Comments on: Is Groupon killing local businesses?

By: BobPhibbsTheRetailDoctor

BobPhibbsTheRetailDoctor — Tue, 24 May 2011 02:00:58 +0000

This article touched on a few of the risks but there many more to offering group-buying discounts through Groupon, LivingSocial and the clones. That's why I wrote a 55-page ebook, Groupon:Why Deep Discounts are Bad for Business http://www.retaildoc.com/store/groupon-review-dis… The thought is that if you just got more customers, you'd be able to wow them into becoming good customers. Except if you were really wowing them to begin with, you wouldn't need to attract more. Much less use the profits from your good paying customers who support you 365 days a year to offer deeply discounted services.

By: Tom Pajak

Tom Pajak — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:53:00 +0000

Im sorry..I think that if a business has to take a discount but will make it up in quantity..because thats how groupon works..you don’t get the deal till so many people buy it…then what are they crying over…especially if their business doesn’t get a lot of traffic in the first place

By: Josh Sanders

Josh Sanders — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:27:49 +0000

When the economy gets better these sites will go away. It’s the ultimate loss leader strategy, and only works well in the short term for companies with perishable inventory. The theory that some $ is better than no $ is what enables these sites to exist, but no business can sell at a loss for long.

By: Stan Twotimes

Stan Twotimes — Wed, 18 May 2011 20:26:54 +0000

I use it all the time some times I fail to use my coupon before out echoes thats pure profit

By: Rockin' Roxy's

Rockin' Roxy's — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:46:32 +0000

The discounts I have provided my customers keep them coming back but keep me on the very edge of profitability. I got a call from Groupon today to participate in this, but told them it doesn’t work for my business as I have to evaluate my “clientele” before accepting them into care. The best new clients I find come from referrals. I’m not sure how much the Groupon-model customers stick. On the other hand, I have used Groupons to discover new places (I NEVER buy for places I already frequent) and in every place I have discovered a new place that is guaranteed to see me again, sans discount.

By: Leandro Ariel Pezzente

Leandro Ariel Pezzente — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:40:26 +0000

I hate Groupon , Groupalia and all those damn spammers .

By: Stephen LeatherFace Popa

Stephen LeatherFace Popa — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:38:15 +0000

i don’t really know anyone who does actually use it, and the deals I have seen didn’t seem like very good deals to me.

By: Valencio Cardoso

Valencio Cardoso — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:34:09 +0000

This discount based culture can’t be good for us in the long run.

By: Aldo Gandia

Aldo Gandia — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:20:55 +0000

Yes! We are too fixiated with Discounts and cheap products and services. This destroys wages for workers and furthers the weakening of our economy.