When a Deal is Not a Deal

The “group coupon” craze is still going strong. A large percentage of Americans have purchased at least one of these “deals” since their inception. I’ve gotten some great ones! Half off Menchies was probably my favorite. I love it when a deal is offered for a place I frequent. I know I’ll use those and get a great deal.

Often these group coupons are nothing more than advertising or wasted money for an unneeded service . Two weeks ago I made a hair appointment for today. I thought I was getting a great deal. Cut and color for just $40 and since I was able to use “group bucks” to make my purchase, I was to pay just $20 for a cut and color (of course I would tip on the entire amount). With my appointment set, I lined up a babysitter and looked ahead to my appointment. The location was across town so it was a bit of a jaunt but I made my trek, leaving kids with the sitter, and highly anticipated some time with the newest Vince Flynn novel while getting a much needed hair cut and treatment.

I arrived and waited to check in. Finally someone greeted me and asked who I was there to see. It turns out that it was the “greeter” who I was there to see and she had 2 customers already it the works. According to the salon, my appointment “had been cancelled by someone using my phone”, according to the hair design group. That is absolutely not possible and there’s no record of the salon’s phone number in my phone (and I had made my appointment directly with the stylist, not through the studio) . I did not cancel the appointment nor was my phone used to cancel an appointment. I was not given an apology for the extreme frustration I experienced nor was the salon willing or able to work with me.

I tell this story, not to smear the salon (no names mentioned here) but to caution the reader to think twice (three times, four times) before you buy one of these group coupons. (This was not a Groupon, just to clarify). I will no longer be purchasing these for services and I may never buy another one again after this experience (along with a deal on a bad house cleaning company). Not every deal is a good deal and as I’m experiencing, there’s often a reason why companies choose to go the group coupon route. They are needing business and it may just be because they do not treat their returning customers well (and therefore they don’t return) and so they constantly are in need of new customers.

What about you? What experiences have you had with these companies? Do you use group coupon sites to save money?