It’s time again for a, “Simple Saturday” post. On Saturday’s, we have decided to share something out of the norm. a simple and easy cooking, crafting or otherwise post of interest. Hopefully, you’ll find them entertaining and useful. You can find more of our Simple Saturday random postings here.
Are Deal Site Users Too Dang CHEAP?
Today I decided to editorialize a little. A friend of mine here in Utah, also happens to be a long time, popular, Utah restaurant owner. While chatting the other day we got into a conversation about deal sites and the vouchers they offered. This restaurateur friend of mine has promoted many times through these sites.
I mentioned that I had been reading on Yelp.com (a popular customer review website) a plethora of negative comments about various restaurants and how MANY of the negative reviewers start their review with “I had a Groupon (or other deal or coupon) for this place and decided to give it a try”. Then the reviewer will launch into a rant of negativity.
As my friend and I further discussed this, he did agree, saying that “Deal site users are often terrible customers! It is not uncommon for them to complain, under tip and try to mis-use their certificates”. I'm finding this trend sad and disturbing! Most of these businesses are local to our economy. They discount their product vastly in the hopes of getting future customers. Then, in addition to having to pay the deal site a share of the revenue, they watch as we, the consumers, berate them publicly for all the world to see. Say WHAT?!
When I use a deal voucher, I personally, take a much different approach. The first thing I do is to thank the manager or owner (if possible) for providing me with this great opportunity to try their services. Or, I will immediately let the waiter, cashier or other employee know that I have the deal voucher and then ask them to thank the owner/manager on my behalf. This small gesture of giving thanks, will set the tone for your entire dining, shopping or otherwise merchant transaction and makes the merchant proud and happy that they offered YOU this discount.
I'm sad to say, that many merchants I've spoken with, view deal user as classless and cheap. I recently had the marketing director of a popular Utah location, tell me they did not want coupon and deal users at their place of business, leaving their, and I quote, “McDonalds bags and Diapers all over their lawn”. OUCH! That hurt! Of coarse, one has nothing to do with the other. It was the stigma she attached to coupon users that bothered me most.
This holiday season, I hope you'll join me in saying thanks to the merchants you have received special savings from. Leave comments on their Facebook pages, tip a little extra, make a purchase without a coupon or simply smile and show graduate to our small local Utah businesses, for giving us, a discount on their products and services, that we might not have discovered otherwise. If you do go back to the business, let them know you found them through a deal site and, you are so glad you did.
It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference.
~Tom Brokaw
Teresa C says
December 13, 2013 at 6:32 pmI imagine the words cheap and thrifty do not have the same connotation.
Crystal says
December 7, 2013 at 11:25 pmI love this post, because I think it gives everyone a needed reminder to always be minded and courteous. I agree with it too. Then you have shows out there like extreme couponing and extreme cheapskates that are just disgusting. It gives us courteous and honest deal savers a bad name. What a great reminder and a wonderful time of year to place this right into action!
Camille says
December 8, 2013 at 4:23 pmOh, yes Crystal. I agree about those dumb shows. I saw a Utah girl on one, she lives all la-dee-da in a million dollar mansion and makes a fool of herself running around like shes homeless begging from the neighbors. I bet she never thinks to thank a merchant or give back to the community. Really pathetic and desperate! Those kind of people and shows do give us all a bad name.
Liz gardner says
December 7, 2013 at 1:06 pmSad. I always make sure to leave everywhere I go clean and be respectful. Not necessarily because I used a coupon but because I have young kids and I always hear negatives about children. I will now make an effort to also thank when using a coupon and will continue to always be courteous.
Sarah says
December 7, 2013 at 1:05 pmI find this post very interesting – mostly because I can see myself getting into that mindset of being “cheap-minded.” While trying to scour for deals online and hating to pay full price for anything (especially food!), I could easily become such a Scrooge and miser. So thank you for the reminder to give a little back as well and change my way of thinking. I certainly don’t want to be labeled among the “classless and the cheap.”