The concept that consumers can score discounts if they use their collective buying power as leverage is not new. Some consumers in Dubai were already using the power of numbers, even before online group buying portals became a buzz.

At the Dubai Mums Club, an online social community that seeks to bring together mothers in and around the UAE, women have scored some money-saving deals, thanks to eager local entrepreneurs looking to tap into the site's huge membership database.

Dubai Mums, which has just turned a year older, is not a portal dedicated for group buying and it operates on a completely different model.

In fact, its owner, Jenny Haddad, doesn't receive a cut from the business owner. And unlike group- buying companies, Dubai Mums doesn't offer daily deals or require a minimum number of people to sign up to get a discount.

The online social community, which has more than 2,500 members registered, is simply a place where mums of any age or nationality can come together, chat and make new friends.

Primary aim

Although its primary aim is to foster social network ties, the women's potential collective buying power comes handy when mums plan get-togethers and other activities that keep them and their children occupied.

"It's a complementary to DubaiBabies, my retail business. We have members who chat online and they organize get-togethers. So, sometimes we reach out to retailers to get discounts for mums. Let's say a group of mums would like to go to a nail spa and we say to a merchant we have 4,000 potential customers for you, would you give us a discount?" she explains.

"The members don't have to come through me to book a deal, although I negotiate with the merchants. The person giving the discount also needs to be flexible… I get approached by retailers, too. It's a way for companies to promote their products to my members," she tells Gulf News.

Deals that have been offered so far include discounted prices for children's parties, language courses, dance academy passes, play areas; spa treatments, beauty salon services and pastry items, among others.