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Groupon

1.8

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Groupon Reviews Summary

Groupon has a rating of 1.8 stars from 5,284 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with Groupon most frequently mention customer service, credit card and fine print. Groupon ranks 242nd among Daily Deals sites.

service
681
value
624
shipping
459
returns
532
quality
536
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Alaska
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Marcia E.
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Took a month to get the item. Decided to return it. Since return was only authorized for 14 days from SHIP DATE I could not process it online. Live chatted with 4 different customer service reps over a period of 2 days - all nice but giving me erroneous information. Finally received 2 return authorizations for the same item but its been a week since first contact and still don't have the promised email with my prepaid return label. I did receive an email stating it would take several days to process the return label - really? Why? Now I have to contact them again because those several days have passed with nothing (not even in my spam folder)! I will never order from them again! What a hassle

Date of experience: April 29, 2012
DeeDee L. — Groupon Rep
over a year old

Hi Marcia,

I am so sorry to hear about the trouble you have experienced with your order. Member experience is very important to us and because we know the importance of being able to make returns when shopping online, we strive to make returns as easy for our members as possible.

Please know that we will always accept a return of an item outside of our Return Policy if members receive their package close to or outside of our 14 day policy. Also, we are happy to provide a pre-paid UPS label for returns. Return labels are generally sent out by the UPS automated system the same day as they are requested. If you have not yet received your label via email, it is possible some important information has not been filled out under your account contact details. I would be happy to look at your account for you and find out why you have not yet received your label. So that I may better assist you, can you please send me a message with your order number? I sincerely apologize, again, for the inconvenience, and I look forward to resolving this issue for you.

Best,

The ideeli team

Maryland
1 review
2 helpful votes
Follow k s.
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Was given a gift for a newspaper subscription and it was soooo confusing, a month later I'm still not receiving the paper. Many emails and phone calls and still no solution. Would NEVER recommend or use this site again!

Date of experience: April 29, 2012
Ohio
2 reviews
2 helpful votes
Follow Mom C.
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I've had extremely bad experiences with Groupon Goods.

I bought two Slap watches for my granddaughters; it took probably 6 weeks to get them. In addition, the company kept saying that they sent out the orders but would re-send. Supposedly they sent out 4 orders (!) before we finally "got" the fifth! Sent with no delivery confirmation, so no way to track.

Then I purchased 3 sets of Bamboo towels. Received them quickly, but the quality was awful. I called to get the return address; it took Groupon almost 6 WEEKS to get the address. Returned them to the company; it's now been 2 1/2 weeks and the company still hasn't acknowledged the return to Groupon. Fortunately, I do have the tracking number and it shows the date and the person that signed for the return.

I have given up trying to deal with Groupon and filed a claim with my credit card company.

Date of experience: April 28, 2012
Illinois
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Stephanie P.
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90% of the time I have a problem with redeeming, getting reimbursed for an unused "now deal" (which clearing states in the terms that they do), or the merchant tries to charge me "additional" fees when I go to use it. Totally not worth the headache. Customer service is rude and gives you the run around. They make everything seem so easy on the website but if you have a problem, be prepared to be treated like you're the bad guy or trying to pull a fast one on them. Buy a groupon if you have a lot of time to waste or you're a glutten for punishment.

Date of experience: April 27, 2012
New York
1 review
1 helpful vote
Follow Ariel L.
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Worst shopping experience ever!
I bought a set of luggage a few days ago. The next day it emailed me said the order was canceled, and asked me to contact them if I believed my order had been incorrectly identified as fraud. Then I found out not only my order was canceled, my account was also deleted! When I contact them, they said the reason was because they called me but couldn't reach me.

I strongly doubt this is the correct way to identify a fraud and treat a customer. I've met the same situation before. I was at work and couldn't pick up the phone, but the other place only canceled my order, which I can totally understand. What ideeli.com had done is super irrational and disrespectful to customers. I feel insulted and very angry about it.

Date of experience: April 26, 2012
DeeDee L. — Groupon Rep
over a year old

Hi Ariel,

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. When our system detects fraud and we are unable to get in touch with the member right away, we shut down the account to avoid the placement of any additional fraudulent orders. This is to protect the safety of our members.

I completely understand your frustration and again, I am so sorry for the inconvenience you have experienced. I'd be happy to work to make this right and look into your order for you to determine why it was identified as fraudulent. If you would like, I can also create a new order form for you so you can complete your purchase. Please send me a message with your information, and I would be glad to assist.

Best,

Jason Faria
Director, Customer Service

Canada
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Victor A.
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On the face of it the deals do look good but 99 % are crappy with very poor experience. In fact, on so many occasions they have refunded money to customers for businesses going bust even before the customer could redeem her/ his coupon. Also, watch out for expired coupons, they do not give you credit in the form of even groupon bucks which many other similar sites do, no questions asked. Stay away!

