The Ultimate Groupon Review: Everything You Need to Know to Save Money (with Hacks!)

Let’s start with some basics.

Getting your Groupon on

Groupon is so much more than a coupon hub.

It is an online marketplace where people discover deals on things to do, see, eat and buy.

Perks of shopping via the website and companion app include:

• Local deals for businesses in your neighborhood
• Groupon Getaways close to home or in another country
• GrouponLive Event deals on concerts and other live events
• Groupon Goods sold and shipped by Groupon
• Groupon+ cash back at participating restaurants
• BeautyNow beauty and wellness appointments

All that and you join for free. There are never membership fees.

Where to get it:

• Official website: www.groupon.com
• Groupon app for iOS
• Groupon app for Android

Finding deals near and far

Be sure to let the money-saving site know what kind of deals you are interested in by completing your profile after you sign up.

Select Deals Preferences from dropdown down menu that pops up when you hover over your name in the top-right corner of the page.

Enter your home location, so you can receive notifications about deals nearby.

You can opt to get alerts on deals for women, men or both.

Groupon will also email you deals it thinks you will love based on your profile.

The Search Bar

The Groupon search bar can help you browse all the deals the site has to offer.

You can search for savings by:

• Business name
• City
• Neighborhood
• Zip code
• Categories

Once you get your search results, you can narrow them down by applying search filters.

The Deal Page

The deal page gives you all the information you’ll need to know before deciding to make a purchase.

It is organized into sections:

• Deal Snapshot is at the top of the page and gives you an overview of the offer.
• What You’ll Get or Product Details section contains links and specific details.
• The Fine Print will let you know of any terms or conditions, like when the voucher expires.
• About the Merchant section describes the most relevant features of the business.
• The Map helps you find exactly where the business is located.
• Customer Reviews can help you decide to smash or pass.

Using your Groupon

Instructions for how to redeem your Groupon will be under My Groupons on your account.

Click View Details on the deal you want to use.

Look under How to Use for the specific directions.

Specifics vary by deal.

Local deals usually require you to print a voucher or pull it up on the mobile app.

Groupon Getaways

We could all use a nice vacation. But, who can afford that?

Groupon Getaways can help you save money on trips close to home or across the globe.

Select Getaways at the top of the page and narrow your search by:

• Travel dates
• Destinations
• Regions
• Interests

You will discover a ton of tour packages offered at discounted rates and deals on hotel reservations.

Before purchasing a travel deal, be sure to explore all the terms, conditions and inclusions:

• What You Get – All the awesomeness included in your purchase
• The Fine Print – Important stuff like additional fees and cancellation policies
• Policies – Check-in times and details on parking
• Getting There – Nearest airports and major cities

Groupon Getaway Tours

When you know you’re ready for an adventure, check out Groupon Getaway Tours.

You can travel your home country or take an international trip all on a budget.

Groupon offers different types of tours:

• Structured Tours – Sit back and relax while the tour operator handles it all, including flights, transportation, hotels, daily activities and sometimes even meals.
• Free-Form Vacations – Operators take care of the flights and hotels, you’re free to choose your own adventure from there.
• Cruises – Hop on a luxury cruise to far-away places and enjoy onboard fun and off-ship trips.
• All-Inclusive Resorts – This easy option includes food and relaxation. Pick a resort and stay there or head out and explore the vicinity.

Traveling as a group?

If so, be sure to have the details for all your fellow travelers when you contact the operator, so your reservations can be booked together.

Hotel Reservations

There are two ways to book hotels at great rates.

If you see a calendar, your reservation will not have a voucher.

If there is no calendar associated with the deal, a voucher is required.

If you see a calendar

You can purchase a hotel deal that features a calendar in the following four steps:

1. Select the room type.
2. Select your check-in and check-out dates.
3. Apply any promo or gift codes.
4. Click Confirm Purchase.

Groupon will send you a notification that your order was successful and a confirmation email.

You can also refer back to the details in My Groupons when logged into your account.

If you don’t see a calendar

No calendar associated with the hotel of your choice? No problem.

Just follow these five easy steps, and you’ll be on your way to a great stay:

1. Purchase your voucher, and it will be available in your account under My Groupons.
2. Select View Voucher to access your Groupon and find all of the details under How to Use.
3. Contact the merchant before the book by date. Don’t forget to mention your Groupon Getaways voucher.
4. Book a date within the travel window specified in the Fine Print & Details section.
5. Provide your credit card info, when necessary, to secure your reservation. Your card will not be charged.

Using GrouponLive Event Tickets

There are two types of GrouponLive event deals – G-passes and GrouponLive vouchers.

