UPDATE: Groupon’s complaints have increased dramatically over 2012. Numerous websites have published articles on this:
Groupon’s page on HelloPeter
https://www.hellopeter.com/groupon-sa/customer-feedback-and-analysis
MyBroadBand.co.za:
http://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/55233-groupon-sa-complaints-flood-in.html
VentureBurn / MemeBurn:
http://ventureburn.com/2012/07/is-there-a-solution-to-groupons-sa-woes/
Court action in the UK:
http://gigaom.com/2012/03/16/groupon-uk-told-to-clean-up-after-record-complaints/
Groupon in court in SA:
http://www.asasa.org.za/ResultDetail.aspx?Ruling=5534
This webpage:
http://www.groupbuying.co.za/complaints
Groupon apologises on ITWeb:
http://www.itweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57188:dear-disgruntled-groupon-customer&catid=69
A parody reply from UbuntuDeal ran as well:
http://www.ubuntudeal.co.za/blog/ubuntudeal-compliments-flood-in/
————-
When online websites have customers, especially paying consumers, a division or department to handle any complaints is essential. Since group buying involves numerous purchases daily on every deal, it is very important to make sure that customer service works just as well as the daily deal website does.
Complaints in the group buying industry in South Africa are currently rife (August 2011) and continue (July 2012) SEE UPDATE LINKS ABOVE, mainly due to the most visited site: Groupon. One would imagine this is purely due to their sheer amount of buyers, but the other websites have very few public complaints. A quick look at the group buying complaints on HelloPeter and Twitter reveal the situation. (Please note that this is still only a survey.)
Groupon complaints breakdown on HelloPeter – a closer look at the nature of the complaints show that most are spam and lack of feedback (click to enlarge)
Since complaints are generally difficult to voice online, and HelloPeter is the main source or such actions, the statistics shown (dated October 2011) are taken as a strongly correct representation of the customer service of Groupon. What is more, many blog posts online carry comments from actual companies who have done deals with Groupon.
It must be added, however, that if a business makes a mistake, can one really hold the group buying company liable for that error? Some people say yes, that the restaurant, for example, should be vetted before running a deal for them. But even good businesses sometimes give bad service, and it is difficult to see how this is the group buying site’s fault. So some of these complaints above may not actually be for Groupon.
Groupon – Numerous complaints
Further complaints on Twitter from numerous unhappy customers give more evidence to Groupon’s poor service (see left).
Twitter is often used to complain, since companies have accounts that are publicly viewed and followed and a complaint will not go unnoticed. The person in charge of that account on behalf of the company (often not employed by the company itself), will quickly be able to respond to the complaint. This works wonders and also (not always) keeps people’s complaints tempered, since they are in the public domain.
With South Africa’s now large and growing presence on Twitter, have a look at any group buying website’s account and do a search on their profile name. This will bring up all kinds of information and help you to assess their ability to handle complaints, and educate you in terms of whether to use their services or subscribe to them.
Groupon’s complaint streak continued when a Mr JB Botha took Groupon (then MyCityDeal) to court and won in 2011. The complaint revolved around Groupon’s false “refer a friend” advertisement on its website. Similar court cases have been reported online in other countries, including a UK ASA Adjudication on MyCityDeal Ltd.
Click to enlarge
Groupon has also fallen prey to many complaints regarding their “valuation” of deals. Often a deal is placed on their site at 50% off, for example a reduction from R3,000 to R1,500 (see image), whereas the value of the deal is actually only R2,000. In doing so, Groupon tricks customers into buying something which is seemingly a bargain. In the image to the right, a customer complains that the deal was a trick and that he in fact called the merchant to discover a lower price for a teeth whitening deal. This complaint received no reply.
Other websites to feature with complaints online are Eishcoupon, Wicount (also a few on HelloPeter, mostly handled), Dealify and Dealio (although Dealio has many compliments as well). Group buying websites listed on spam lists are mentioned on the group buying spam page.
In October 2011, Dealio closed down, leaving a slew of unhappy and unrefunded consumer and business clients in its wake.
Twitter complaints
Although Groupon is mostly mentioned in complaints, they are not alone. In general, subscribers to group buying websites have been inundated with emails, since they usually sign up to many daily deal sites and therefore would get at least one email a day from each. Some of the group buying companies in South Africa are on spam lists already, but even those who legitimately send emails are irritating users when they send too many mails out.
The industry of daily deals in South Africa needs to work harder at its levels of service. Many websites do not have a hotline number (example: CityMob) and do not answer feedback fast enough. The complaints that are listed above and online need to be searched for and addressed by each daily deal site in question. Generally, a good online business will have alerts set up and find out about complaints very speedily. Finally, as a rule to people wanting to use social buying as customers or as a business, it is important to do a search for the word complaint followed by the name of the site in question.