Date of experience: April 26, 2012
Virginia
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Overall, I honestly have had neutral to negative experience with Groupon. The savings I have made are largely offset with the my Groupons that have expired. But worse of all is the horrible customer service I have experienced. There is no customer service phone number on their mobile app. And when you find it on the web, they are only open 9am-5pm mon-fri. When your lucky enough to get somebody on the phone they will not refund your expired purchases. If you sell something 24 hrs 7 days a week. You should be able to contact this business. Also, when you redeem your groupon at a business. Thier etiquette is very poor. You do not feel like a valued customer in the end.

Date of experience: April 26, 2012
New York
1 review
1 helpful vote
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I have used groupon without issue, so I took a chance and ordered a helicopter from groupon goods. It took forever to arrive, worked two times and them would not recharge. I contacted them and was told if I read the "fine print," I would see that it is only warranteed for 14 days, and they would do nothing. After I said that was unacceptable, I was offered a 10 dollar credit. I spent 35 dollars. How is that fair? If I wanted to invest time, I would see if a 2 week warranty is even legal, but I thought this warning would be a better use of my time.

Date of experience: April 26, 2012
New Jersey
1 review
1 helpful vote
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How can one get an issue resolved when you can't get anyone at Gorupon on the phone and several e mails to customer service go unanswered? Never had a problem until this week when they charged my credit card $29 for a Washington DC salon and I can't find it in 'my groupons' to print it out and use?

Date of experience: April 26, 2012
Alaska
1 review
2 helpful votes
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I have yet to be able to make a purchase on this website. My first attempt was a couple months ago I tried twice to buy a getaway package and it said my billing address did not match my bank's records. On the second try about an hour later the deal was sold out so I tried for the other cabin and got the same message.

Today I have now made more than 8 attempts to buy a paintball package and am getting the same message every time and it NEVER updates my credit card info in my account. I have sent and received several emails from customer service. They stared by telling me to do exactly what their CC update page tells you to. Then to update my browser or use a different browser. Tried both and both are the most current versions. Then said I must have a cookie problem. Soo I cleared cookies, cache and history in both browsers and restarted them and my computer. Still getting the same message that my billing address doesn't match bank records. I have told them at least 3 times the problem is on their end. This has happened before and last time was a phone order. The problem is when a company uses a processing service that doesn't access new account information for verification. I just can't wait to hear what hoops they want me to jump through next.

Date of experience: April 25, 2012
California
20 reviews
30 helpful votes
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Do not buy the Groupon "goods" I had an awful experience with them. I bought a comforter that I just did not like and it had one tiny stain on it. I had to contact the seller (which was not easy. Groupon had to send them multiple e-mails.) The seller wanted me to take photos of the "dirt stains." (which i refused to do. I never said it had dirt stains) The shipping was more than the product was. This was a 2 week headache.

Also, bought a getaway that was falsely advertised.

Just stay away. It sounds great, but they need to work the kinks out and get their stuff straight. They have a lot of competition.

Date of experience: April 25, 2012
Jamaica
1 review
1 helpful vote
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I wish I could give this site NO STARS. I have had serious problems with this site. I ordered pants in FEBRUARY and to this date 4/25 have not received them. Every time I complain, they tell it will get shipped. I received credit once but I'm hesitate to use it now that I know it takes 3 months to get something. The pants first got "lost in transit" then were "pending shipment".

Please safe yourself the trouble and agony and do not order from this site. If you have problems, you need to "chat online" with a Representative who will give you attitude and are not sympathetic of their mistakes. There is also no phone number listed.

WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER

Date of experience: April 25, 2012
DeeDee L. — Groupon Rep
over a year old

Hi Krista,

I am so sorry to hear that you have not received your order yet and that you were disappointed with your customer service experience. While our shipping dates can vary, what has happened with your order is unacceptable. I completely understand your frustration, and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused you.

I would be happy to look into this for you and get to the bottom of where your order is. So that I may better assist you, can you please send a message with your order number? I apologize again for the delay, and I look forward to helping you resolve this issue.

Best,

Jason Faria
Director, Customer Service

France
1 review
3 helpful votes
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I have same problem with groupon; paid the money, did not receive my coupon for ' days already. And since I am leaving this city now i willl not be able to use the coupon, so waste of money. DONT BUY ON GROUPON if you need the coupon soon. You will lose your money. Maybe this is how they make eactual profit. I just lost 80 dollars to them

Date of experience: April 25, 2012
Minnesota
1 review
3 helpful votes
Follow Ron C.
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Groupon is a total rip-off. A person can get just as good of deals from their local newspaper or google. They have a 7 day return policy that is hidden in their website and they will not refund your money. I initially thought it was a good buy until I started to compare what their selling price to other sites and local ads. DO YOUR RESEARCH, DON'T GET CAUGHT UP INTO GROUPONS HIPE!

Date of experience: April 24, 2012
Colombia
3 reviews
3 helpful votes
Follow Jared E.
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Groupon is definitely my favorite group buying site. I think i have bought over 10 vouchers from them (mostly food related). I love dining out and really saved a lot just by availing of the discount offers made available! If you want to try a new place to eat out, just check their deals.

