# Do you use Groupon? Dependable? Quality of goods/services? Alternative "Daily Deals"?



## inasoup (28 Oct 2011)

Lately I have been receiving Groupon coupons through emails with unbelievable offers.

One being servicing of car with 4 new tyres for €180 sounds too good to be true. 

Could these be genuine offers?


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## WindUp (28 Oct 2011)

i've used them with no problems


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## Boyd (28 Oct 2011)

The offers are genuine but the quality of product/service varies massively. Ive used them without issue a few times but got a "steak" dinner last week in restaurant on Camden St Dublin that I wouldnt serve to a dog. 

What does the car service entail? Tyres could be of very poor quality and only up to a certain size. Post a link to the deal maybe?


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## ajapale (29 Oct 2011)

Ive split off the discussion on the specific car service offering here: Servicing car with 4 new tyres for €180 sounds too good to be true.

Please use this thread to discuss Groupon.

Ive moved this thread to consumer issues.


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## burmo (29 Oct 2011)

I've used Groupon, Grab one , etc. before with no problems and great prices.


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## ajapale (29 Oct 2011)

Burmo : How does it work?

Ive gone to the groupon site and its looking for registration (email address etc) before I can even access their about page.

aj


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## STEINER (29 Oct 2011)

I have used groupon ok before.  I've just bought a ten week dvd rental for xtravision for 8.99 which will bring me up to 8th january or so.


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## bullworth (30 Oct 2011)

ajapale said:


> Burmo : How does it work?
> 
> Ive gone to the groupon site and its looking for registration (email address etc) before I can even access their about page.
> 
> aj



It's a bit tricky to spot but at the groupon.ie page just below where it asks for an email  there is a clickable link named "Already registered?"
If you click that you bypass the registration window.


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## Janet (31 Oct 2011)

I use groupon sometimes but as said above, the quality can vary widely. 

I've gotten some good deals and I've gotten some not so great, as in I got what I paid for but was really glad I wasn't paying full price!  

There are a fair few stories around the internet from businesses who had very bad experiences and I find it interesting to think about the offer from the business' point of view before I make my decision.

I've more or less given up on buying *restaurant* offers, for example, because apart from the annoying fact that they're always for two people (I'm single and would be far more likely to try a new place out on my own), they often restrict the menu or times you can visit.  I also heard recently of someone in my town who used a groupon for a meal for two in an Indian restaurant and at the last minute a friend decided to go with them.  The third person just ordered from the menu and the portion was twice the size of the voucher deal meals (they took photos and are disputing it with all and sundry at the moment).


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## ajapale (31 Oct 2011)

Thanks for the information.

http://www.groupon.ie/

I dont like the way it tries to inveigle its way into your fb account.


aj


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## shaking (1 Nov 2011)

I've bought quite a few deals and haven't been disappointed....yet! They've included green fees in a few different places, handyman services, organic veg box, gym passes, 2 hr photo shoot with 2 photos for €39 (best purchase to date). I've just bought snow shoe grips haven't got them yet.


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## ajapale (1 Nov 2011)

Today's offer reads like gibberish:


> Famed for their scientific genius, ponies are most renowned in the  motoring industry for the invention of horse power. Get a colt following  with today's Groupon:
> 
> €20 for a full winter maintenance check with  wheel balancing, oil top up and more at <snip>.




Or maybe this is part of Groupon's whimsical house style?


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## Mongola (2 Nov 2011)

I have used them many times, alongside other websites that offer deals. We usually go for dinner deals/hotel deals. We did get some great bargains! 

However, we did have one pb once: it was a food deal= a week worth of groceries but too many deals were sold and the vendor was not able to honour that deal. Well, apparently they were not even bothering replying to customers, but in fairness, citydeal handled it very well and we were reimbursed promptly.


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## ajapale (2 Nov 2011)

Mongola said:


> However, we did have one pb once.


Whats pb?


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## dereko1969 (2 Nov 2011)

Pigsback I'd say.


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## Sue Ellen (2 Nov 2011)

Mongola said:


> However, we did have one pb once: it was a food deal= a week worth of groceries but too many deals were sold and the vendor was not able to honour that deal. Well, apparently they were not even bothering replying to customers, but in fairness, citydeal handled it very well and we were reimbursed promptly.



I was just wondering what is the difference between City Deals and Groupon when I saw that you mentioned both in the one post.

I had signed up for City Deals a long time ago but unsubscribed after a while.

Then out of the blue I started to receive e-mails from Groupon which annoyed me.  I didn't sign up for anything with them so I unsubscribed which took two attempts.

Are the two connected?


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## niceoneted (2 Nov 2011)

PB = Problem I would say in the context it is used in the sentence.


