Tanya K.

When Groupon first started it seemed like such an amazing idea. If a certain number of customers purchased something then the seller would give those customers a "groupon" or a discount coupon based on the total number of people participating in the purchasing 'group'. When Groupon was small, it was difficult to get a good deal because the number of customers would often fall short. It was difficult to plan anything unless you were willing to pay full price if the number of participants fell short. So, I pretty much stayed away from Groupon for a few years. Being a single mom at the time I could support us comfortably but not by taking risks with my budget. Over time I would hear stories from friends and coworkers about the deals they would get from Groupon. As time passed, I heard less about deals falling through and more and more great stories of the deals people were getting. Unbelievable sounding deals. For instance, the 4 hour spa package a coworker bought for her mom for Mother's Day. She said she got the package for LESS than what she paid to have a bouquet delivered last year! Then a close friend met me for coffee one afternoon and started telling me of the amazing concert seats he had just landed thanks to Groupon. He said he went online determined to go to this concert and expected to only be able to afford the cheapest seats furthest away. It was his favorite band so he didn't care, he had to go. On a whim he checked Groupon first and his band's concert was highlighted right on his front page! He was able to buy a four seat deal about 15 rows back from the stage! He was so excited! That's the closest he had ever been! I listened to these and many more accounts from my friends all saying the same thing. It was more than just a little discount, these were great deals saving everyone 50, 60, 70 and sometimes up to even 90% off what everyone else was paying. Verifiable savings, too! Not a lame 50% off full price for an item or event that's always "on sale" netting you a measly actual 3-5% off what you would normally pay. So, when my favorite auction site, Listia.com and my favorite rebate/gift card site, Swagbucks.com both had an offer up for Groupon, I decided to take a shot. I would be getting 'paid' anyway. I clicked the link to go take a look. My expectations were not high. See, I wasn't in the market for a spa package or concert no matter how great the discount. I had heard, though, that Groupon went way beyond that now and had grown. Boy, had they! Gone was the complicated and slow process of finding something you might want and waiting for other participants. Gone were the confusing payment terms. Instead I found a beautiful, well laid out, categorized and efficient website bringing vendors together from all over the country. There were events and things to do locally but also nationally! Best of all, for me, was when I found Groupon Goods! They even had a shopping cart that most vendors participated with. Once in a while, you'll have to purchase an item separately. The only drawback to the cart is that Groupon deals expire. If you add an item to your cart that is expiring in a few hours, be sure to pay attention because if a few of your carted items expire, your entire cart can be cancelled. That's my only complaint. I have been shopping on Groupon.com now for over a year. I receive quality items (I place high value on the customer reviews) that are shipped quickly most of the time. Delays in shipping, for me, have all been explained and agreed to prior. If I am ever dissatisfied with a purchase for some reason, all of my purchases are 100% guaranteed by Groupon. So far, I have been 100% satisfied and usually pleasantly surprised at the excellent quality I would never be able to afford of the items I've received. I've purchased concert tickets, go kart admission, restaurant deals, a complete comforter set with pretty little decorative pillows, high thread count sheet sets, clothes, towels, a flatware setting for TEN, storage containers, mixing bowls, a huge 20lb turkey size counter top roaster, an 8 quart slow cooker and a few other items as well. I also buy my Garcinia Cambogia through Groupon. All of these items plus sundry other health and beauty things I've gotten for pennies on the dollar. Same brands, same quality, definitely not the same price. Their customer service was great the one time I contacted them with a question. I had a reply back within the hour. If you haven't checked them out yet, check them out now. They're usually my first stop and definitely my last stop when I'm shopping online. Oh! Two laptops for my daughters who graduated last year! TWO! I bought two for less than I would've paid for just one cheapy one. I would never have been able to afford those before Groupon. Not a brand new one and definitely not TWO!

I was referred to Deal Dash through an offer I received on Listia. I would receive bonus credits in exchange for checking DD out. First, I must say their app was an easy download and extremely easy to navigate. I always read reviews from other customers and then the FAQ section before using any app especially where money is concerned. I was satisfied and went ahead with a purchase of a 300 bid pack on sale for only $. 12/bid. With a general idea of how things worked, I placed my first bid... AND WON! I won a $10 Burger King gift card for a penny! Now, I knew that was just a fluke probably because I happened to begin at a time of day that the site was not busy. However, it was still a big positive. I looked for more likely items and gift cards and over the course of the next couple of days popping in here and there when I had a few moments, proceeded to win two more $10 gift cards and a $25 gift card for a total of 55 cents! I was sadly at the end of my 300 bids. I only say sadly because bidding is a lot of fun. For an initial investment of $36 plus 56 cebts for the auctions I won, I received the generous bonus credits on Listia as well as $55.00 worth of gift cards! My order status didn't change (tracking is only provided for orders over a certain amount) and I began to have doubts. I reached out to DD's help team at around 8 days and received a reply in less than an hour letting me know that my gift cards had shipped on 8/22. The rep who replied to me was courteous and understanding. I received my cards the next day! From start to finish, DD has exceeded all expectation and they have won themselves a big big fan!