3 ms·
The problem is that we're not dealing with completely rational, all-knowing merchants here. We're dealing with real life, and people have other things on their
by TheSOB88 16y ago
The problem is that we're not dealing with completely rational, all-knowing merchants here. We're dealing with real life, and people have other things on their minds, like the pressures of running a business.
If Groupon can't explain itself and how it differs from established marketing, the kind the merchants are used to, then it will fail. It has to provide value to real merchants. That certainly includes educating them about what is going on with their service, especially concerning the risks.
- joe_the_user 16y agoIt all turns on whether Groupon sells at commodity level or at a service level. If Groupon is selling group-discounts as commodity, then that it. It's your job to figure out how to use them. Google sells click-throughs and Home Depot sells cement. They might each be perfectly good but if you don't use them right, they won't do you any good. If Groupon is like personal trainer and provides ongoing value, then does need to assure that its buyers achieve success. Both business model-types can make money. Neither is going away. I don't know enough about Groupon to say which type they are.
- ericd 16y agoGood point. Commodity business require sophisticated users - brick and mortar businesses are not sophisticated users of online marketing, so Groupon needs to be doing a better job at the service level.