( Business Insider ) -- Groupon , the fastest-growing web company on the planet , reportedly turned down a $ 6 billion buyout offer from Google late last week . Sounds crazy , right ? For most two-year-old companies , the idea of getting a $ 6 billion offer -- never mind turning it down -- is a wild dream . Especially for an idea like Groupon that seems so simple : Daily money-saving coupon offers for local businesses , delivered by e-mail and over the web ( A $ 50 credit to the Gap on sale for $ 25 , for example ) . So it 's understandable that Groupon 's decision surprised people . But Groupon was actually smart to turn down Google 's offer . Why ? Because Groupon is wildly growing in popularity , and is picking up steam so fast that there is no knowing how much it could be worth in a year -- potentially much more than it is now . Here 's a snapshot of the company 's growth : Groupon says it currently has 40 million subscribers to its daily coupon e-mails , up from 1.5 million a year ago . It is offering deals in more than 300 markets in 35 countries , up from just 28 U.S. markets last year . And Groupon says it has saved its customers more than $ 800 million so far this year , up from about $ 50 million last year . For consumers , that means spending less cash -- always a nice thing in tough economic times . And for local businesses , that means bringing new customers in the door , which makes them happy , too . That 's why so many restaurants , stores , and service providers are rushing to get their deals on Groupon that the company has had to change its business model to keep up -- no longer just `` one deal per day , per city , '' but several potential deals , customized for the user . As for the company itself , Groupon has more than 3,000 employees -- up from about 125 last year -- including about 1,000 in its wacky Chicago headquarters . ( Do n't miss our photo tour -- it 's truly wild . ) And while there are competitors like LivingSocial , which has some 10 million subscribers , attracting a lot of attention and investment , Groupon is still leading the pack . Therefore , the promise of further explosive growth is the biggest reason that Groupon was smart to turn down Google 's offer . Imagine Facebook selling to Yahoo for $ 1 billion in 2006 -- it would n't have been worth $ 50 billion right now . Or imagine that Google had taken Yahoo 's meager offer early in its history , too . It would n't be worth almost $ 200 billion as it is today . But there 's another big reason why it 's smart for Groupon to remain independent , for now : The idea that Google could destroy Groupon under its leadership , due to a massive culture clash . If history is any indication , Google would probably have tried to change Groupon , to make it more Googly . But the two companies have vastly different structures and cultures . And based on our understanding of Groupon , Google could potentially ruin Groupon very easily . Why ? Because Groupon is primarily a sales and writing organization , built on people-power and smiles . Of its 3,000 employees around the world , most are in sales , customer support , and editorial . The company employs comedy writers and improv actors , and nurtures corporate gags like an office elaborately decorated as a bedroom for an imaginary , deranged tenant . It 's very funny , but also the kind of thing that the brains at Google probably would n't find funny , or support . `` I 'm not sure this is a tech company that gets built in San Francisco or Palo Alto , '' Groupon co-founder and CEO Andrew Mason told us when we visited his office last month . `` It 's so heavily people-dependent -- not really consistent with the way people think about building startups in [ Silicon ] Valley . '' Google , meanwhile , is the prototypical Silicon Valley tech company -- the master algorithm . Yes , there are lots of people at Google , too , including many sales and support staff . But Google 's culture is dominated by engineers , the sort of high-GPA geniuses who can answer all of the brain-teaser Google interview questions . And that clash could have been a big problem for Groupon . So for those reasons , Groupon actually looks smart for turning down Google 's $ 6 billion offer . Of course , that 's not to say that the companies wo n't figure out a deal in the future , or that there is n't a chance that Groupon could stumble , and be worth less in the future . But based on the way Groupon is growing in popularity today -- and is expected to generate more than $ 2 billion in sales next year -- turning down Google 's offer is n't as crazy as it sounds . Copyright © 2011 Business Insider .
Yahoo says 1.5 million people subscribe to its a year -coupon e-mails . `` Gap would probably have tried to change Groupon , '' writes ruin Groupon . Groupon is primarily a sales and writing organization , built on people-power and smiles .