It’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything about Groupon, but it appears the company — which has struggled with both unhappy customers and ticked off retailers — is trying to take a new tack. It’s launching a service called Freebies, which is exactly what it sounds like: A whole bunch of free stuff. [More]
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Groupon Introduces Discounted Restaurant Reservation Service
By 7.1.13
Now that the general public is over the first blush of excitement we initially felt for daily deals sites like Groupon and LivingSocial, the industry is casting about for new ways to entice customers. Because just like a shark, companies know they’ve gotta keep moving or face certain death. Groupon’s newest bid for survival: A service offering reservations at upscale restaurants for up to 40% off. [More]
Staples Accuses Me Of Passing Fake Coupon, Sends $50 Apology Gift Card
By 6.25.13
Gordon took advantage of a Groupon deal for 38% off Staples gift cards. That’s not an unusual offering: Groupon frequently has gift cards to national retailers at nice prices. The unusual thing is that his local store turned him away, claiming that the voucher was “fake.” [More]
What Are America’s Most Damaged Brands Right Now?
By 4.26.13
How mighty brands fall. Bad leadership, bad planning, a run of bad products: any of these can damage a brand in a short amount of time, and it can take years to recover: if, indeed, the brand recovers at all. What brands are the most battered in the United States right now? 24/7 Wall Street rounded them up, based on which publicly-traded major companies are currently dealing with aggressive competition, reputation disasters, and a lack of direction. [More]
Groupon Cancels All Gun-Related Promotions
By 1.21.13
Saying that “The category is under review following recent consumer and merchant feedback,” Groupon has, at least temporarily canceled all of its ongoing and planned deals that are related to firearms. [More]
Pizza Franchisees Say Chain Owners Took Groupon Money But Didn’t Share
By 11.15.12
Back in August, the owners of New England’s Upper Crust chain of pizzerias ran two offers on Groupon, selling more than 6,000 $12 vouchers that could be redeemed for $25 in food. But some franchisees who run independently own Upper Crust stores say they were not told in advance about the Groupons and that they never saw a lick of that cash. [More]
Beware Badly Misspelled Emails Supposedly From Groupon Offering “Dicount Gifts”
By 7.30.12
We don’t know too much about the inner workings of the Groupon office, but we are pretty darn sure they comb over every single emailed offer and would never spell discount as “dicount. Watch out if you get an email purporting to be from the company offering “Groupon dicount gifts” — it’s malware. [More]
Waffle Joint Blames Groupon’s “Shocking Business Practices” For Its Demise After Only 3 Months
By 7.24.12
A Washington D.C. waffle joint that opened its doors just three months ago has announced it’s going out of business, which in itself isn’t news. Businesses in the food industry often don’t make it, after all. But in this case, the shop’s owner is blaming Groupon’s payment practices coupled with the sudden surge in demand for waffles as the reason for the restaurant’s early demise. [More]
Would You Like To Pay Groupon $1K to Name Your Baby “Clembough”?
By 6.12.12
Having a bit of a brain biff when it comes to naming your baby? Groupon thinks you might want to throw down $1,000 for the honor of having it name your baby “Clembough.” It’s got a deal going on right now that apparently someone has bought, but we’re guessing it’s got something to do with Father’s Day on June 17. [More]
Bought A Groupon, An iPhone 4, Or Coconut Water? These Class Actions Are For You
By 5.24.12
Have you bought coconut water, pinot noir, a Samsung TV, or an iPhone 4? If you purchased any of these products, plus a whole bunch more, you may be eligible to file a claim in one of these recently settled class action lawsuits. Proof of purchase isn’t always required, but lying is bad consumer karma. [More]
Groupon Goes National With A Loyalty Rewards Program To Woo Merchants
By 5.10.12
Groupon is on a quest to woo merchants and consumers alike with a loyalty program that is now going nationwide. It started the initiative last fall in select markets, in an attempt to try and help local businesses hold on to some of those new customers who come calling as a result of daily deal promotions. [More]
Social Gifting App Bills Itself As The Anti-Groupon To Gain Fans
By 4.30.12
In an attempt to harness the backlash against daily deal sites like Groupon, new so-called “social gifting” companies are trying to garner fans with a different kind of mobile merchandising. Instead of giving yourself the gift of a deal, apps like Wrapp allow users to give e-gift cards to popular retailers. [More]
Groupon One-Ups Young Earth Creationism, Claims Earth Is 400 Years Old
By 4.19.12
“Groupon is bad at math!” the subject line of Amber’s e-mail to Consumerist proclaimed. I expected to see a poorly-calculated coupon discount or something else related to actual deals. But the error is even weirder than that. Groupon’s Earth Day deals page trumpets that the company is celebrating the planet’s 400th birthday. They offer no explanation for where this number came from, or why it’s missing approximately seven zeroes. [More]
Should Restaurants Be Able To Restrict Diners To Pricier Groupon Menu?
By 3.21.12
Getting a great deal using online deal sites that issue vouchers for local businesses can be pretty sweet. But by now, many customers are finding out that there are plenty of trials and tribulations involved when it comes to redeeming deal vouchers, as businesses scramble to keep up with the onslaught coupons. [More]
Would You Pay $12,500 To Visit The Wreckage Of The Titanic With A Groupon?
By 3.13.12
We thought Celine Dion put the nail in the coffin so far as the cheapening of a historical event with “My Heart Will Go On,” but this new offering from Groupon goes to show that we’re not done profiting from the tragedy of the Titanic. For just $12,500, you can visit the final underwater resting place of the Titanic’s wreckage. [More]
Glut Of Online Coupon Companies Leading To Confusion For Consumers & Merchants
By 2.21.12
Our inboxes fill up every day with press releases announcing some new online coupon site that claims to “out-Groupon Groupon” or some such nonsensical boast. But with all these new businesses jumping on the bandwagon, it’s both consumers and merchants that are paying the price. [More]
Groupon Trying To Figure Out If Anyone Wants To Pay Them To Be Called A VIP
By 2.17.12
Customers who use Groupon for free to grab vouchers for special daily deals know that once that deal is expired, it’s gone for good. But if you could pay a fee to have access to closed or sold out deals, and buy in to other deals sooner than everyone else, would you? That’s what Groupon is trying to figure out with a new trial VIP program. [More]
Groupon Figures It's Not Important To Use A Photographer's Actual Pictures To Advertise Photo Deal
By 2.10.12
What started as casual curiosity about a Groupon deal for a photographer in the Dallas area offering boudoir photo sessions turned into a full-fledged fight when a group of photographers realized the company had stolen an image from one of them. Because of course, don’t you want to see an example of a product that you won’t actually get if you buy the deal? [More]
