Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity (USD $)		Total	Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Receivables from Stockholder [Member]	Accumulated Deficit [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total Groupon Inc. Stockholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]		Total Equity [Member]
Beginning Balance, Equity at Dec. 31, 2009				$ 3,000			$ (144,000)	$ (29,828,000)		$ (29,969,000)			$ (29,969,000)
Beginning Balance, Shares Outstanding, Common at Dec. 31, 2009				345,892,992
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		(413,386,000)						(389,640,000)		(389,640,000)	1,530,000	[1]	(391,170,000)	[1]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions				86,234,312
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions				1,000		348,016,000				348,017,000			348,017,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other			18,447,676
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			2,000			584,656,000				584,658,000			584,658,000
Stock Redeemed or Called During Period, Shares			(580,384)
Redemption of preferred stock in excess of carrying value		(52,893,000)				(55,003,000)				(55,003,000)			(55,003,000)
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares				(93,328,656)
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value		0			(503,173,000)					(503,173,000)			(503,173,000)
Reclassification of redeemable preferred stock			11,166,332
Increase in Carrying Amount of Redeemable Preferred Stock			(1,000)			34,711,000				34,712,000			34,712,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock		(1,362,000)				(1,362,000)				(1,362,000)			(1,362,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustments		9,875,000							9,875,000	9,875,000			9,875,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests						(12,425,000)				(12,425,000)			(12,425,000)
Exercise of stock options, shares				2,428,664
Exercise of stock options, value						369,000	(142,000)			227,000			227,000
RSU, Vested in Period				165,000
Stock-based compensation on equity-classified awards						22,160,000				22,160,000			22,160,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	[1]										(22,200,000)
Ending Balance, Equity at Dec. 31, 2010			3,000	4,000	(503,173,000)	921,122,000	(286,000)	(419,468,000)	9,875,000	8,077,000	(1,530,000)		6,547,000
Ending Balance, Shares Outstanding, Preferred at Dec. 31, 2010			29,033,624
Ending Balance, Shares Outstanding, Common at Dec. 31, 2010				341,392,312
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		(297,762,000)						(279,427,000)		(279,427,000)	2,974,000	[1]	(276,453,000)	[1]
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Acquisitions				3,658,798
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Acquisitions						55,147,000				55,147,000			55,147,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Other			15,827,796	42,431,660
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues			2,000	4,000		1,253,901,000	144,000			1,254,051,000			1,254,051,000
Stock Redeemed or Called During Period, Shares			(370,401)
Redemption of preferred stock in excess of carrying value		(34,327,000)				(35,003,000)				(35,003,000)			(35,003,000)
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares				(45,090,184)
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value		4,916,000			(353,768,000)					(353,768,000)			(353,768,000)
Dividends, Preferred Stock		0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Restricted Stock Award, Net of Forfeitures						1,143,000				1,143,000			1,143,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Period Increase (Decrease)				960,000
Return of common stock		400,000		(400,000)
Stockholders' Equity, Other		4,900,000				(4,916,000)				(4,916,000)			(4,916,000)
Recapitalization of Outstanding Shares to Class A and Class B common stock			(44,491,019)	293,309,716
Recapitalization of Outstanding Shares to Class A and Class B common stock, value			(5,000)	56,000	808,666,000	(808,666,000)				51,000			51,000
Dividends, Common Stock					48,275,000	(48,275,000)
Restricted Stock Award, Forfeitures, Dividends								191,000		191,000			191,000
Foreign currency translation adjustments		3,053,000							3,053,000	3,053,000			3,053,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests						(59,740,000)				(59,740,000)			(59,740,000)
Restricted Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Business Combination				366,964
Purchases of additional interests in consolidated subsidiaries				1,454,838
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other						13,981,000				13,981,000	1,007,000		14,988,000
Exercise of stock options, shares				4,990,665
Exercise of stock options, value						2,729,000	142,000			2,871,000			2,871,000
RSU, Vested in Period				1,070,432
Tax withholding related to net share settlements of restricted stock units						(4,200,000)				4,200,000			(4,200,000)
Stock-based compensation on equity-classified awards						88,979,000				88,979,000			88,979,000
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation						12,051,000				12,051,000			12,051,000
Partnership distributions to noncontrolling interest holders											5,525,000		(5,525,000)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	[1]										(21,300,000)
Ending Balance, Equity at Dec. 31, 2011		699,467,000		64,000		1,388,253,000		(698,704,000)	12,928,000	702,541,000	(3,074,000)		699,467,000
Ending Balance, Shares Outstanding, Common at Dec. 31, 2011				644,145,201
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)		(51,031,000)						(54,773,000)		(54,773,000)	3,748,000	[1]	(51,025,000)	[1]
Redemption of preferred stock in excess of carrying value		0
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares		0
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value		0
Dividends, Preferred Stock		0
Foreign currency translation adjustments		425,000							(535,000)	(535,000)	960,000		425,000
Unrealized gain on available-for-sale debt security									53,000	53,000			53,000
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Redemptions or Purchase of Interests						(12,604,000)				(12,604,000)			(12,604,000)
Restricted Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Business Combination				152,446
Purchases of additional interests in consolidated subsidiaries				51,000
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other						(2,584,000)				(2,584,000)	739,000		(1,845,000)
Shares, Issued				660,539		2,503,000				2,503,000			2,503,000
Exercise of stock options, shares				9,025,164
Exercise of stock options, value				1,000		9,312,000				9,313,000			9,313,000
RSU, Vested in Period				4,452,979
Shares Paid for Tax Withholding for Share Based Compensation				(1,563,647)
Tax withholding related to net share settlements of restricted stock units						14,918,000				14,918,000			14,918,000
Stock-based compensation on equity-classified awards						93,781,000				93,781,000			93,781,000
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation						21,263,000				21,263,000			21,263,000
Partnership distributions to noncontrolling interest holders											4,312,000		4,312,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	[1]										100,000
Ending Balance, Equity at Dec. 31, 2012		$ 742,101,000		$ 65,000		$ 1,485,006,000		$ (753,477,000)	$ 12,446,000	$ 744,040,000	$ (1,939,000)		$ 742,101,000
Ending Balance, Shares Outstanding, Preferred at Dec. 31, 2012		0
Ending Balance, Shares Outstanding, Common at Dec. 31, 2012				656,923,682

[1] Excludes less than $0.1 million, $21.3 million and $22.2 million attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively, which are reported outside of permanent equity on the consolidated balance sheets