Does this sound familiar?

An Amazon app gives customers coupons and also has reviews of some local businesses.

Called Amazon Local, it is a free download from the Apple iTunes Store. Amazon says the app allows customers to:

“…view and buy offers in seconds, whether it’s a fast-selling Amazon MP3 deal, a special chef dinner, or a luxurious massage. You can set your deal preferences so you only get email when we have the kinds of deals you want. And your vouchers are always with you – no need to print them out anymore.”

Samples of the online coupons on iTunes (pictured above) show deals on everything from a few hours of bowling to movie tickets, coffee and even hot air balloon rides.

The Amazon Local app has apparently only collected a handful of reviews for local businesses since launching last month, including some from the Seattle area where Amazon is based, reports GeekWire.

However, put together the services are similar to those already offered by companies like Groupon and Yelp.

The new services may be part of a planned local marketplace Amazon plans to launch by the end of the year, Reuters reports.

The new Amazon Local app feature could provide opportunities for everyone from babysitters to handymen to share their services and could be a direct competition to sites like Yelp and Angie’s List, the news organization said.

Speculation suggests this new marketplace, representing Amazon’s first major venture into local business, would start with businesses in Seattle.

But if Amazon eventually has the ambition to create a larger scale marketplace for small businesses in much the same way it has developed its current eCommerce platform , the small businesses community must pay attention. Obviously, a local business marketplace on Amazon would present another huge opportunity to market local goods and services.

And coupons and other offers are another way small businesses could promote what they do on what is already one of the largest sites on the Web.

[“source-smallbiztrends”]