What happened to Groupon?
Additional investor concerns arose after the company restated 2011 revenues downward in March 2012. As of 2024, Groupon operates with a leaner workforce and has shifted focus to digital vouchers and services after discontinuing much of its physical goods segment. The deals offered daily through Groupon start at 50 percent off and can go as high as 90 percent cheaper than the normal price. Groupon can offer such steep discounts because it guarantees business owners a minimum return on their investment and the possibility of becoming an overnight sensation.Groupon does not charge any upfront costs for creating and running a campaign on our site. We operate a “pay-as-you-go” model, meaning you only pay for the results, not for the listing. While there is no fee to join Groupon, we charge a commission rate on all sales, which varies.Groupon Deteriorates The Value Of Your Business If company X can offer a 50% discount and still make a good profit, then they must be jacking up their prices. Once a customer receives a large discount, it trains them to wait for later coupons and deteriorates the value of your products and services.Here’s the short answer: Groupon is a legitimate marketplace that connects you with verified businesses offering real discounts. Still, your experience depends on reading the fine print, understanding how vouchers work, and knowing when Groupon—not the merchant—handles refunds.
What went wrong with Groupon?
Why the downfall? Critics have long called Groupon’s model unsustainable. Customers get subpar services from swamped businesses, while businesses get a bad deal in the long term. One analysis found only ~20% of Groupon buyers returned for full-price purchases. Despite its initial success, Groupon was unable to sustain its popularity and financial performance in the long run. The decline of Groupon could be due to a combination of factors, including its struggle with profitability, its business model, and intense competition from other coupon and rebates sites and apps.However, the last few years have presented a real challenge for the business, which has seen its financial results slump. From an all-time high of three billion U. S. Groupon’s revenue dropped to just under half a million in 2024.Google offered to buy Groupon, then a two-year-old local e-commerce startup, for $5. But the deal fell through for three main reasons, according to writer Frank Sennett, the author of a forthcoming book on the company. Google offered a $800 million breakup fee.Groupon exhausted its pool of potential merchants, leading to a decline in revenue. The lack of merchants decreased the quantity and quality of daily deals on Groupon’s website. This issue led to a decline in the number of active shoppers.
Why did people stop using Groupon?
The customers they won with damagingly low deals on Groupon did not become loyal customers but moved on to exploit the next amazing deal, leaving small businesses with only the costs. As a result, they pulled back from their deals, and Groupon had to expensively acquire new businesses to keep the deals site full. Expiration Dates – As a customer you have until the expiration date on your Groupon voucher to book your session with our merchant partner. After that date, you will owe the merchant partner the difference of the regular retail value of the service and the price that you paid towards your voucher.According to Groupon’s policies, the promotional value of the Groupon Voucher expires on the expiration date printed on the voucher. The amount the consumer paid for the Groupon Voucher does not expire until the voucher is used or is refunded.Local vouchers You can also ask Groupon customer support to cancel a voucher and get a refund for it within three days of buying it. Even if you can’t get a refund on your voucher, you can still use it as credit at the business that offered the deal – even if the promotion they were issuing the voucher for is over.The voucher can only be applied towards the service that was originally purchased. Repeated Use – Unless directly specified on the voucher, repeatedly using a Groupon voucher to visit one of our merchant partners is a violation of the voucher’s Fine Print.Groupons may always be redeemed for at least the amount the customer paid for it—even after the promotional value has expired. For Groupon Getaways, if a customer is unable to book the stay that he or she wants, during the available dates and before the book-by date, we’ll refund the unredeemed Getaways voucher.
Has anything replaced Groupon?
Looking for alternatives or competitors to Groupon? Other important factors to consider when researching alternatives to Groupon include price and customer service. The best overall Groupon alternative is Vagaro. Other similar apps like Groupon are Travelzoo, dealsaver, Localflavor, and Gilt. Best Alternatives to Groupon There are several sites that offer a similar business model, like LivingSocial, Yipit, or Woot.Looking for alternatives or competitors to Groupon? Other important factors to consider when researching alternatives to Groupon include price and customer service. The best overall Groupon alternative is Vagaro. Other similar apps like Groupon are Travelzoo, dealsaver, Localflavor, and Gilt.
Can you use Groupon on a phone?
Every deal is available to use immediately, so you’re never more than a few taps away from a relaxing massage, tickets to the night’s hottest event, or a chance to eat a whole pizza by yourself. With the groupon android app, you can: buy and redeem groupon deals directly from your mobile device. Bringing apple pay to the groupon mobile app makes it easier than ever to find and buy the best things around you. Groupon’s integration with apple pay allows customers to seamlessly check out with a single touch and pay using touch id from their iphone 6 or iphone 6 plus.