Aside from the food and dining deals, they offer great travel and activities deals. Even if I don't have enough time, I still make it a point to go to Groupon's site everyday.

Date of experience: April 24, 2012
Nevada
1 review
1 helpful vote
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When Groupon first started, their service was top notch. HOWEVER... that cannot be said now. I ordered a blood pressure cuff (Which, come to find out, I COULD HAVE purchased at Wal-mart for $3 more) 19 days ago ( or as they put it "12 BUSINESS days" ago) and customer service HAS NO CLUE when it will be shipped and WON'T EVEN address a refund request sent 3 times now. The Groupon "terms and conditions" clearly stated that the product would ship in 7-10 BUSINESS days, and in as much they have violated their own policy. I again tried this morning to at least get a status update and I received a reply back "to contact them again at the end of the week if my product hasn't shipped". REALLY? 19 days since the order AND THAT'S all you can come back with Groupon? I smell something fishy going on at this company. So DO the investors at Wall Street- MANY printed stories in recent weeks as to their "accounting methods". One would be WELL ADVISEDD to stay away from this sinking ship! I have no choice but go the route of the "credit card" dispute method now.

Date of experience: April 23, 2012
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
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Guys, be careful with Groupon. It's not a scam, but it's a terrible "service" and the "from prices" are not really real, so discounts are deceiving. This is not the first time I have issues. I like to buy from these guys, the website is nice and deals attractive. But my confidence is waning after too many poor suppliers and now an even poorer support from Groupon themselves.

So in short, if it goes well first time then it's great, if it goes wrong then you are a bit stuck with little help.

This time, I purchased a boiler service and have tried to book with the supplier but no one ever gets back to me. The supplier sucks and is obviously having difficulty fulfilling. I called groupon, today 23 April, and they advise that they are aware but haven't heard from the company since February! OK fine, so how can you help me? Errr, sorry there is nothing we can do, she says, until they hear from the supplier. A refund is no good to me, I want the service.

And here's the kicker. Right now they are advertising a new boiler service with a different company. So they are selling new deals, making more money, but haven't thought to fulfil the hundreds of those like me that are not getting what they paid for.

Its of no surprise that they are being investigated here in the UK right now http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-*******

Date of experience: April 23, 2012
Australia
1 review
4 helpful votes
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Purchased & paid 4 deal Feb 2012, nothing received; Groupon refuse refund says I have to go direct to supplier who is not replying to my inquiry. Buyers should BEWARE of Groupon Australia

Date of experience: April 20, 2012
GB
4 reviews
6 helpful votes
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I wish I can unsuscribe from their mail. I keep unsuscribing but they keep sending me spam emails. Please adjust your email policies. Thank you

Date of experience: April 20, 2012
Washington
1 review
0 helpful votes
Follow Lani G.
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I have purchased a few Groupon deals and the only one I didn't have an issue with was one of the Groupon Now deals.
I purchased two vouchers for pizza from Papa Johns. One went through just fine but the other would not work at all. After 4 months of emailing, calling, speaking to several different representatives, explaining the story multiple times, being reassured they the issue was resolved only to try to order a pizza that was already paid for and getting denied did they finally issued me a refund to my credit card. I even had to fight for that because they wanted to issue me a Groupon credit. I still chalked it up to being a one time instance.
Recently, I ordered a Groupon for a tattoo, really great deal. Time had lapsed which was my fault completely and I know the place would honor my Groupon for at least the amount I paid but this place was really far away and gas prices had raised over a dollar in that short period of time. The amount of the Groupon deal justified the drive but not when it expired. I wrote Groupon asking for an exception since the tattoo parlor was a 112 mile drive round trip and I wouldn't only have to make the trip once but twice. My reply from Groupon was simply their policy on expired vouchers and even had an automated message sound to it. So I rewrote the email with hard numbers on miles and finally they issued me a Groupon credit as a "one time exception" but made it seem like I was trying to scam them.
Their Groupon guarantee states if I have an issue redeeming a voucher they'll either make it right or give me my money back but both times I've had to fight like hell and it's not "as simple as that". Not to mention this last time I didn't get my money back, they still have my money to only spend with their company.
Working in customer service for 10+ years I guess I've come to expect more compassion for the consumer who they'd like to keep especially since they aren't the only Group buy company out there anymore. After I use my credit I'm never using them again.

Date of experience: April 20, 2012

From the business

Groupon is the largest "daily deal" site, selling vouchers for discounted local experiences and services such as restaurants and spas, as well as travel packages, shopping, and a number of other items. Vouchers are purchased upfront and typically must be redeemed by a certain date, after which time Groupons expire. To businesses Groupon markets itself as a way to drive new customers. Groupon is a public company (NASDAQ: GRPN) and is based in Chicago, IL.


groupon.com
Chicago, IL, United States
+281
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