Do you think the true group buy is dead??

Lsyswong on 14/08/2011 - 08:18

I don’t know about others but I only hunt for the following three types of group buys:

  1. Meal deal that can eat in or take away for less than $7 per head in CBD
  2. Eat in good dining deal in a restaurant for under $30 for two, and
  3. $29 traditional Thai or Chinese massage.

I remember the last of such deal was the Pepper Lunch deal in Haymarket. That was almost a month ago.

There was at least one of these deal every week a few months ago but lately all the deal seem to be the “normal” bargain (i.e. $49 meal, $20 pizza, $49 massage….and some of them are miles away in middle of nowhere). In my opinion these “normal” group buy is not so much of bargain as they usually bundle up with some worthless extra and price the total package so high then say you save 60%.

Massage is the typical one; I am only after the hard traditional massage and you can throw in all the extra you want but it does not benefit me, and for me to pay a coupon to get 1 hour massage for $49 is not necessary cheap. I can easily get on in many place for $45 with a health fund rebate which bring it down to $30.

I can heard business owner reading the above and call me stingy. After all, the price range I quoted was best at cost if not losing money for the business. However business owner should realise it is bad economy times and they should give us the absolute bargain or we will just not buy. Sorry to say Group buy in these economy times is not a tool for promotion but a survival kit for business.

Mod — Moved to Group Buy Discussion forum.

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  • Mikinoz on 14/08/2011 - 08:26

    By what you say its alive and well, just customised to your liking. Personally i have never bought one.

  • punk on 14/08/2011 - 10:37
    +4

    go get yourself an entertainment book. these group buys are a waste of time and you always hear about bad experiences. not once have i had a problem with the entertainment book.

    • Doey21 on 14/08/2011 - 16:34
      +1

      I agree, Its because the entertainment book lists restaurants that are already established and successful. I think the only good coupon I got was for Alio, which was $30 bucks for the second person getting degustation. I've read nightmare reviews for the rest…

  • me on 14/08/2011 - 10:40

    Agree with you to some extent with the above.

    Sometimes the inclusions are suited to people likings, and worthwhile for them.

    The ones that annoy me is where they say "and you'll get $100 worth of vouchers to use on other visits"…and you just know they're going to be "only for items that cost $300 or more" or something ridiculous like that.

  • finance on 14/08/2011 - 15:00

    very similar to what i buy also. dont see the $7 meals much. but usual go with 2 or 3 course with wine for about $20 per person. Only ever gotten one $30 massage which was very good. There hasn't been much in Melbourne either. A lot of holiday stuff lately.

    I dont think it's a 'survivor kit' as such, it's more like a advertising expense. I know an Indian place which has vouchers on all the time and you can book online and the service is good, no 2nd class bs. If you look at the amount of food offered I think they still make money, just not as much. This way if also fills the restrained which may attract other people who walks by.
    also ppl who are happy would review them well online.

    From what i heard from some business they dont get the money until the deal expires, which is probably why these days the expiry is getting shorter and shorter.

    I guess the bottom line is, unless it's a good deal I won't be buying it.

  • samfisher5986 on 14/08/2011 - 17:27

    The problem IMO is that a lot of the food group buys seem to simply be because they are heading towards bankruptcy.
    Most of the deals I see I just avoid because it doesn't look like the food is worth the RRP they claim.

    Most deals in general seem to be like this, they put some things together to make it look really good value when its really not.

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