Groupon Marketing Gimmicks

It's pretty interesting to see all of the Marketing 101 gimmicks that are pulled by a typical Groupon.  The above item is a classic example:

1. Herd Mentality - "Over 640 Bought" - Everyone wants to do what the group is doing
2. Bait and Switch - "From $19" - When you click the arrow, you get to see what the real price will be
3. Anchoring - "Value $64.95" - Does I really typically pay $65 for an oil change?
4. False Savings - "Discount 71%" - What you are saving is irrelevant.  The important result is that you end up spending about the same as what one would typically spend on an oil change.
5. "Limited Time, Act Now" - All of these deals either imply or actually have a limited time to make a snap decision
6. "Limited Quantity" - Yep, nothing like combining the Limited Time and Limited Quantity pitch in the same offer

I admit, I've actually bought crappy items or services from Groupon where I really thought I was getting a huge savings, but then found out later I was paying a pretty typical price for what turned out to be inferior items or services.

Maybe people realizing this would be why Groupon stock has lost over half its value since its debut.