Skip to main content

Glenn Beck launches Markdown.com, another social deals site

glenn-beck-markdown-pyramid-scheme
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Realizing that he could be missing out on a boatload of easy cash, Glenn Beck has jumped on the bandwagon and launched his own social coupon site, which will compete with Groupon, Living Social, Google Offers, and the many other deal sites that seem to be manifesting out of thin air. Owned by Beck’s Mercury Digital Labs, Markdown.com will allow Beck to “save our country” by getting his fans to buy chocolates.

Here’s how it works: Glenn Beck picks a product and puts it up on the site. The first product is a $20 box of chocolates for $10. However, if you recruit 10 friends to join Markdown.com through the site’s ‘social referral’ program, then you can get the chocolates (or whatever the deal is, presumably) for free. Then, if each of your friends each recruits 10 friends, they can get the chocolates for free too, according to the vague language on the site, which is limited mostly to the graphic seen above.

The bet is that most customers will fail to find enough friends to get their item for free. Living Social also gives you your deal for free if you can get only three friends to purchase a deal, but is more transparent with its deals, showing how many customers have purchased a deal.

Beck describes this deals site in the holiest of ways: “Markdown is a way for people to connect with companies and products that respect their values, and respect their hard-earned dollars,” said Beck (via PC Mag). “If we want to save our country, we have to save ourselves, which means we have to align ourselves with things that are true, and I think we have an opportunity to save people money and unite with each other and create something new, with real value, to help. If I can create something of worth, and be able to with that, help others, to enrich or enhance their lives, I think we’ve done a good thing.”

The site’s About page further paints the coupon site as more of a duty to the people than a money making business. “Markdown.com is a different kind of e-commerce site. Sure, we care about revenue and profit, but we care about honesty and integrity just as much.  We believe in value, but we also believe in values—the idea that we should be guided by a set of principles that transcends money.”

Before you get the wrong idea though and think Markdown really transcends money, please remember that according to the site’s FAQ “all sales are final.”

Update 5/29: Several paragraphs have been edited for clarity. The headline has been softened. A reader also pointed out that Living Social has a similar social referral program; the article has been edited to reflect this information.

Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: finally time to upgrade?
The screen of the Surface Pro 9.

Windows 11 is the newest version of Windows, and it's one of the best Windows versions released. At launch, the operating system was very similar to Windows 10, but it has morphed a lot over the past several years. Now, Windows 11 has several key differences compared to Windows 10.

If you've been holding out on upgrading, we have everything you need to know about Windows 11 and how it's different than Windows 10 in this article. We'll detail the differences, as well as show you the areas where Windows 11 is growing faster than Windows 10.
Windows 11 vs. Windows 10: what's new

Read more
Usually $299, this HP Chromebook is discounted to $149 today
HP Chromebook 14b sits on a desk.

If the laptop deals that you come across are too expensive because all you need is a basic device, then you may want to check out Chromebook deals. Here's an affordable offer that may catch your attention -- the HP Chromebook 14a for only $149, following a $150 discount on its original price of $299. That's insanely cheap, and we don't think that price will hold for a long time. If you're interested in taking advantage of this bargain, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase immediately because it may be gone as soon as tomorrow.

Why you should buy the HP Chromebook 14a
A Chromebook is a laptop that's powered by Google's Chrome OS, which is a web-based operating system that allows devices to run fast and smooth despite cheap components. For example, the HP Chromebook 14a is only equipped with the Intel Celeron N4120 processor, Intel UHD Graphics 600, and 4GB of RAM, but it's good enough for the basic tasks that you'll need to complete for work or school such as typing documents, doing online research, and making presentations. The HP Chromebook 14a doesn't have much built-in storage as it only comes with a 64GB eMMC, but you'll have all the space that you need for your files on Google Drive.

Read more
Best refurbished laptop deals: How to find cheap used computers
microsoft surface laptop go 2020 on desk

Shopping the best laptop deals can land you some savings, but if it’s an incredibly low price you’re looking for, shopping refurbished is the way to go. Refurbished laptops offer a chance to save big, and you can often find some of yesterday’s best laptops at super cheap prices today. Most refurbished laptops are backed by warranties and reasonable return windows, so you can shop refurbished laptops with some confidence what you’re purchasing will hold up. There are a lot of great refurbished laptop deals out there right now, and they are laptops that make a lot of sense for students or anyone on a tight budget. Below you’ll find links to some of the best places to buy a refurbished laptop.
Best Buy refurbished laptops -- starting at $113
Best Buy's refurbished laptops are -- you guessed it -- Geek Squad Certified and while they may not be free and clear of absolutely all cosmetic scuffs they are still exceptionally clean and always in working order. Some of them even come with additional software like virus tools, streaming access, like Apple TV+, and much more. Of course, the best part is that you can get a premium and fully upgraded model for less, often with more storage, more power, and more features than you would when buying a base model brand new. You've got some great options from Lenovo, Acer, HP, Dell, Gateway, and even Apple to choose from. The cheapest models start around $120 and increase from there. The best way to know what's available is to head over and browse for yourself.

Dell Latitude -- starting at $279
Dell sometimes discounts laptops and machines, for varying reasons, including clearance deals of the week to make way for new stock. That's pretty much the case with Dell's Latitude models with the cheapest coming in around $189 up to $229 and above. There are a lot of different models, each with individual specifications and features, so you'll have to sift through the list, especially if you know what you're looking for already.

Read more