I also just heard that Groupon, the coupon company, is going to go public and offer up shares of stock in the company. Groupon's deal is just that, they negotiate a daily deal with local businesses and they send out an email to everybody on their contact list and those people can buy the deal for real money. Then I guess they print off something that says "I paid money and got this piece of paper" they then take that to the business that brokered the deal with Groupon and get some rediculous discount on something.
Like a city guide to fucking Boise Idaho
Now, I don't see how Groupon needs to sell stock and become all high and mighty about the "service" they provide. I could do the same thing from my couch... without even the pretense of wearing pants, and you don't see me filing with the SEC.
But that's not the point.
My point is, how well do promotions work on you?
I'm fairly vulnerable to promotions. I'd cite my lack of impulse control, so really if they can just plant the seed in my mind, I'm likely to be hooked and go be a patron of their business.
But what's your story? Do you have Living social, groupon, and Yahoo! Deals' messages sent to your smartphone so you don't miss a minute of being marketed to? Or do you take more of a "I know what I want and I'll do it regardless of some promotion" attitude?
Let's do a little excercise here. Follow me:
Think of your veto items. Heliocentric = mushrooms (standard, magic ones are exempt from my veto), Watchdog = banannas, Lunchczar = 'light on the mayo', Hatertot = drinks without booze...
What kind of promotion would it take to have you willingly get involved in one of your veto items?
What kind of promotion are you having for lunch today?
Also as a note, I'd like to pint out that while we have recycled posting topics frequently in the past, this one speaks of our most recent renewal... since I think that there were no smartphones, groupons, or websites that acknowledged the existance of Baise ID back in the day. We're back baby.
10 comments:
I have this whole love/hate thing with Groupon and Living Social. I know that most bars/restaurants get raped on the deals. In the beginning lots of places who signed up didn't realize that (and all of the accompanying issues) but now, they've gotten wise to it, so you see this whole new crop of instant deals or other things that are more friendly to the resto/bar. That said, I don't buy coupons for places that I like/know the owners b/c I know they're not making as much money and I want places to do well.
When I look at my Living Social/Groupon buying history, it appears that mostly I buy services. Eye appts, maid service, yoga classes etc.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that I'm somewhat promotion resistant and unless you're paying me to drink those drinks without booze, I'm probably not getting involved.
I am basically invulnerable to food based promotions. Not because of any refined impulse control but because i'm supremely lazy. Take this donut day thing: woudl it really be worth the effort/time/gas to drive out to a dunkin donuts to get a free 90c worth of donut? nah.
Groupons havent been a factor in my restaurant choice for a similar reason. Maybe if there was a coupon for Kirker's, I'd participate. Now groupon for skydiving: count me in. and mau, and lachoi and mr. lachoi
I'm kinda into the Groupon thing, mostly to take advantage of places I frequent or are convenient to me. I've purchased at least 4 Tonic groupons, but I don't feel bad, because I drop mad bank in that place.
Generally, I shy away from "free" whatever day. Its not worth it to me to spend 30 minutes in line to get a $2 chic-fil-a sandwich, or a 50 cent donut. Time is money, i'll go get it when there isn't a promotion and exchange currency for what I want.
As for what would kind of promotion it would take to get me to eat a banana; it would have to come with an expense paid trip to Europe with Natalie Portman, or a lifetime supply of five guys so I could wash out the taste of the devil's evil yellow penis...
Hoo boy, Watchdog. I really hope you meant capitalized Five Guys. B/c, wow, that means something different.
I also have a love/hate relationship. I went on a shopping spree when I first signed up for Groupon, Living Social, etc. I actually just used a Living Social last night! On the last possible day for it! Now I need to schedule my house-cleaning, which expires in about 3 weeks. Ooh, better get on that.
At any rate, I put myself on a no-buying thing. Unless it's something I really really need. For example, a couple of days ago, there was a deal for $200 worth of framing for $60. As it happens, I received a lovely photograph for Christmas, and did not have the funds to go to Michael's, b/c you know you can't get out of there for less than $200, even with their 50% days. So I bought that & need to print it out so I can go use it. Also I have a couple of groupons to G-Street Fabrics burning a hole in my purse. Of course, I also have a large pile of fabric from the first couple of G-Street Fabric groupons I used.
Lunch today is the ultimate coupon: free! Ok, it wasn't free, it's just leftovers. Salmon I cooked the other night with some garlic (which turned out to be so much garlic, I could still taste it in the morning), and salad. And a ciabatta roll from Trader Joe's. Mmmmm.
I'm not a deal follower. I simply don't care.
I'm terribly careless with money. I think I can trace this to my childhood. I grew up the son of a corporate vice president and never had a job or chores. Now I didn't get what I wanted, and I was not spoiled, but I just think that my folks came from depression era households, so they were taught to be frugle. Then they hit the success train and their training and skills were not passed on to their children. I did not grow up with a sense of the value of money, and I still don't have one.
So To echo some of the things already mentioned, I ain't going to look through my fucking hotmail inbox for an email about saving an insignificant ammount of money... mostly because well... it's hotmail and my account is full of boner ads and wiener growing schemes and Nigerian prince emails.
My perfect example is that today I'll be paying $3.60 for a meal that costs $1.25.
It's spicy chicken sandwich day at the Middle School Cafe and teacher's meals are not subsidized by the government.
I'm with Helio on the not knowing (or much caring) about the value of money. Although lately, as things are a little leaner in that area in the HT household, I'm beginning to learn it - but like, I'm frugal in all the wrong ways. I'll take some ridiculous route to get from point a to point b so as to avoid tolls, but then I'll impulse buy a dog or something along the way, that's going to cost me way more in the long run.
To that end, I have no idea what lunch today is. Judging from the state of my fridge, it'll be pickles, spinach and asparagus, or whatever I can pilfer from the fridge at the client's office I'm headed to.
Oh my god, and I totally forgot to mention my two recent food epiphanies!
1) Went to G'town for a check-up yesterday (everything good, yay). Got there early, so I went over to the awesome dining hall for breakfast. I went down the line, not sure what I wanted, when I saw 'Fabulous French Toast'. I thought "Hm. That does look pretty fabulous," so I got 2 pieces. Went I got to my table, I cut off a piece & started eating it & wow, that was some gooooooood french toast. Fabulous, even. My next bite I happened to turn over & first thought "Huh, I got the heel. I usually hate that." Then I realized - this was no heel! This was freaking croissants cut in half & french toasted. Oh my god, it was fantabulous.
2) That old saw about how bacon makes everything better? I thought sushi was the exception. I was wrong.
I just had my lunching mind blown.
My clients host a lot of meetings and classes and lunch and learns at their offices, so there is always food around, waiting for me to eat it. I went upstairs thinking it would probably be sandwiches of some sort, and I was not wrong about that.
However... these were special. Because instead of bread, these are on...
ready?
WAFFLES
Yep, I just ate chicken salad between two waffles. It's been a long time since a food item made me say "whoa" (all Joey Lawrence in Blossom style) but it happened today.
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