All in all, the group buying industry is a young one, and complaints will always occur in any online business. It is how they are kept to a minimum, and the way in which they are handled, which is important.
If you have had a bad experience, please comment below on what happened and help us improve the group buying industry in South Africa.
Loading ...
My experienceand the experinece of my friends has been with these group buying companies that R99 massage deals are not worth the mula or petrol to get to them. I understand businesses/spa’s are looking for ways to bring more people in the door but if the service makes you feel like you in a fast food joint, churning out the numbers thats never good. The big picture is that customers will not buy massage deals any more and I am sure you know how south africans are they dont really complain they just will never visit the place again or worse just not buy on group buying sites. As their belief will be if it sounds too good to be true it is.
So everyone looses.
Ideally there should be a cap on how many deals can be sold for a service such as massage as thereapists are not robots but people and if they are expected to massage 900 people who purchaced 900 vouchers at R99 which we know the spa doesnt get as the group buying company can take up to 50% which means they will make R50 per massage realisticly you cant expect that therapist to give the same quailty of massage as they would give if the client was paying R 400. Its so obviuos dont you think. Its not the same as a 50% dinner as massage therapist is only able to massage 1 person at a time where as the waiter can still make mula on drinks and able to serve many tables at once or in 60mins.
Massage therapists/ spa’s/beauty places are all getting a bad wrap so this industry in the future will not be a sure bet to have advertize as customers will not be buying.
I challenge group buying sites to think about who they are representing and to who they are representing to as it seems sometime the best interest on both sides is not 100% considered and for now only the GB site wins.
I bought 2 vouchers in August 2011. There were +- 68 sales. I tried to book in early February 2012-expires 29 February 2012. Unable to get through on phone to Salon Soa Reve. Emailed Spa Reve and received apology stating cannot accommodateme. You work out 68 massages in 6 months could not be accomodated. Something is definitely wrong. Requested for refund from Groupon SA on 2 February 2012. i made numerous calls to Cape Town and emails were also sent. Please note you wait between 5 and 10 minutes for someone to answer your call.As at 14 February 2012, I have not received my refund of R138.00. I have spent over R300 trying to get my refund.
Sam, you are spot on there!!! The focus is solely on the GB platform making money. The cap would help alot, even T&C’s could apply to certain days of the week, so to allow the massage therapist a break so that they are able to put their all into your back etc.
Even if you gave them one every now and then, the attitude is still “ag, another groupon”. These business owners think that GB platforms will bring customers storming through their doors and then be forever loyal to the brand. 2 things wrong – customers are always going to look for the best deal, so the very next deal will be the one they choose, if they remember the name of your place after the massage, will be a miracle. Instead it will be massage 1 and massage 2 both were R99. Your point, customer experience, customer will not go back and the business owner is left feeling taken advantage of.
GB platforms focus on taking not making money, and with the initial hype of this kind of buying, they thought it would last, but what is becoming more and more evident everyday to people like you and I, is that this is not good, clean business where everyone wins. This is in your face, ultimate transparency, I take all your money while you give a bad massage and you get a bad massage, then I go on the stock market because I have so much money, CRAP!
I know something is coming to South Africa, something that will answer our deal buying needs.
Watch this space
My experience with groupon has been nothing but an absolute nightmare, I have a small business and signed a contract for them to place my ad, they changed my price without my consent, and when I confronted them about it they had advised that my price of R150 for a massage and nail treatment was too much, I had already given a 70% discount. They promised my ad to go on a certain day which was agreed only to find on that day it was not put on, this happened 3 times, I tried calling them, after holding on for 20 minutes I hung up in frustration, I emailed 2 different people from groupon 3 times, no reply, I emailed again to cancel still no reply, so you see in essence groupon doesent care a dam about the businesses they promoting nor do they care for the buyers, they are marketing themselves, not even doing the hard work, and making the most money, while us business owners work at a major loss, in false hope of bringing in new clientele.
I find it shameful, and I am so angry that groupon wasted my time for the last 2 weeks, I could have been on another coupon site by now. Seems even my complaining will get me nowhere as there are thousands of complaints about them everywhere, and more complaining that they just do not get back to you or your complaint.
Companies like this should be controlled or SHUT DOWN.
I bought vouchers from UCIT for a deal at Red Herring in Noordhoek. When we got to the restaurant, we were refused the deal, as apparently the terms and conditions stated that these deals were not valid on Public Holidays. I read through UCIT’s T&C’s, and no-where was there ant provision stating that the deal was not valid on a public holiday. The marketing Manager of UCIT contacted me, and in a classic case of “passing the buck” blamed the non-acceptance of the voucher on the Restaurant. He then said that they will issue me a refund. This refund has never materialised. UCIT will try talk thier way out of everything, but when it comes to actually delivering on thier promises, they will do everything to avoid delivering.
