What are all these voucher-redeem only websites from Group Deals? [Archive]

View Full Version : What are all these voucher-redeem only websites from Group Deals?

shyhermit

Jan 3rd, 2012, 11:52 AM

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of so-called group deals on small-ticket items (like gadgets, gloves, etc.) that are selling vouchers which are only redeemable on shady looking websites. These sites all look like they are made from some default web templates, have no real contact merchant info, and have no real shopping cart except for some mechanisms to redeem the vouchers. In one case, I asked the group deal site to post info about the merchant; the site refused saying that the merchant did not give it permission to do so, and yet the site said it vouched for the legitimacy of the site (which I highly doubt). In another case, I found out that the site's domain name was only registered days before the deal went live, with which again I grew suspicious.

Is this a new trend is shady marketing? I don't recall seeing this even a couple of years ago. Are all of these sites owned by a few shady merchants that are registering multiple websites to resell cheap exports? Are the group deal sites in the cut with some of these merchants? Which group deal sites should I avoid that condone such practice?

gr8dlr

Jan 3rd, 2012, 12:10 PM

I think this is more a new way to sell stuff that a number of people already buy from... sites like Meritline, Dealxtreme, LEDshoppe, etc. With greater volume, the price points go even lower than single unit pricing. Just take a look at that Power Balance Bracelet deal.

These sites have always been around but not everyone is aware of them. If product is guaranteed, people will buy. BTW never had problems with sites like the ones noted above and you don't have to wait for a group deal to buy from them.

ronin1701

Jan 3rd, 2012, 01:12 PM

If you check their whois information, you'll notice that many of these websites were registered fairly recently, often just a few weeks prior the "deal" being run. I even found one once where the dealsite was providing the hosting services for the "vendor" :mad:

Often, they are only selling a single product, or a very limited number of products, which should be another warning sign.

Do a search in this forum for "XSV360", "fabulessproducts", "living merchants", "SMD Cargo" (or SMDcargo), are just a few off the top of my head.

zoro69

Jan 3rd, 2012, 02:35 PM

[QUOTE=shyhermit;1403803

Is this a new trend is shady marketing? I don't recall seeing this even a couple of years ago. Are all of these sites owned by a few shady merchants that are registering multiple websites to resell cheap exports? Are the group deal sites in the cut with some of these merchants? Which group deal sites should I avoid that condone such practice?[/QUOTE]

Yes, yes and yes.

im shocked so many even on rfd cant put their credit card in fast enough for these "deals" if you wouldn't buy directly from these sites (and no one would)...why buy from them through a deal site? Geez is so obvious the memory cards etc "deals' have to be scams or the product quality if the product does arrive with be garbage.

I posted links on one of the deal threads to a whole bunch of supposedly different companies with different products to show the were all the same place

Bookpreviews

Jan 3rd, 2012, 03:16 PM

Dealfind does this too- they have some deal right now "pick one of 4 items up to $80 value" or whatever.

and they are refusing the disclose the vendors.

really lame.

shyhermit

Jan 3rd, 2012, 07:26 PM

I concur with the previous poster about Dealfind. I dealt with this site previously, and it had previously refused my request to disclosure info about the vendor when I tried to order one of the deals from its offerings. In the end, I did not go through with it because the redeem site just looked too shady.

jason4253

Jan 5th, 2012, 07:35 AM

Yes, yes and yes.

im shocked so many even on rfd cant put their credit card in fast enough for these "deals" if you wouldn't buy directly from these sites (and no one would)...why buy from them through a deal site? Geez is so obvious the memory cards etc "deals' have to be scams or the product quality if the product does arrive with be garbage.

I posted links on one of the deal threads to a whole bunch of supposedly different companies with different products to show the were all the same place

Most of the examples I've seen of this seem to come from unbranded electronics...

My perspective on it, is that, if you're somebody that's going to buy an electronic device (from a brand you've never heard of) on a deal site, chances are; quality isn't the the top concern. To me this seems like the logical extension of selling Joe's Lawnmower Services or Sarah's spa -- which in my opinion is the problem with most of the deal sites today, they're focused on quantity of deals run instead of quality. And that's something that doesn't bode well for their long term health when you consider how easily a deal-site can be started.

By holding to strict minimum 50% discounts, and conceivably taking anywhere from a 20-50% cut, they shut out most merchants that people would actually want to buy from regardless. Take the past holiday season, I don't think I saw one legitimate big box retailer on a deal site that offered something like a 25% discount on gift card (limit 1 per person). That's a pretty substantial missed opportunity for the retailer to get people in the door, and for a deal site to raise their reputation.

Take something of $100 value. If it's some no-name spa or restaurant selling something at a 50% discount with 50% site cut, that's $25 for the deal-site. I'd have a tough time believing that a big box retailer selling it at a 25% discount with a 25% site cut ($18.75 for the deal site), that it wouldn't sell at least double what that spa did.

Cas77

Jan 5th, 2012, 11:27 AM

Another problem with these sites is that they likely keep no stock. Everything is ordered from China on an as-needed basis. We all know how orders from DE, Merit etc..are hit and miss when it comes to shipping. Just look at the Uber Casa fiasco where people have been waiting 4 months for their product, or the knockoff memory cards people waited a month for...

There is absolutely no cost (other than a $10 domain) or risk in what they're doing and they don't offer anything that you wouldn't be able to get yourself for cheaper. I guess people are too lazy to look for deals or don't work hard enough to make their money.

ronin1701

Jan 5th, 2012, 11:56 AM

I guess people are too lazy to look for deals or don't work hard enough to make their money.

Or the scammers have perfected the art of pricing their deals at a level low enough to override common sense.

hmm

Jan 5th, 2012, 12:00 PM

99% of the electronics deals that are offered on these sites can be found on Ebay, or Alibaba directly from the source (IE. China) for 1/10 of the price.

When you buy from the deal sites you go through 2 extra layers (deal site, and scam website) instead of buying directly from the source.

No remorse from me for people who buy this junk for 500% more than they should be paying.

hmm

Jan 5th, 2012, 12:07 PM

For example:

Todays featured 'deal' on dealticker is a mug: Regular Price according to them is: $43. They are offering a 58% discount, for a total of $18.

http://www.dealticker.com/product.php/product_id/17815

On Ebay its on sale for $14 with free shipping. Note: you could probably find it much cheaper on alibaba, etc..

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Canon-Camera-lens-cup-mug-24-105mm-f-4L-USM-Stainless-steel-Lining-DC58-/200672594338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item2eb904c9a2#ht_10621wt_952

Pathetic.

ronin1701

Jan 5th, 2012, 12:17 PM

Bookpreviews

Jan 6th, 2012, 04:55 AM

Not to mention the fact that the eBay mug is steel-lined, whereas the one offered on DealTicker is stated to be "microwave safe" :lol: (so obviously not steel lined).

When will Dollar- lala have these mugs?
If they are just all plastic I can expect them to show up soon for $2 or $3??