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## Janet (2 Nov 2011)

I don't think the two are connected.  Just two companies offering a similar product.  Citydeal are linked with pigsback somehow, or at least I get their offers via pigsback.

pb, I assume, means problem. 

Edited to add that I just checked my email and the pigsback version is Megadeal, not Citydeal.  Sorry, should have checked before posting.  What I like about megadeals is that if you change your mind or aren't going to be able to use a voucher you can get a refund.


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## gipimann (2 Nov 2011)

Citydeal and Groupon are the same company.

If you click on the "about groupon.ie" at the bottom of their website, the heading switches to Groupon Citydeal, and both terms are used on the page explaining who they are.

The support email address for groupon is support -at -citydeal.ie

That could explain why you started getting emails, Sue Ellen.

There's a thread over on boards which allows users to give feedback on their experiences of boards deals - many are positive, but there are a few deals that didn't go so well (check out the recent jewellery offer as an example).


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## donee (3 Nov 2011)

as it happens i got an email from groupon asking me to promote my business with them yesterday. in it they say that they only offer deals at 60-90% discounts but that they have over 900,000 subscribers in dublin and 20,000 new subscribers weekly providing imense traffick to my website. would it be worth it for that alone. mine is a service business btw


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## RonanC (3 Nov 2011)

donee said:


> as it happens i got an email from groupon asking me to promote my business with them yesterday. in it they say that they only offer deals at 60-90% discounts but that they have over 900,000 subscribers in dublin and 20,000 new subscribers weekly providing imense traffick to my website. would it be worth it for that alone. mine is a service business btw


 
I would take those figures with a pinch of salt. I wouldnt even say they have 900,000 subscribers in Ireland. 

Also, some of their discounts are 50% or less, so for them to say that they only offer deals between 60-90% is a lie. 

You will need to find out several things from them before doing a deal with them. How much of a cut do they take? Some people have said that they keep 50% of the deal price, leaving you with very little. You will also need to know when do you receive payment? Is it within a week of the deal offer ending, or is it only when the deal has been used by a member.


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## Janet (3 Nov 2011)

donee said:


> as it happens i got an email from groupon asking me to promote my business with them yesterday. in it they say that they only offer deals at 60-90% discounts but that they have over 900,000 subscribers in dublin and 20,000 new subscribers weekly providing imense traffick to my website. would it be worth it for that alone. mine is a service business btw



You need to do your homework and be very careful about terms and conditions and exactly how much it is going to cost you.  Here is one link to a post for a cafe that didn't and ended up having a terrible experience (read the comments too for ideas on some of the things you should do before deciding to go for it).
[broken link removed]


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## T McGibney (3 Nov 2011)

That link is dead. The story is also here: [broken link removed]


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## ajapale (3 Nov 2011)

Sorry T but your link is also dead.


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## T McGibney (3 Nov 2011)

It opened for me just now.

ps Perhaps something funny going on with links here. The page linked by  is accessible at [broken link removed] if you follow the Blog link at the top of the page and scroll a bit down the following page.


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## RonanC (3 Nov 2011)

Opened for me too


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## ajapale (3 Nov 2011)

OK it opened for me just now. Thanks.


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## donee (3 Nov 2011)

Also, some of their discounts are 50% or less, so for them to say that they only offer deals between 60-90% is a lie. 

there hardly going to print 'a lie' in a promotional email. if i knew how to reproduce the email here i would, i did'nt name the person who sent the email but if someone wants it ill PM it to them. oh and im not trying to promote them btw


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## donee (3 Nov 2011)

[broken link removed] just read that blog and its made up my mind . Cheers


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## Mongola (3 Nov 2011)

ajapale said:


> Whats pb?



As mentioned in my post, There was a deal a while ago for a week's worth of groceries. I got the deal and was supposed to email the company with details on when i would like delivery, taking into account that you would have to wait a minimum of 10 days. No pb. I emailed and emailed the company: no reply at all. We eventually received an email from Groupon apologising as there was a problem withe supplier. Even groupon did not seem able to get in touch with that supplier! 
A few weeks later, i received a refund from Groupon. I think too many deals were sold ( over 3000) which is a big number for any deals and i believe the supplier could not cope with the demand!


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## Mongola (3 Nov 2011)

Sue Ellen said:


> I was just wondering what is the difference between City Deals and Groupon when I saw that you mentioned both in the one post.
> 
> I had signed up for City Deals a long time ago but unsubscribed after a while.
> 
> ...



Groupon owns Citydeal


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## dereko1969 (4 Nov 2011)

donee said:


> [broken link removed] just read that blog and its made up my mind . Cheers


 
I wouldn't take that version as wholly indicative of how it would work here. There are various voucher operators. And I have definitely seen limits on the number of vouchers offered, as some I've wanted have sold out - this is the key thing to negotiate and you'll see over on boards many discussions of deals not being honoured - there was a particularly stupid decision by an off-license to offer €20 worth of booze for a tenner, needless to say thousands were bought, the owner realised how much of a hole they were in and cancelled the deal leaving a bad taste everywhere.

