Group buying sites draw 100 complaints over conduct
Three months after the launch of a code of conduct for group buying sites, the industry has received around 100 complaints from the public, Mumbrella can reveal.
The most common gripes, according to the Australian Direct Marketing Association, the body handling the complaints, concern delays in the delivery of goods, the inability to redeem goods within a certain timeframe and slow customer service.
Most complaints were received around Christmas time.
ADMA boss Jodie Sangster said that there were “no complaints yet” about how group buying brands communicate with their customers.
“Complaints are most commonly specific to deals – not the group buying brands themselves or how they communicate,” she said.
She added that complaints were spread evenly among group buying brands with no single culprit to blame.
Sangster’s comments come two days after Hard Hat strategy director Daniel Monheit posted an opinion piece slamming group buying sites for ruining email marketing by spamming their customers.
The code was launched at Mumbrella 360 in response to negative publicity from bad customer experiences with group buying deals.
Deals.com.au is the latest group buying site to join the framework, which began with Spreets and Cudo and has since enlisted Living Social, Groupon, Ouffer, OurDeal and Catch Of The Day/ ScoopOn.
“The process is working well, and the response by the group buying sites has been good,” Sangster added. “They want to step up, fix customer concerns, and turn problems to their advantage.
I bought something on a whim from Groupon. Finally got round to looking at picking it up – only to find it was a voucher which expired after two weeks! WTF!? How can you sell something that expires after two weeks without mentioning it in the headline? They’d better fix that rule sharpish.
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The Groupon copywriters should be sacked. I read one sentence of each deal description and roll my eyes at the cheesiness. I have literally just unsubscribed from their mailing list because I can’t stand to read one more non-relevant description. Which one tiped me over the edge??
“Counting sheep, drinking herbal tea and impersonating a sloth on your neighbour’s doorstep can all help one get to sleep. Tempt sleep without trespassing with today’s Groupon”… this is for a mattress protector.
Groupon, your mailing list are not 5 and don’t need to be lured into the deal with a stupid fairytale. Tell us the deal and be done with it .
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Any complaints from companies who have signed up for the deals. I have heard some negative feedback but was wondering if anything had been formally registered.
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