I've worked with some businesses who heavily used Groupon. Groupon basically resorted to being a payday loan operator - but for businesses. They would give you

I've worked with some businesses who heavily used Groupon. Groupon basically resorted to being a payday loan operator - but for businesses. They would give you some cash up front, but you bit the curb on the backend. So I witnessed at least one business death spiral - constantly going back to Groupon because they needed the money so bad. Any "promotional value" you got out of being on Groupon has long since been gone. If anything, you suffer the "Groupon effect" - you get the worst, most entitled customer and you have to provide them service while losing money on them.