Groupon is an online marketplace where local businesses offer discount vouchers and coupons for goods and services. Consumers buy these deals from Groupon and use them at local businesses, thereby helping merchants attract new customers.
The name Groupon comes from the portmanteau of “group” and “coupon.” It has become a recognizable brand and a popular means of finding deals for restaurants, spas, travel, beauty treatments, and other local businesses. It offers deep discounts, usually 50-90 percent, for a range of products and services.
Despite its popularity, the company has faced criticism in the past from small business owners and critics who say that it has flooded local neighborhoods with unscrupulous people who use the site to scam unsuspecting consumers.
As a result, the company has implemented a number of safeguards to ensure that only legitimate business owners can participate in its platform. While this sounds like a positive step for the company, it can also make it harder to find deals that fit your needs and budget.
To avoid scams, Robinson-Celeste recommends that you look at the business’s address on Google street view and check its website and social media accounts to make sure it matches up with the information on Groupon. If it doesn’t, she suggests calling the business before you visit.
Another way to protect yourself from scammers is to sign up for a free account on Groupon. You can do so by entering your email address or logging in using Facebook or Google. Once you’ve registered, you can search for and redeem Groupon vouchers at any time and from anywhere.
Many of the deals on Groupon are available for a limited time or until the stock runs out. This can mean a lot of savings, especially for first-time customers or those looking to save on items they don’t normally purchase.
In addition, Groupon has alerts that steer you to discounts if you’re in the vicinity of a store or business that offers deals on the site, and it also gives you access to so-called “Groupon Bucks,” which give users even more discounts on special purchases.
It’s a good idea to make an effort to stay up-to-date on Groupon’s latest deals and promotions, as they tend to come up regularly. You can also sign up for newsletters that will alert you to new offers and coupons.
As with any online purchase, be sure to read the fine print on any deal you’re interested in. You can check the terms and conditions on the offer’s page or by contacting the business in question directly.
Unlike other deals websites, Groupon doesn’t charge businesses to advertise their offerings. Instead, it gets paid a percentage of the total sales from each deal. In return, the business benefits by getting a steady stream of new customers who will most likely return to the store or restaurant in the future.
In fact, it has been estimated that a typical local merchant will gain up to 20 customers each month from its Groupon deals. The amount of traffic generated by these customers often exceeds the value of the Groupon vouchers.
