Hi guys, Andrew here (author of the medium post). Thanks for the feedback. I'm just going to try to summarize the questions/criticisms that have been raised in the comments - it seems like they're all mostly hitting on the same few things. I think it would be great for Groupon to answer them.
Here it goes:
* Groupon attracts bargain hunters that never come back. It can't be compared to other forms of advertising because the customer you get as a result of a Groupon is less valuable than customers you get from other forms of advertising.
* Groupon cannibalizes sales from customers that would have otherwise paid full price.
* In summary, why should I believe that Groupon is a good form of advertising for small businesses when compared to the other options?
* Whatever the answer, why should I take the word of this corporation over the many small business owners who have reported poor experiences?
Here it goes:
* Groupon attracts bargain hunters that never come back. It can't be compared to other forms of advertising because the customer you get as a result of a Groupon is less valuable than customers you get from other forms of advertising.
* Groupon cannibalizes sales from customers that would have otherwise paid full price.
* In summary, why should I believe that Groupon is a good form of advertising for small businesses when compared to the other options?
* Whatever the answer, why should I take the word of this corporation over the many small business owners who have reported poor experiences?
Let me know if I missed anything and I'll add it.
Andrew