Deal-of-the-day Websites - The Group Buying Phenomenon

Deal-of-the-day Websites and the Group Buying Phenomenon

Everybody has indeed embraced technology.  Even with shopping, you can buy almost everything online.  Now, the best deals and bargains are not only found in the 3-day Mall or Midnight Madness Sale, but also found online. Promos for every imaginable purchase from gourmet or buffet meals, hotel accommodations to concert tickets, teeth whitening, even English and Yoga lessons, Dance and Review classes!  Deal-of-the-day websites are taking over the Philippine online shopping scene by storm..and the hype has been tremendous!  (photo credit: tomuse.com)

Group or Coupon Buying, started by Groupon (and which now has over 30 million subscribers globally) back in Nov 2008, is an online platform that provides avenue for businesses and buyers to transact through Collective Buying. This has been very popular not only among online bargain hunters (imagine you get as much as 90% discount) but also among businesses expecting to generate more sales.

Here's how it works --- Certain merchants or establishments agree to offer customers a specific product or service at a huge discounted rate if the group buying website can generate more than the specified minimum number of sales chosen by the merchant. Once the minimum number of sales is reached, the deal becomes activated (in other words, Deal is ON) and all the customers that signed up for the deal become eligible. Eligible customers’ credit cards are charged for the purchase and they receive an email for a printable voucher or coupon that is used to redeem the deal with the merchant.  If the minimum number of orders isn’t reached then, the deal is cancelled and no one will be able to take advantage of the deal, and the customers’ credit card isn’t charged. As a customer, the first step is to sign up and register at the group buying websites to be able to receive email alerts of the daily deals.

Here are some of the biggest and most reputable sites here in the Philippines:

Other sites are listed below, and I am sure the list will grow. (reference: fitzvillafuerte.com)

500peso Deals 500pesodeals.com 

Awesome  Awesome.ph 

Catch the Deal catchthedeal.ph 

Cheapipay cheapipay.com.ph 

City Poynt citypoynt.com 

Couppie Phil couppie.com 

Crazy Deals crazydeals.ph 

Deal Avenue http://www.dealavenue.ph/ 

Deal Spot dealspot.ph 

Discount Pilipinas discountpilipinas.com 

Eatsokay eatsokay.com 

Good2Great Deals g2gdeals.com 

Gupo gupo.com.ph 

Kuponan by Ebay.ph kuponan.ebaysocialapps.com 

Local Roam localroam.ph 

Lucky7 lucky7.ph 

Megadeals megadeals.ph 

Melodeal melodeal.ph 

Metro Deal metrodeal.com 

Mura Ito muraito.com 

My City Counts mycitycounts.com 

My Shop Mates myshopmates.com 

Nakamuraka   nakamuraka.com 

Pakyaw pakyaw.com.ph 

Pilipinas Best Buys pilipinasbestbuys.com 

Salamat.ph salamat.ph 

Tara Let's Buy taraletsbuy.com 

TipidTo tipidto.com 

Twangoo Manila twangoo.com/manila 

Yugadeals yugadeals.com

The deals indeed offer huge discounts and save you money, but chances are you will spend more than you intended to.  Group coupons encourage people to buy “treats” that are non-essentials like beauty services, tour packages, restaurant vouchers, etc... unless perhaps you view English lessons as a necessity.  Here are some tips in order to benefit and make the most out of these deals:  (bottom line is, you need to check and double check before you buy)

1)   Think twice and don’t be too impulsive – Will you really use the coupon?  Is it a need or a want?

2)   If indeed you need it, use it asap.  Because of stiff competition among group buying sites, you’ll never know how long the site will “survive”.  I’ve seen some group buying sites which became “extinct” when they were active just last year.

3)   Window-shop first.  Check other websites for similar offers.

4)   Read the fine prints and check the expiration date. Check also if there are hidden fees.

5)   Check the websites’ reviews or comments via their social network page like Facebook and Twitter. One red flag, as well, is that if they don’t have a Facebook or Twitter account.

6)   Before availing of a certain deal, call the establishment first to verify if they really have such an offer.

7)   Be wary of tour/travel packages.  I have read some bad reviews on travel agents' lousy service.

Do you like to share your experiences using these group buying sites? Or, do you know of any active group buying sites not listed above?  Please do leave your comments below.  Thanks.