Signing Up for Groupon
Go to the Groupon.com site. You can search for a topic you’re interested in by using the search bar at the top of the screen. You can also narrow the search by your geographic area in the search bar. However, create a free account to purchase vouchers. To create an account, click “sign up” in the right corner of the screen. You can sign up with your Facebook account login and password or just by typing your information into the screen. You will need to provide your full name, email, and create a password. Once in the Groupon.com site, to purchase a voucher, you will need to add your credit card information.
Sign in after you've created an account. If you already created an account, when you go to the Groupon page, click “sign in” and type in your email and password. Once you are in the site, you can get to your account settings by clicking on your name in the top right corner of the screen. Once you sign up with an active email address, Groupon will routinely email you offers in your area, such as spa coupons, salon specials, restaurant offers, various store offers, trips, and so on. The site uses your zip code to aggregate deals that are in your area.
Finding a Deal
Search for a deal on the site. To locate a deal, you can put a keyword in the search bar at the top of the screen. Or you could click on the categories of deals that appear on the left side. Some categories for deals include food and drink, things to do, beauty and spas, health and fitness, and automotive. Groupon also sells travel packages. Access those by clicking on “getaways” at the top of the screen. The site also has clearance and other goods for sale, also accessible by clicking at the top of the toolbar. Watch for promo codes that Groupon periodically offers. Sometimes, the site will send these to your email. At other times, you will see a promo code when you log in.
Consider checking with the business. It can be a good idea to check with the restaurant or other business to doublecheck that the Groupon voucher is still being accepted there or whether there's a backlog of reservations. Better safe than sorry. However, Groupon does say it refunds the cost of vouchers a business refuses to redeem if you ask. You could also check with other online deal sites and with the business directly to make sure you're really getting a good deal. Remember that Groupons can only be redeemed for the product or service, not for cash. You also might want to search the site carefully to compare competitor deals. That way you can get the deal that's cheapest and/or closest to your hometown.
Purchase your deal. Once you find the deal that you want, click on it. You will often see different options listed on the side of the page. For example, sometimes a deal for a beauty treatment will offer one treatment at a certain price, and two treatments at another price. Select which deal you want by clicking on the circle next to the desired option. Read the fine print on the deal before you purchase it! If you still want it, click the green “BUY!” button on the right of the page. Deals are usually only available for a few days. There is a clock under the buy button that tells you how long you have left to get the deal. After you click buy, a page will appear that lets you check over the deal one more time. This is where you enter any promotion or gift code. Choose the credit card you want to use (already in the system). Click on the green “COMPLETE ORDER” button at the bottom of the page. Your voucher will be purchased.
Using the Groupon Voucher
Print the voucher if you want to use it right away. You can either print the voucher right away or it will be saved by the site in your deals section. Groupon also usually emails you the voucher, and you can print it directly from your email too. All you need to do is present the voucher to the business in question when you go in. Call first if you need to set up an appointment (for, say, a beauty service or restaurant dining).
Download the voucher app. If you’d rather show your voucher using a smart phone instead of printing it, Groupon has a way you can do that too. Simply download Groupon’s mobile app through the Groupon page. The page asks you to enter a 10-digit U.S. mobile number. Once you do so, the site sends you a download link to your phone for the app. After you install the app and buy a Groupon, go to the menu in the app corner. You will see three dots or a “G.” Select My Groupons. Choose the Groupon in question and then scroll down to see the instructions for using it. When you want to use the Groupon with the business, click the button to download it or show your voucher.
Check the status of vouchers that you’ve purchased. Sometimes you buy a voucher but don’t use it for a while. Make sure that you don’t miss the expiration date; Groupon vouchers have them. To see your already purchased vouchers, click on your name at the top right screen and then “My Groupons.” The purchased vouchers should appear. To print the voucher, click on “print gift card or voucher” at the right of the specific deal. It will show up under “Deals” when you click on “My Groupons.” The full voucher should appear on your screen, complete with the fine print and the barcode. Simply hit print, and print the voucher. Each voucher will contain a redemption code. Some businesses may accept this redemption code in person even if you don’t have the printed voucher. However, it’s a good idea to bring the printed voucher because some businesses will require it.
Read the fine print on your voucher. This is really important. For example, a voucher may have an expiration date. Some vouchers require online reservations and others don’t. The fine print on a voucher will generally tell you how and where the voucher is redeemable and will reiterate the specifics of the deal. For some vouchers, especially activities, there will be other rules listed in the fine print. Whatever you purchased, take the time to read it. Gift cards are redeemed the same way. If your voucher has expired, never fear. You can still usually apply the voucher toward the regular (but not discounted) cost of the goods or services.
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