Isn't a secret...to some. If Groupon knew all potential investors would come to these same conclusions, why inflate the CSOI figures in the first place? They ma

Isn't a secret...to some. If Groupon knew all potential investors would come to these same conclusions, why inflate the CSOI figures in the first place? They may believe that their marketing costs may not stay high once they've locked users into their e-mail list, but there is a growing influx of companies diluting the concentration of their daily deals such as LivingSocial, GiltCity, BuyWithMe, and countless other clones. Even Google Offers and Facebook Deals are entering the market with a huge network at their disposal. With this growing competition, Groupon is going to need to continue spending more on marketing well into the future in order to replace lost sales and a deteriorating retention rate. Their marketing costs are going to continue to be significant and, until they prove otherwise, they should report them as such.