I have bought a ticket to the Balooning Experience on the 7th of October for my sons Birthday for the 18th November but had no voucher nor any explaination as to why not, nor did I receive a credit for my payment to L*Twangoo Sea Point ZA which was also made on the 7th October.
Please investigate urgently as to why the voucher was not e-mailed or transfer a credit to my account.
Much appreciated,
Regards – Angie Neuhold
That’s terrible! Twangoo is operating Groupon and you’ll have to go to them directly.
Dealclick are frikking spamming me every day, F You spammers, i keep getting spam emails from them on 3 different email addresses, i tried to unsubscribe and the link is not working, i am also on the DMA do not contact list, i have called them and they told me that they don’t send emails and it might be one of their affiliate, this is bulls..t, i’m going to blacklist their server as it seems like they don’t give a damn.
They host with Hetzner
Jason
Please contact me, I cannot find a number for you guys!
0846003311
We bought two vouchers for a holiday in Zanzibar
The advertisement stated that it was a “stylish” resort and that it was a saving of 60%. It also proclaimed that activities such as canoeing and wind surfing was inter alia included. Also included were 3 meals per person a day and local beverages, non-alcoholic
We arrived in Zanzibar on 10 March 2011 and had to organise our own transport from the airport-they did eventually pay for the taxi
On arrival we saw that it was a very basic backpackers venue. The rooms were extremely primitive: no cupboards, bedside tables, lamps, tables or even hooks to hang our wet towels-basically just a bed. There was a tiny fan mounted on the ceiling and no air-conditioning. The windows were just window frames with mosquito netting -no glass anywhere. The lighting was a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.
The bathrooms were even more primitive: a very old toilet, basin and a showerhead that was mounted in the ceiling-no shower cubicle resulting in water all over the bathroom. The drainage was pathetic so we ended up with a permanently wet mouldy bathroom floor. There was no hot water whilst we stayed there. When they had to conserve energy the water pump was switched off and then we had no running water-that happened almost every day. We had to inform them when we wanted to use water so that they could switch on the pump.
There was no canoe or wind surfing equipment-only a speedboat and one had to pay for trips.
The accommodation was not stylish at all! We did our homework before booking and knew what to expect for accommodation worth R10 000 as was stated implicitly in the advertisement. What we got was absolutely unacceptable!
The meals were just as pathetic and unacceptable. There was a vast menu but nothing was available-just basically chicken thighs and octopus (extremely tough!) We actually LOST weight during the week! It also stated that local beverages were included. Only 2 cold drinks a day were included with meals.
It was extremely hot when we were there but we had the same towel and linen for the whole week that we stayed there.
The whole holiday was a very expensive nightmare. This was my first island experience and I really thought it would be fantastic as Groupon advertised it as such
Groupon is definitely NOT to be trusted
I bought a voucher for a meal at a restaurant and 2 days later it was closed down by Sherriff of the Court. Wicount refuses to re-imburse me my money as they say that the money as handed over to the restaurant before it closed down – the time span does not seem right to me. They have given me WiBucks- it is not the same. It is my first experience of social buying in South Africa and I am not very happy or very impressed either. I believe that Wicount are sitting with my momney in their accouint – my understanding is that the money is onyl handed over to the advertiser/restaurant once the voucher has been presented and should the voucher not be presented then Wicount would be able to keep the money !
I bought a voucher for an e-book, received the voucher and correspondence from a woman by the name of Rumisha. The process went as far as the photographs been downloaded and that was that. I have not heard another word from her with regards to the completion of the e-book. I have sent various emails and tried calling her on her cellphone, but to no avail. This is unprofessional and portrays bad business ethics. I am rather dubious to buy another voucher from groupon because of the experience I have encountered. Groupon needs to do proper homework on the companies who want to advertise in such a manner. We live in high economic world as it is and when we do decided to splash out on something for ourselves we get RIPPED OFF and no one so much as bats an eye. Enough is enough!
I have had the worst service through Groupon – I even went to hellopeter they didn’t even bother to respond. Lies about delivery dates. It is misleading. I could have ordered the exact same product from another website for the same price. If I only read all the bad service complaints I would never have purchased anything from them. It is about time they shut Groupon down. I will never order another thing from them again. Bad – Bad service. Be warned.
