Segment Information Gross Profit by Segment and Category (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	$ 384,694		$ 433,151		$ 763,703		$ 872,936
North America [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	194,586		173,867		366,942		343,181
EMEA [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	139,531		183,471		293,252		382,888
Rest of World [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	50,577		75,813		103,509		146,867
Local [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	288,300	[1]	318,232	[1]	569,663	[1]	643,758	[1]
Local [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	288,243	[1]	318,178	[1]	569,606	[1]	643,068	[1]
Local [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	57	[1]	54	[1]	57	[1]	690	[1]
Local [Member] | North America [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	154,356	[1]	148,533	[1]	300,034	[1]	288,515	[1]
Local [Member] | North America [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	154,299	[1]	148,479	[1]	299,977	[1]	287,825	[1]
Local [Member] | North America [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	57	[1]	54	[1]	57	[1]	690	[1]
Local [Member] | EMEA [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	98,583	[1]	122,401	[1]	195,106	[1]	262,827	[1]
Local [Member] | EMEA [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	98,583	[1]	122,401	[1]	195,106	[1]	262,827	[1]
Local [Member] | EMEA [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Local [Member] | Rest of World [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	35,361	[1]	47,298	[1]	74,523	[1]	92,416	[1]
Local [Member] | Rest of World [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	35,361	[1]	47,298	[1]	74,523	[1]	92,416	[1]
Local [Member] | Rest of World [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]
Goods [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	63,051		74,922		122,193		146,845
Goods [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	41,778		67,778		91,003		138,505
Goods [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	21,273		7,144		31,190		8,340
Goods [Member] | North America [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	26,977		15,222		39,433		33,680
Goods [Member] | North America [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	4,129		8,373		6,798		26,557
Goods [Member] | North America [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	22,848		6,849		32,635		7,123
Goods [Member] | EMEA [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	27,108		42,075		67,082		80,596
Goods [Member] | EMEA [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	28,233		42,080		68,228		79,622
Goods [Member] | EMEA [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	(1,125)		(5)		(1,146)		974
Goods [Member] | Rest of World [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	8,966		17,625		15,678		32,569
Goods [Member] | Rest of World [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	9,416		17,325		15,977		32,326
Goods [Member] | Rest of World [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	(450)		300		(299)		243
Travel and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	33,343		39,997		71,847		82,333
Travel and other [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	33,343		39,997		71,847		81,804
Travel and other [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	0		0		0		529
Travel and other [Member] | North America [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	13,253		10,112		27,475		20,986
Travel and other [Member] | North America [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	13,253		10,112		27,475		20,986
Travel and other [Member] | North America [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	0		0		0		0
Travel and other [Member] | EMEA [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	13,840		18,995		31,064		39,465
Travel and other [Member] | EMEA [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	13,840		18,995		31,064		38,936
Travel and other [Member] | EMEA [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	0		0		0		529
Travel and other [Member] | Rest of World [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	6,250		10,890		13,308		21,882
Travel and other [Member] | Rest of World [Member] | Third party and other [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	6,250		10,890		13,308		21,882
Travel and other [Member] | Rest of World [Member] | Direct [Member]
Gross Profit by Category [Line Items]
Gross Profit	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0		$ 0

[1] Includes revenue from deals with local merchants, from deals with national merchants, and through local events (i.e., GrouponLive deals).