Facebook launches Deals

LET’S MAKE A DEAL: Taking GroupOn head-on, Facebook has launched a new service offering online discounts, which it cleverly calls “Deals,” in San Diego, San Francisco, Atlanta, Austin and Dallas. Deals will be recommended, and people will be able to see their friends’ purchases. These transactions will primarily be small scale and friend-to-friend. Facebook’s motivation isn’t hard to understand: overnight sensation GroupOn is cruising toward what may be a $25 billion IPO. (4/26a)