Details vary for each deal.

Be sure to check the How to Use section of your voucher for information on claiming your deal.

G-Passes

G-Passes are used to enter the venue.

Purchased passes can be viewed under My Groupons.

You can either print the pass or display it on the mobile app.

Your G-Pass will include your name, seating info and other details.

GrouponLive Vouchers

You must print the GrouponLive Vouchers and present them at the venue’s box office with a photo ID that matches the name on the voucher.

Once you’ve purchased a voucher, look under My Groupons and find the deal for the event.

Select the View Voucher button to retrieve and print your voucher.

The How to Use section will explain exactly how to get your tickets.

G has the Goods

Do you love trying new products and saving money at the same time?

If so, you’ll love Groupon Goods.

From high-tech electronics to health and beauty products, there are a ton of deals to explore.

Getting the Goods

Select Goods at the top of the homepage or on the mobile app.

From here you can see the featured deals.

You can narrow the deals by using the following filters:

• Price range
• Category
• Shipping options
• Customer ratings
• Types of Groupon Goods Deals

There are hundreds of thousands of items for sale.

Categories include:

• Auto & Home Improvement
• Baby, Kids & Toys
• Electronics
• Entertainment
• For the Home
• Grocery & Household
• Health & Beauty
• Jewelry & Watches
• Men’s Fashion
• Pet Supplies
• Sports & Outdoors
• Personalized Items
• Women’s Fashion

Make sure you read the terms of each purchase, so you know exactly what you are getting.

There are three kinds of Groupon Goods Deals:

• Direct Shipped – Your item is automatically shipped within the time frame listed.
• Voucher Deals – You need to follow the instructions to redeem the purchased deal and place your order directly through the business website.
• Marketplace – These are discounted items sold and shipped through third-party vendors.

You can add different types of goods to your shopping cart and check out all at once.

Spend at least $35 to get free shipping.

Building Your Wishlist

Not ready to purchase yet?

You can move an item from your shopping cart to your Wishlist and save it for later.

Items can also be added to your Wishlist whenever you see a heart image or the Move to Wishlist option.

Groupon will notify you when any of the deals on your Wishlist are ending soon.

Returning a Flop

Not happy with your purchase?

It can be returned for a refund within 30 days after delivery, unless it was listed as a Final Sale in the Fine Print.

To return an item, you print a prepaid return shipping label from your account and send it back.

Groupon will refund your account once the item is received and processed.

Clipping Coupons and Earning Cash Back

Using Groupon coupons not only saves you money at your favorite stores but can also earn you cash back.

Visit the Coupon tab on the homepage to explore coupon and promotional codes for hundreds of online stores.

You can use the Search Coupons bar to look for a specific item or browse coupons by store or category.

Just copy the coupon code you want and use it when you check out on the store’s site.

Some coupons also feature a percentage of cash back in the form of Groupon Bucks – credits that are automatically applied toward purchases made on Groupon.com or the mobile app.

These coupons will have a green Groupon Bucks line of text that will feature the cash back percentage amount.

Earning Even More Cash Back with Groupon+

You can also earn cash back at local restaurants if you enroll in Groupon+.

This service is free and can earn you up to 30% cash back!

There’s nothing to print out or bring in.

Start by browsing the food and drink deals or searching for restaurants nearby.

Groupon+ deals will feature a blue icon and list the percentage of cash back you can earn.

Simply, claim the deal and then pay with your linked credit card at the restaurant.

Your cash back will automatically be applied to your credit card statement.

Using the BeautyNow Booking Platform

The price we pay for beauty!

Well, now you can pay less.

You can make an appointment for any beauty service with the BeautyNow platform.

You can easily find the right time, price and place.

Just find the service you want using the Groupon search bar, set a gratuity amount and request an appointment.

After your appointment, Groupon charges your chosen payment method.

All you have to do is show up and be pampered.

No vouchers required!

Obtaining Credit for Big Purchases

Need help paying for a big-ticket item?

Try Affirm.

Select deals will feature the option to pay with Affirm at checkout.

You can apply for a small loan and make monthly payments on featured items that cost more than $250.

Affirm offers 3, 6 or 12 month financing.

The annual percentage rate (APR) ranges from 10% to 30%.

It only takes 15 seconds for Affirm to approve or deny your loan.

Some items may require a down payment.

Paying Affirm Loans

Loans are paid online.

Auto-payment is an option but not required.

Your first payment is due one calendar month from the date the loan was issued.

Each payment is due on the same day of the month throughout the loan.

There’s no penalty for paying Affirm loans off early.

