Things are very, very hot in the deals space right now. Amid all the opportunity, there are also many, many unsettled issues.

How is deal a day going to evolve? How important are “instant deals”? How will mobile be applied? How will coupons, weekly sales and other deals be integrated in the new deals environment? What are the best vertical approaches for audience and categories? And very important: What is the ultimate transactional platform for deals?

This marketplace is moving at a fast-forward pace. Rather than waiting for our big Interactive Local Media West conference in December, we are producing a brand new 1+ day event — Deals 3D: The New Local Value Chain. The event, which will be held July 18-19 in San Francisco, will focus on the NEXT 18 months in deals.

We’re doing this event a little differently. It will be at a university conference center instead of a hotel. There will be demos galore. And we’ve asked industry expert Jon Sofield to be a cohost. It will be a true immersion in this space. MasterCard has already signed on as a charter sponsor. I definitely want to hear what the company has to say about its role in deals.

Did you want to meet and learn from the most important people in deals? They’ll all be here. Sign up now for the early bird rate.