Struggling Deals Site LivingSocial Kills Events Group, Closes New York Office The move eliminates 30 full-time positions and will have remaining staffers working remotely.

By Benjamin Kabin

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

blog.buyometric.co.uk

Discount-of-the-day site LivingSocial is closing its Fifth Avenue office in New York City and eliminating its local events division, leaving 30 full-time staffers without jobs.

Remaining New York staffers in its sales and advertising department have been asked to work from home. Once all local events in New York are completed by Oct. 1, the company plans to lay off dozens of part-time employees.

The news, confirmed by TheNextWeb, comes less than a month after the company shuttered its Seattle office, where it also asked displaced employees to work remotely.

The deals site stressed that these changes are not part of a cost-cutting effort but "a decision geared towards achieving profitability." LivingSocial said that larger events have been more lucrative than the niche ones offered by the local-events division. Meanwhile, the company said it plans to create 50 new jobs for its call center in Tucson, Ariz.

Last November, LivingSocial laid off 400 employees, mostly in the U.S., in an effort to "streamline" its sales and editorial departments. Groupon, another big daily discount site, saw massive layoffs in 2012 as well, cutting 648 jobs over a six-month period.

Related: What Happens When Startups Grow Too Fast

Benjamin Kabin

Journalist

Benjamin Kabin is a Brooklyn-based technology journalist who specializes in security, startups, venture capital and social media.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

'My Brain Thrives on Variety': His Side Hustle Inspired By 'The 4-Hour Workweek' Led to $600,000 in 16 Months

Mark Hellweg, 42, knows what it takes to start a business "with a fraction of the capital."

Growing a Business

An Investor Doubted Me and My Business Because I'm a Working Dad — Here's Why You Don't Have to Sacrifice Work or Your Family.

Prioritizing business should never mean ignoring family. Entrepreneurs who give themselves to both will quickly find that success in the one feeds success in the other.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Growing a Business

He Turned His BBQ Restaurant Into a Full-Fledged Media Business. Here Are His 5 Best Tips for Growing Your Digital Presence.

Learn how Shawn Walchef built a thriving BBQ and media business through authentic storytelling, digital vulnerability and a bold approach to content creation that inspires entrepreneurs to embrace imperfection via online connection.