Do you ever feel that you get grudging service when you use Groupon/Living Social? [Archive]

liz

07-08-2012, 08:12 PM

I have only bought a few Groupons/Living Social vouchers in the past, so not too much experience. Tonight I had a minor issue with the bill at a restaurant and I definitely got the feeling that having a Groupon wasn't helping my case....kind of felt like I was getting a bit of the cold shoulder. Anyone else have any experiences like this? I admit I am kind of turned off by this.

Roleysmom

07-08-2012, 08:25 PM

Yes, I've had this experience. Not across the board, but it's happened more than one. I feel a little like a second class citizen.

jenfromnj

07-08-2012, 08:32 PM

Yes, I've had this experience. Not across the board, but it's happened more than one. I feel a little like a second class citizen.

Same here. I find this kind of strange/ironic, since the main reason a company would use a DOTD site is to drum up business and try to win repeat customers. (I feel like it's similar to our experience with Priceline/Hotwire, where we get an awesome deal on a hotel room, but sometimes end up with the least desirable room.)

crl

07-08-2012, 08:40 PM

Momit

07-08-2012, 08:42 PM

I've used them a bunch of times and have never felt that way.

Liziz

07-08-2012, 10:45 PM

Usually, I haven't had any issues at all. But once I had a photographer complain about how slammed she was be cause she sold more than she thought she would and how she wasn't making any money on the Groupons. Not bad service exactly, but I thought it was a bit inappropriate to be complaining about it to me. And I did have a cleaning service I got terrible service from, but I don't think it was because of the Groupon, I think they sucked at scheduling in general.

Catherine

I've had a similar experience to this. It was for a hair stylist, and he spent the whole time telling me how he didn't make any money off the Groupons, he was losing money, way more people had bought than he'd expected and he was having trouble handling all of it, etc. He was pretty unhappy about the Groupon experience. So, he didn't exactly treat me poorly, but by the end he'd complained so much I almost felt bad handing him the Groupon (I say "almost" because in the end, he chose to participate and I bought it, so I'm not going to feel bad about using it!).

mikala

07-08-2012, 11:34 PM

I've experienced this too. It seems to happen the most at businesses where people are expecting a gratuity or commission off of the sale and don't think they will get their money.

There also seem to be a lot of small businesses overwhelming themselves with so much business they can't keep up. It ends up hurting both their existing customers and their ability to give a good first impression to new customers. I'm sure there are also businesses that have done really well with the daily deal promos but I'm curious how much repeat business they actually generate.

wellyes

07-08-2012, 11:45 PM

I've gotten poor service from companies overwhelmed by too much business from groupons (restaurants especially). But I haven't had the experience of feeling like I was being treated normally but that changed once they knew I was a groupon customer.

I do not buy restaurant groupons anymore.

kozachka

07-09-2012, 02:55 AM

Only in certain restaurants, and the one where I've got the worst attitude (from the owner who was not happy that I was not a new customer, like he hoped, but never listed as condition on the voucher) is now out of business despite good location, great food and excellent service at reasonable for the area prices. Must have something to do with management ;).

I do always tip on the full pre-discount value, and tip on the generous side, since I am already getting a deal.

mum-to-be

07-09-2012, 03:10 AM

Yes, I've had this experience. Not across the board, but it's happened more than one. I feel a little like a second class citizen.

Me too. I had a horrible experience with a hair cut groupon - the stylist went on and on about how little money she makes from the groupon. I've decided just to get my hair cut at Regis and pay their price, which is about half of what the other salons around here charge. At least then they will treat me with the respect they treat all their customers, and I won't feel bad handing over the money. I think a lot of places forget that we have actually paid for the groupon deal to begin with - they act like we are bringing in a coupon for a free service.

I have bought some living social deals recently though. I would still buy groupon too. I am just focusing on pool passes and things that I can just redeem rather than have to sit there and talk with the service provider. I did buy a deal for photography, so we will see how that one goes.

gcc2k

07-09-2012, 08:26 AM

I've had a similar experience to this. It was for a hair stylist, and he spent the whole time telling me how he didn't make any money off the Groupons, he was losing money, way more people had bought than he'd expected and he was having trouble handling all of it, etc. He was pretty unhappy about the Groupon experience. So, he didn't exactly treat me poorly, but by the end he'd complained so much I almost felt bad handing him the Groupon (I say "almost" because in the end, he chose to participate and I bought it, so I'm not going to feel bad about using it!).

