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Things You Should Know About Groupon
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Things You Should Know About Groupon
It’s been more than a decade since Groupon burst on the scene as a way to score deep discounts on everything from fine dining to car detailing. It quickly developed a legion of devoted followers, but many of those fans quickly discovered there were catches that made it difficult to redeem deal vouchers.To get more news about vouchers go ,Read More
“They only had so many slots a day to use the coupon,” explains Laura Jones of Lawrenceburg, Indiana. She’s talking about a photo package she purchased from Groupon for use on vacation, only to discover it was nearly impossible to schedule a session.
Disillusioned customers like Jones stopped buying from Groupon rather than jump through hoops to redeem vouchers. However, the online marketplace has since revamped how it does business, now offering goods as well as services and promising that even expired vouchers retain their purchase value.Those changes have helped bring customers like Jones back into the fold. While she notes there have been some delays in shipping during the previous year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she is once again a happy — and regular — Groupon customer.
Whether you are a new or returning Groupon shopper, here’s what you need to know about how the company does business today.
Launched in 2008, Groupon originally offered a single deal per day. To activate the deal, a certain number of people would have to buy in. These daily deals were available for 24 hours, and early offers included two-for-one pizzas and 50% off at local retailers. Once a deal was activated, anyone who purchased it would receive a voucher that could be redeemed later.
Those group-activated deals are a thing of the past. Instead, Groupon now offers vouchers for discounted goods and services that can be purchased at any time with no minimum number of buyers required.While you can still buy vouchers for discounted services or savings at local stores, Groupon now offers a wide selection of physical goods.
Customers can still search for offers by location, but many of the deals are available to shoppers regardless of where they live. “Groupon has prioritized, like most email marketers, volume over optimization and simplicity over customization,” says Jonathan Treiber, co-founder and CEO of RevTrax, which provides offer management solutions.
If you buy goods on Groupon, check the reviews to see whether other customers believe the item is represented accurately on the website. As for services, watch for red flags that could indicate a fraudulent deal, such as no reviews or very few purchases.
Also check the company’s website and social media accounts to confirm it matches the details on Groupon. If it seems too good to be true, contact the business directly to confirm they posted the offer. If you find yourself on the receiving end of counterfeit goods or a fake voucher, contact Groupon immediately.