Gonabit.com gives a whole new meaning to “safety in numbers.” The group discount website is one of several that have sprung up in the Middle-East region, bringing the “groupon” movement to the Arab world. To be fair though, gonabit.com was the first to get there.

Basically, the site partners up with local businesses to offer deals you can purchase online. They can be anything from a manucure or pedicure, to delicious meals, dance lessons, days at the spa, massages and even extreme sports. Today’s Nab is 45USD worth of food at Estancia in Gemmayzeh, for just 20USD. The catch is though, that if not enough people buy the deal, the nab will not be valid! In today’s Estancia case, at least 10 need to be purchased for the deal to stick, hence, “safety in numbers”

GoNabIt.com already has 6 sites, for Beirut, Amman, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Sharja and Kuwait City, with another 6 Arab cities on the way.

The main obstacle is of course the limited number of people who actually shop online in Lebanon, with people barely having a usable and online-compatible credit or debit card. I myself saw no need for the online credit card till I had to register for my MCATs and pay for some blog fees, otherwise, I doubt I would’ve realized how useful online shopping can be. So, next time you’re at your bank, open up an online credit card, get access to it online so you are able to transfer ONLY the exact amount you need for a given purchase (just in case, and in any transaction) and you’re all set!

I personally have bought one previous nab, and I definitely plan on buying today’s deal =P So try it out, they send you an email every time a new deal is up for grabs, who knows, you might be able to do some kitesurfing with friends for less than 50USD, or get a full-body massage for just 25USD. Rumor has it movie tix might be up for grabs on a regular basis too *halo appears*

So, check it out below and make sure you sign up so you get the daily deal