This was my experience exactly. Maybe we went to the same salon? :bighand:

Gracemom

07-09-2012, 10:58 AM

I just had that same salon experience 2 weeks ago! I have vowed not to go to another salon with a Groupon. You would think that they would treat any new client well so that they can get repeat business that would eventually pay full price. I was fully prepared to give him a great tip, but not if I have to listen to complaining! No repeat customer here...

LBW

07-09-2012, 01:04 PM

I had a terrible experience with swim classes. The company had monthly signups, and it was first come first served. But, they didn't allow the groupon coupon holders to sign up until a week in. Of course, this was not in the details of the groupon offer. Of course there were very few classes left whenever I was finally allowed to sign up. I tried to get a decent class time/location for a few months, and then just gave up. The owner was pretty unwilling to work with me as well.

I'm going to be very careful about the types of groupons/ls deals I purchase in the future.

Pennylane

07-09-2012, 02:02 PM

I've had 2 really bad experiences. One was a local photgrapher in Raleigh, NC. I guess me and about 1000 other people bought a DSLR class voucher. I waited 2 weeks to call and schedule my class and she was booked up for the entire 3 months the certificate was good for. She offered to credit me my $35 towards the regular price of a class, normally $115. That was not ok with me and I ended up getting a credit from the seller of the certificate, which I never used. Total bummer.

The second was with a local restaurant. They put a sign on the door that groupons were only accepted from 12-4, weekdays! This was a nice place that my DH and I would have gone for an evening dinner. Needless to say, I never went back there!

Ann

TwoBees

07-09-2012, 02:05 PM

Yes! My friend and I bought Groupons for a make-your-own product and we were given horrendous service. Not at the time of sale, but the delivery of said product was 3 weeks late, with little to no communication on the vendor's part, lots of excuses, and lots of ignoring us (from the owner, no less!). Horrible experience!

wildfire

07-09-2012, 02:16 PM

The vendors of Groupons get very little of the money that you pay, according to what I've read. They give a heavy discount and Groupon keeps a percentage of what it sells for. So it really doesn't surprise me that businesses don't quite realize what they are getting into and sell more than they expect, then lose money on the deal. They are doing to get repeat customers, but I've also read that a lot of people who buy Groupons don't come back and aren't actually repeat business. Of course if this causes the business to get disgruntled about Groupons and give poor service, that's just going to drive that behavior even more.

katerinasmom

07-09-2012, 02:53 PM

Nicsmom

07-09-2012, 04:23 PM

I find this kind of strange/ironic, since the main reason a company would use a DOTD site is to drum up business and try to win repeat customers.
You'd think that's their motivation but sometimes they do things that baffle me. I once got a groupon for a 50% discount spa manicure. What I got was nothing like a "spa manicure" and the lady told me their "groupon manicures" were not the same as their full price spa manicures. So basically I was not getting 50% off as advertised, I was getting a cheaper manicure. Needless to say, I never went back.

You'd think they would give groupon customers an awesome spa manicure for half the price so that they would want to go back and pay full price. Instead, groupon customers will end up thinking that they would NEVER pay full price for what they got. This not only defeats the purpose of the Groupon, it is also bad advertisement.

TwinFoxes

07-09-2012, 04:27 PM

I would be complaining to Groupon. Don't they offer a no questions asked refund policy, or did that go out the window? I haven't bought a Groupon in ages, since I don't need my teeth whitened, laser eye surgery, or microdermabrasion. (Which seems to be the only things they offer in my area these days).

AnnieW625

07-09-2012, 05:15 PM

I had a photographer tell straight off that he wouldnt schedule a Groupon purchased shoot too far in advance because his full paying customers get priority. We are still trying to put a date together.

See that doesn't bother me at all. I think if you are buying something at a discount like a photo shoot then something should be listed on the groupon, but if it isn't I think if something stated like above is fine and should be honored.

I can see how it would be annoying for restaurants though.

I bought a Daily Candy deal for some See Kai Run shoes and had no problem using it but it was all online.

DebbieJ

07-10-2012, 12:08 AM