I know, for example, recently I went to L'Ecrivain using a voucher which I wouldn't normally have done. I ended up spending more than the discount on wine and other items so L'Ecrivain gets an extra customer who may well go back, gets money on wine which is really where they make their money and I get a fantastic meal.

Another voucher was for an Indian takeaway nearby that I hadn't heard of before, I've been back 3 times since.

They can and do work, you just have to be clever and think it through.


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## RonanC (4 Nov 2011)

Interesting read on Groupon

*Have daily deal sites like Groupon had their day?By Dave Lee 				Technology Reporter, BBC News 			
*


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## ajapale (4 Nov 2011)

List of [broken link removed].
from lastminutedealsireland.com


Groupon
Living Social
[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]
Vava Vouch
Grab One
[broken link removed]
Promo Zebra
Deal Rush

Online Shopping Ireland

[broken link removed]
Sinirgy
[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]
On Offer
[broken link removed]
Dub Dealer
Crazy Deals
Gruupy
[broken link removed]
Mad4Deals
BiteABargin
It looks like "daily deals" is a crowed space.


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## SarahMc (5 Nov 2011)

http://www.mydealpage.ie/ for all the deals on one website. I have used livingsocial, citydeal and pigsback, but to be honest, whilst I bought lots of deals at the beginning, I hardly ever check the page now. 

I think livingsocial take a smaller cut from the business than the others, and also pay the business upfront.


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## InfoSeeker (10 Nov 2011)

Used groupon for the first time on Monday to get a beanbag, paid the 59 euro knowing that i would have to pay 14.95 when redeeming the voucher that Groupon issue to the manufacturer for postage. Received voucher, deal ended and voucher could be used from the 8th, tried several times but get error saying voucher not valid or has already being used.

Therefore 1st impressions not good as credit card has been debited the 59 euro and awaiting a response from their support team!!!


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## shesells (10 Nov 2011)

Also www.geodeals.ie offers short term (often same day) local deals



ajapale said:


> List of [broken link removed].
> from lastminutedealsireland.com
> 
> 
> ...


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## Mongola (16 Nov 2011)

By the way, pb meant: problem. My apologies.


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## thomas01 (17 Nov 2011)

Deal websites typically take 50% of the actual deal cost so it's hard to see how companies can do it. They generally pay the deal providers in stages so as to protect against that company going bust. I suppose this is reasonable providing they don't hold the money too long.


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## sulo (17 Nov 2011)

I have bought two deals so far... The problem is how the supplier/service provider manages the increase in business.  The restaurant we went too - had a queue out the door with voucher holders using up their deal at the last minute. Thankfully I had rang and booked table day before.

2nd Deal - delivery of printed calenders - I am in the process of trying to cancel this order with Groupon - as the supplier is unreachable - no responses to my emails - long waits listening to "your call is important to us - so much so that you will be waiting 53 minutes before we will be able to take your call".   I looked up the companys facebook page to be disheartened to see more complaints listed and issues from unhappy customers 8-(  

This may not be the case with these suppliers all the time, but this was my experience.


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## Knuttell (17 Nov 2011)

sulo said:


> 2nd Deal - delivery of printed calenders - I am in the process of trying to cancel this order with Groupon - as the supplier is unreachable - no responses to my emails - long waits listening to "your call is important to us - so much so that you will be waiting 53 minutes before we will be able to take your call".   I looked up the companys facebook page to be disheartened to see more complaints listed and issues from unhappy customers 8-(
> 
> This may not be the case with these suppliers all the time, but this was my experience.



It may be of no use to you now but you should use Paypal for future online purchases,you would have had your money refunded to you.

I recently bought snow socks through a Groupon deal,I haven't received them yet but if no sign after next week I will cancel payment through Paypal and the money will be credited back to my CC within a few days.


https://www.paypal.com/ie


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## sulo (17 Nov 2011)

Thanks for the advice.  I got an email today from Groupon, who will be refunding me in full.  Hallelujah!


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## STEINER (17 Nov 2011)

I got a groupon deal for printed calendars and I uploaded the 65 pics to the supplier before the 16th November deadline. I spent several hours selecting the pics so I won't be pleased if supplier messes up.  Am assuming its the same deal as sulo got, so am off now to check out any complaints about the calendar company on facebook or wherever.


