Groupon issues

Hi

Can anyone please give me some advise.

Has anyone else has had simular problems with Groupon. If so, how was it resolved?

I am currently engaged in a Groupon deal which started on 14 June and runs for 3 months. I agreed the maximum sales to be 100 deals. which was for a 90min full body massage.

Since the deal commenced my renting situation has changed and i will be moving to another venue in another town to the one which has been advertised on the voucher.

Knowing I had these changes I contacted my 'Account Manger' who seemed very supportive saying that this wasn't a problem and to make life easier for me, as of 1st July,  they would send an email to all people who hadn't redeemed their voucher, informing them of the changes saying if this was a problem they would refund their voucher.

He reassured me that this sort of thing happens all the time, so they are used to informing of changes. I felt happy and reassured.

The problems i am incurring are :

There is only me and since the first day of sale Groupon have gone on to sell another 13 deals making a total of 113 deals sold, all of which they expect me to honour before 8 Septemeber. (113  -  90minutes treatments plus prep time etc)

I am informing callers of my change of circumstances, in return they are saying they have no idea of the changes, a small number are fine, however only a small number, so i am getting grief as my circumstances have changed.

It appears Groupon haven't sent said letter, as promised to any of the voucher holders.

I am now fully booked - or have booked to my level of voucher booking that i can physically do without spontainiously combusting plus allowing for new and regular customers too, which when i inform the caller I am fully booked, the response isnt too good, however I am refering them back to Groupon, as advised but I am receiving calls back saying Groupon are saying they know nothing of this arrangement or my change of circumstances :-?

I have tried in vain to call my 'Account Manager' whose telephone only goes to voice mail.

I received a call today from a person who only wanted Thursdays. All my thursdays are fully booked until after the deal finishes. I apologised that I couldn't help her, and again I referred her back to groupon, she called me later in the day saying Groupon say I have to honour the voucher, they will not refund her money and what am I going to do about it, if Groupon won't refund her money, she asked if I would refund it to her instead :-?

Again I tried to call Groupon, again left a messages, a) on Twitter for the Groupon rep and with my mystery Account Mangager.

Still I am having calls from people, "I have a groupon voucher" aaaaaaaaaggggggghhhhh

Any ideas?

Trisha Wood

(exarsperated of Maidstone!)

I've never used Groupon either as a seller or a buyer. But I have heard a lot of these stories in the past.

If the people are able to speak to someone at Groupon I'd suggest you call them also and explain the situation to them as the Account Manager seems to be MIA. Then you can see what they say or ask for a manager in the accounts dept.

Damn, Trisha! It seems like you've fallen into the trap that a lot of small businesses using Groupon do.
I'm presuming you have everything in emails/ writing? If so, hound them into submission and everytime you speak to someone ask their name first before anything else and write everything down as you'll then have something to reference.

Goodness I'm relieved I didn't accept that Groupon offer.  My suggestion for other small businesses is to put the phone down on them when they ring.