Save money by paying it off before the final due date.

You will only pay interest for the period that the money was borrowed.

Groupon Hacks to Save Even More

There are so many ways to save with this site.

Here are five tips and tricks that will have you using Groupon like a boss:

1. Refer a Friend

Earn $10 in Groupon Bucks by getting a friend to sign up via your unique link.

The friend must make their first purchase costing $10 or more within 72 hours of signing up.

You can earn up to $100 by referring 10 friends.

Try inviting friends individually and sharing a specific deal you think they would like with your customized sign-up link.

Be sure your friends sign up via your link before they make their purchase.

Groupon Bucks will appear in your account within 10 days after your friend’s purchase.

2. Facebook-Only Deals

Like Groupon on Facebook to start seeing ads for awesome deals.

Just find the advertised deal on your Facebook feed and click the Shop Now button.

Please note:

• You must be logged in to Groupon before clicking Shop Now.
• Make sure to select the Shop Now button. Do not click the picture or link.
• You can only see these deals in your Facebook feed, not on Groupon’s Facebook page.

3. Deals of the Day

Just like Amazon’s Deal of the Day, Groupon also has a Deals of the Day section.

These sale items are updated every 24 hours at midnight.

The name-brand deals let you save big on almost everything from pet beds and furniture to crafting supplies and household items.

Check back every day to discover new savings.

4. Check for Extra Charges

Don’t have buyer’s remorse!

Instead, consider all the hidden fees of your purchase or trip, like shipping costs and gas prices, before you buy.

Shipping Fees

Orders under $35 usually ship for $3.99.

Orders that cost $35 or more qualify for free shipping in the U.S.

You can combine several lower-priced items in one order to get free shipping.

Oversized items that weigh more than 150 lbs will cost extra to ship.

Travel Extras

Before sealing the deal on that amazing vacation, make sure you have enough money to properly enjoy it.

Consider all the things covered in the deal and all the things that are not.

Will you need extra money for food or transportation?

Do you want to shop for souvenirs?

Not having enough cash on hand can turn a sweet vacation sour.

Be sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew.

5. Read the Fine Print

This cannot be stressed enough – Read the fine print!

Doing so will let you know exactly what you are getting into and save you from some serious disappointment.

Every Groupon deal has restrictions you need to know about before making your purchase.

Each category of deal has different kinds of information that typically appears in the Fine Print:

• Local Deals – Some deals are only open to new clients, only valid at certain locations and only allow you to repurchase the deal a limited number of times.
• Groupon Goods Deals – The shipping and return policies plus any warranty information will be featured.
• GrouponLive Deals – The deal’s refund policy and information on how to sit with friends will be disclosed.
• Groupon Getaways Deals – Most deals have purchase or travel restrictions, non-refundable/additional fees, booking and expiration dates, check-in times and cancellation policies.

Current Deals & Savings

The variety of deals on Groupon is truly mind-blowing.

Right now, you can save 56% on LASIK corrective eye surgery, 94% on a UV or spray tan, 89% on laser hair removal, 59% off a massage, 77% off jewelry or 40% off breakfast at IHOP.

There are several brands of headphones on sale, too. Some are more than 80% off.

The site is currently featuring the following coupons and sales:

• 50% off everything at Express.com plus 4% cash back
• 20% off at Macys.com
• 60% off at AmericanEagle.com
• 70% off at Lakeside.com
• 25% off at Mymms.com plus 4% cash back
• Many more!

Ready for that much-deserved trip?

Explore Niagara Falls and stay at the Wyndham Garden for $79 a night.

Or, get 79% off your stay at an all-inclusive Dominican resort and only pay $99 a night.

Wow! There are too many discounted destinations to list!

Many feature booking dates up to the end of the year.

Check out the customer ratings and feedback before you decide to take advantage of any deal.

What Users are Saying

You can find tons of Groupon reviews on Better Business Bureau (it gets an A+ rating from the BBB), Reddit and other sites.

Many users like the minimal packaging and clearly stated delivery dates.

Others are praising Groupon’s easy return policy.

Travelers are thanking the site for once-in-a-lifetime trips they wouldn’t have been able to afford otherwise.

Many of those complaining about the site’s products and deals would have saved themselves some trouble by reading The Fine Print.

Most of them are not satisfied with the business but chose to take it out on Groupon.

If you read the reviews on products and deals, you can shop wisely and avoid bad experiences.

Groupon is connecting you with deals. It is up to the businesses to deliver.

Your Turn

What’s your favorite Groupon feature?

Have you ever used the site or app to score an awesome deal?

If so, how would you review Groupon?