Groupon Bait and Switch?

by **Bucky** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 8:29 am

Groupon Japan seems to have run into some unfortunate PR with an Osechi Ryori coupon offer.

It seems the 21,000 yen Osechi set for 10,500 yen (50% off) did not quite live up to the image show on the Groupon website.

Link is in Japanese.

by **omae mona** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:19 am

I have to question the judgment of people ordering something as important as an osechi set from a place called "Bird Cafe" in Yokohama, for half price. Osechi is nasty enough to begin with, but I guess doubly so when you get something looking like somebody's leftovers (a day late, so it is entirely feasible).

Anyway, looks like Groupon is doing the right thing (press release, Japanese only). They are refunding the full 10,500 yen amount and also giving a 5,000 yen gift. Customers can choose from chocolate, ice cream, flowers, or a 5,000 yen groupon gift card.

by **Doctor Stop** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 2:18 pm

by **Coligny** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:01 pm

omae mona wrote:I have to question the judgment of people ordering something as important as an osechi set from a place

You've been too long in japan when (...)

by **IkemenTommy** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:09 pm

That surely looks like the osechi vomit.

If anyone tried to bargain for the new years, well.. they got what they paid for and deserved it..

by **Midwinter** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:16 pm

Call me the crazy paranoid one, but surely this can't be serious. If anything to me it smacks of some Japanese company scheming to discredit Groupon so they can launch a similar, more local inititive. What better way to scare the Japanese off Groupon based offers than fucking with their sacred, osechi traditions? M'eh, just a thought...

by **omae mona** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 7:00 am

Coligny wrote:You've been too long in japan when (...)

Wait, I thought "osechi" was just the traditional kanji word for "deriheru"!

by **TennoChinko** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:50 am

omae mona wrote:Wait, I thought "osechi" was just the traditional kanji word for "deriheru"!

Are you talking about this bait & switch disaster?

by **Christoff** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:28 am

I personally despise osechi...

by **IkemenTommy** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:26 pm

TennoChinko wrote:Are you talking about this bait & switch disaster?

Few extra beers could do that for some people.

by **Yokohammer** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 6:26 am

IkemenTommy wrote:Few extra beers could do that for some people.

If there was ever a truly convincing reason to quit drinking, that'd be it. :puke:

by **Catoneinutica** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 10:55 am

Midwinter wrote:Call me the crazy paranoid one, but surely this can't be serious. If anything to me it smacks of some Japanese company scheming to discredit Groupon so they can launch a similar, more local inititive. What better way to scare the Japanese off Groupon based offers than fucking with their sacred, osechi traditions? M'eh, just a thought...

I showed the top post to my wife, who chuckled and said, "Groupon is an American company," whereupon I immediately thought of Midwinter's post. I wouldn't call you crazy at all: it's not outside the realm of possibility.

by **Mulboyne** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:12 am

Catoneinutica wrote:I showed the top post to my wife, who chuckled and said, "Groupon is an American company,".

It's come to light that two indisputably Japanese companies, Rakuten and Gurunavi, both failed to deliver around 1,000 online orders for osechi in time for New Year.

Mind you, I suspect much of the fuss stirred up by Groupon derived from the fact that Japan's netizens had a lot of spare time on their hands over the holidays.

by **Coligny** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:53 am

Mulboyne wrote:Mind you, I suspect much of the fuss stirred up by Groupon derived from the fact that Japan's netizens had a lot of spare time on their hands over the holidays.

who didun't ?...

by **Mulboyne** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 1:47 am

Kanagawa Prefecture and the Ministry of Agriculture are now investigating to see if any regulations relating to food hygiene, packing and labelling were breached.

Source (Japanese)

by **Fullback** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 7:00 am

I believe the market and media punish companies far more than bureaucrats.

by **Mulboyne** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 10:36 am

Fullback wrote:I believe the market and media punish companies far more than bureaucrats.

The punishment bureaucrats handed out to NOVA finished off the company so I wouldn't say they are always ineffectual.

by **Catoneinutica** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:06 am

Midwinter wrote:Call me the crazy paranoid one, but surely this can't be serious. If anything to me it smacks of some Japanese company scheming to discredit Groupon so they can launch a similar, more local inititive. What better way to scare the Japanese off Groupon based offers than fucking with their sacred, osechi traditions? M'eh, just a thought...

The name of the seller certainly invites speculation: "Food Culture Research Institute."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9KJI6DO4&show_article=1

Or it's just another lame Japanese attempt at a pretentious-sounding English name...

by **Mulboyne** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 4:58 pm

The Consumer Agency has now also started an investigation. The restaurant in question has remained closed so far this year.

by **Cyka UchuuJin** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 6:42 pm

is it just me or does the word 'groupon' conjure up all kinds of images of wrong?

by **Coligny** » Sat Jan 08, 2011 11:45 pm

Cyka UchuuJin wrote:is it just me or does the word 'groupon' conjure up all kinds of images of wrong?

Just you...

Sorry...

And this is coming from 1 of the most perverted mind... at least in my street...

(maybe also because 'groupons' means 'we regroup' so I picture more a bunch of tourist posing in front of a landmark)

by **Mike Oxlong** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 12:22 am

Groupoff would fit the pattern better...

by **Mulboyne** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:25 am

The anime version:

[YThq]ecWkZVx3uAk[/YThq]

by **FG Lurker** » Sun Jan 09, 2011 1:04 pm

Mulboyne wrote:The anime version:

[YThq]ecWkZVx3uAk[/YThq]

I lol'd at that guy's user name. Doing his best to keep Japan "pure" I guess!

by **Mulboyne** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:24 am

In a telephone interview, the boss says it was the first time they tried preparing osechi for sale. He says the blame lies with him.

[YT]-kz5WhxVAZU[/YT]

by **SuieiPrincess** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 8:31 am

Mulboyne wrote:In a telephone interview, the boss says it was the first time they tried preparing osechi for sale. He says the blame lies with him.

[YT]-kz5WhxVAZU[/YT]

Looks horrible....

by **Samurai_Jerk** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:50 am

FG Lurker wrote:I lol'd at that guy's user name. Doing his best to keep Japan "pure" I guess!

At first I thought he was trying to curse Koreans with a painful joint disease. Then I notice the extra "o".

by **BigInJapan** » Tue Jan 18, 2011 10:25 am

by **IkemenTommy** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 10:59 am

I know it's old news but since I didn't see it posted anywhere on here... Groupon is criticized for airing this ad during the Super Bowl
[yt]UJxIfvfv1fM[/yt]

by **Greji** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 3:30 pm

IkemenTommy wrote:Few extra beers could do that for some people.

"Burp"

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