CHICAGO, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Internet site Groupon.com said it was back online after a crash triggered by U.S. consumers flooding the site after it was touted by Oprah Winfrey.
The television host's mention of Groupon was somewhat indirect. Winfrey listed microloan company Kiva on a segment of her program called "2010 Favorite Things," the Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.
Kiva allows participants to make loans to entrepreneurs, who generally come from Third World countries. On Friday, Winfrey said Kiva had organized a deal for a $10 Groupon to buy a $25 Kiva loan.
The Chicago Sun-Times said Kiva is still offering to "add $10 to every $15 purchase, up to $500,000."
Groupon spokeswoman Julie Mossler also attributed the flood of visitors to a Nordstrom Rack deal, which allowed customers to buy $50 of store credit for $25, which had been running when Winfrey mentioned the Kiva promotion.