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## NorfBank (23 Nov 2011)

*Another Groupon Horror Story*


75% discount on cakes - sold for €10 instead of €40
8,500 people signed up
102,000 cakes ordered
25 extra workers had to be hired to meet the order
Result : GBP20,000 loss. One year's profits wiped out.

http://www.businessinsider.com/london-baker-makes-102000-cupcakes-groupon-deal-2011-11

70% of small business owners hate Groupon.


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## Boyd (23 Nov 2011)

Meh, businesses will like whatever makes them money and hate everything else. Groupon do good deals with the odd cock-up, which they always refund, as a poster mentioned above. If businesses dont want to use it they dont have to.


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## dereko1969 (23 Nov 2011)

NorfBank said:


> 75% discount on cakes - sold for €10 instead of €40
> 8,500 people signed up
> 102,000 cakes ordered
> 25 extra workers had to be hired to meet the order
> ...


 
Why didn't the business set an upper limit? Their own fault in my opinion.


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## irishmoss (23 Nov 2011)

This comment was made on the Daily Mail Site 

Limits etc are very strictly handled by Groupon and Groupon, along with other similar sites, provide you with estimates of how the offer is likely to go.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...02-000-cakes-wipes-profits.html#ixzz1eWhjjPGl




dereko1969 said:


> Why didn't the business set an upper limit? Their own fault in my opinion.


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## flossie (23 Nov 2011)

I have bought a few deals - hotel rooms, TEFL course, meals and used them no problem. I have also ordered a few deals and let them expire as i had forgotten about them and couldn't use them in time  (latest one being photo book that ran out yesterday, but my hard drive has died on personal laptop so no photos )

Ordered some memory foam pillows from a company at start of October, had a few 'we're really busy due to the offer but we promise that they will be dispatched by 22nd November' and now i can't contact them etc. I posted a comment on the Groupon Facebook page and in all fairness they advised me to contact them, and they are currently looking into it.


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## whitefoot (25 Nov 2011)

Hi Knuttell, Did you cancel your order for the Snow Sock?

I have sent two email queries to  each off the three email accounts that I had in conjuction with this promotion: support@citydeal.ie, info@buysnowsocks.com and niall@boomclick.org.

No reply from any of these accounts.

I checked the Groupon Facebook page and nothing is mentioned there about delivery problems with the Snow Socks nor on the buysnowsocks.com website.

I called Groupon just now on 1800 936927 and the Customer Care guy was  very unhelpful with not a hint of empathy. He said the the delivery time  was 28 days (and not up to 28 days) and therefore Monday 28/11 is the  first day that delivery can be expected. He would not really comment on  why there is no customer information on these deliveries on their  Facebook site apart from "Why would we". 

At this stage I do not care for the selling model at all and thought I  did not want to support it any longer, so I asked if I could cancel my  order. He said the refund process was that I had to wait until Monday  28/11, then another week to pass to check it was not held up in the post  which takes me to Monday 5/12. After that then log the problem with  Groupon who would only then contact the supplier. If the supplier was  still unable to give an assurance of imminent delivery then a refund  would be given after 5-7 days. That would all take until 19/12, which  leaves a very sour taste on my first Groupon purchase.

So fingers crossed the delivery does happen but Groupon and their  Customer Care have little interest once you have paid so I avoid these  deals in the future. 

As Knuttell mentioned I think PayPal should be used for Groupon as  this would give some control/assurance back to the purchaser when  dealing with a poor service company such Groupon.


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## Leo (25 Nov 2011)

whitefoot said:


> As Knuttell mentioned I think PayPal should be used for Groupon as this would give some control/assurance back to the purchaser when dealing with a poor service company such Groupon.


 
Using a credit card will offer more protection than PayPal.
Leo


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## suzie (25 Nov 2011)

But dont you pay paypal with a credit card?
S.


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## STEINER (25 Nov 2011)

Leo said:


> Using a credit card will offer more protection than PayPal.
> Leo


 
I use PAYPAL or CC for online purchases.   I don't know if a person's PAYPAL can be funded from either CC or bank account, but my PAYPAL is funded from my CC, so if I pay using PAYPAL it is a CC transaction as per my CC statement.  So, does that mean my transaction is protected as a CC transaction, by PAYPAL, or by both?


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## WaterWater (27 Nov 2011)

I have purchased a number of "deals" through GrabOne. Most have been pretty good. I find that I am confining my purchases now to places that are convenient to where I live, where I can park for free close to the premises and those that are genuinely offering good value. 

Some places have introduced "special" menus specifically for the deal or "watered down" their offers so to speak.

 You really need to look close at the businesses's website because quite often the most expensive item on the menu is chosen as the lead item with a dramatic 75% off headline but when you look closer at the other items on the menu you find that you are not really getting much of a discount at all. 

I remember one place that I visited and I was struggling to get value for my purchase unless I chose the "steak".


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