit is no doubt aiming big. Which begs the question, is this online booking trend here to stay? Or is our propensity to reserve and cancel flippantly a sure fire way to confuse users? I guess we’ll find out.