Since March 2012 I have been waiting for a refund of R750. I had bought a photo shoot session voucher but the company that offered it had closed down prior to me using my voucher. Groupon insisted on crediting my groupon account based on their fine print. When I read through their fine print, it stated nothing about cash refunds. They then agreed to refund me. On the 27 March 2012, they sent me details that the refund was done. Following numerous calls to my bank to verify the refund which they said was not done, and then sending Groupon a copy of my bank statement on the 31 May 2012, showing proof that the refund had not happened, till this day, I have yet to get my money back! I returned a message on my cell phone but the phone keeps ringing. They didnt even bother to call me back. The customer care agents are unfriendly, rude and unhelpful. You go around in circles and even the people who claim to be senior never return feedback phone calls as promised! I intend on never purchasing anything from them again, ever. The money spent on numerous phone calls to the customer service line needs no mention. Their onhold music facility is daming to the ear and lets not talk about the long wait and if you’re lucky, they might just answer! I have never encountered this bad customer service in my life and feel for those who are going through similiar issues. Groupon SA seems to be following suit like the rest of its overseas branches. Google them and you will see how really bad they are.
I have bought a voucher 2 weeks ago and im still waiting even today to receive my voucher on the post. please phone me back 0718731030 or 011 3776653
we had a very bad experience using groupon to purchase a deal with car service city. after we made the groupon payment, via EFT , we were informed by groupon that they had a system error, and now we are battling to get the money refunded. I will NEVER use groupon again, and would advise everyone to avoid them as far as possible. Calling them results in no answer, and emailing them is no better at all.
I, like many others, have been scammed by Dolce Deals. Is theer any way of getting my money back or at least laying a charge against the owner, Cassandra Kruger? I wonder if the police will actually take it seriously.
Groupon is the biggest scam that exists in this country. They take your money and don’t deliver your goods. They promise, promise , promise but its all dry air!!!!!!!!
The National Consumer Commission needs to intervene and shut this place down for operating illegally!!!! I think it is way overdue.
To those considering suing Groupon- don’t even waste your time, it we be the biggest mistake you have ever made!!!!
I bought Busby genuine leather wine cooler from Groupon on 30/11/2011 I did phoned them that it is a friend Xmas present up today I havenet receive it. I call theis year 2013 I was told that I must wait until 22 Jan I called to say I havent receive the parcel today and they said to me there was a problem with my invoice hence I was not told when I do my follow up. Groupon I think you are not good on what you doing your staff is so rude they drop calls on your ear when you complaining when you phone you will take more than 30 minutes holding eventually they will reply to you and make you to hold for another 30 minutes . Ek gad vol with Groupon it does not matter how long have been with them, Just accept Groupon you cannot manage your business.
Hi Bella Mashabathakga,
Thanks to your support, the Groupon deal “Busby genuine leather wine cooler with two bottles of Nederburg and a waiter’s friend” was a success!
The total cost has been deducted from your account via Credit Card.
Your order will be delivered to the postal address you provided during the order process.
Please see the ‘Fine Print’ for delivery details.
Your delivery address has been forwarded to the merchant.
Sincerely,
Your Groupon Team
For last minute changes to your delivery address
please contact product at groupon.co.za.
To DealClick: I ordered a bottle ofCK Free Blue for Men on the 13th of December. I am still waiting for delivery. They deducted the money on the same day but a month later – no delivery. Their staff is very rude + unprofessional. They never come back to you, never answer their phones – it’s just promises promises + more promises the whole time. NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM THEM PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I recently made use of Wicount in purchasing 2x HDD 2TB which were advertised at R1299.00 each. Of course I paid for both HDD’s when placing my order. When I got the HDD’s I noticed the HDD’s are external power driven. WHich means it needs external power when plugged into a computer etc. I notified Groupon and they arranged for the unit to be collected by courier and returned to them on the 5th of Feb. I was initially told I will be refunded within 2-3 days. Well, well! It’s the 20th of Feb and I don’t get replies on my e-mails when I enquire and when I phoned again on Monday I was told that my refund must still be authorized bla-bla-bla. I was assured by a lady called Lerato that she will action my request and will keep me informed. 2 Days later …. No feedback, no refund and no HDD anymore. So …. What am I to do? I have unsubscribed from Wicount and will not be making use of their future offers and I will most definitely not be recommending anyone I know to make use of any of their offers. Please people be ware! Wicount’s customer service is not something to comment about because they don’t have any service at all!
Lebo
I ordered an ipad cover on the 12th of April 2013 and still nothing has been sent to me. I tried the numbers listed by Groupon and both of them are said NOT to be existing, I then phoned 1023 and they say that Groupon is not listed in thier telephone records. Can somebody please assist with the contact details for Groupon customer service. I also tried Courierit, the courier company that groupon listed as their service provider but they can trac my parcel with the referance that was sent to me. Is Groupon a legit company????????
Hi Lebo,
Thank you for commenting on the Groupbuying blog. Unfortunately we too have been unable to get their contact details except for the email (which no one seems to reply to). We will give it another try and see if we can find something useful. We do advise all our users to rather purchase products only through the listed websites on http://www.dealafrica.co.za as these are more monitored and undergo a certain level of “Quality assurance”.
Best of luck with Groupon,
The Groupbuying Team