Frequently Asked Questions About Working with Groupon

General Information

What is Groupon Merchant?

Groupon is the online marketplace where shoppers seek one-of-a-kind experiences and local services. While Groupon's consumer team attracts customers and works to serve them the best user experience, Groupon Merchant serves the business owners who advertise on our platform. We assist you with building and managing your Groupon marketing campaign, promote your offers to Groupon customers interested in your services, and provide you with tools and support to maximize your campaign's effectiveness. See How Groupon Works to learn more.

How do I become a Groupon Merchant?

First, simply fill out our Groupon Merchant intake form so we can get to know your business. Once your submission is processed, you'll be directed to create an account for our Merchant Center portal, where you can access tools to build and edit campaigns, review performance, and more.

How does the Groupon business model work?

Groupon is a marketplace where merchants promote their businesses to diverse local audiences on a "pay-for-performance" basis. After you join our platform, we help you craft an attractive offer for the products or services you want listed. But unlike traditional marketing platforms which make you pay upfront to host your ad, Groupon covers all the initial costs to set up and promote your deal. You don't pay a thing until after a customer redeems their voucher, and our marketing fee is then deducted from your payout for that transaction. So instead of paying upfront for marketing which may or may generate sales, you only pay for results after we've successfully marketed your deal and sent customers your way!

How does Groupon work as part of a marketing strategy to promote my business?

A Groupon campaign can support the rest of your marketing efforts to help you meet a variety of business goals, from researching customer demographics to reactivating lapsed customers.

Your deal page links to your website and social media, serving as a source of brand exposure. Responding to Groupon reviews provides you with positive testimonials to share and improves your reputation. Training staff to upsell or offer in-house discounts to Groupon customers can boost revenue and convert new customers into regulars. The Merchant Center portal lets you review data on campaign performance and customer demographics to inform and fine-tune your marketing strategy.

What are the benefits of working with Groupon?

Proven Performance

With more than 1.5 billion units sold through our platform, we know how to set you up for success.

Quality Customers

Groupon customers are eager for new experiences, but loyal to places they fall in love with. They return often and frequently recommend favorite spots to friends.

New Ways to Grow

Your Groupon page connects you with customers and helps you drive revenue, and online booking makes it easy to manage demand.

How does Groupon promote my business?

Groupon Website

Your Groupon deal page unlocks access to millions of users as they shop. It also links your business’s website or social media, so customers can learn more about you even after your campaign.

Mobile Application

Groupon’s mobile app has over 200 million downloads and counting. That means customers can seek out and access your deals almost immediately.

National Media Outlets

Groupon drives business to your campaign by investing in online video, social advertising, search engine marketing (SEM), organic search (SEO), email marketing, and other online advertising, as well as national campaigns in traditional media outlets.

Find out more about becoming a Groupon Merchant

How much does it cost to advertise with Groupon?

Groupon does not charge any upfront costs for creating and running a campaign on our site. We operate a “pay-as-you-go” model, meaning you only pay for the results, not for the listing. While there is no fee to join Groupon, we charge a commission rate on all sales, which varies. The margin depends on your business's category or industry. The discount depends on your deal structure — we give recommendations based on what deal price will deliver the best performance (see the Campaign Manager tab in Merchant Center for more details). Get started today to calculate your commission.

Why do you charge a commission rate?

Groupon is a marketing platform that connects your business with a diverse audience of local customers. But while other marketing platforms charge you just to host your ad, there's no upfront fee to list your offer on Groupon. Instead, you only pay a marketing fee on vouchers sold, meaning Groupon has successfully promoted your offer and sent a customer your way. In other words, you only pay for results!

How long does the sign up process take?

If you have your information on hand, it'll only take a few minutes to complete our intake form. Once you've submitted it, you should receive approval within a day or two.

How do I sign up for Groupon with multiple locations?

When creating your Groupon campaign, you'll be asked to provide the addresses of any locations where customers can redeem their vouchers. See our video tutorial for additional details.

What types of businesses work with Groupon?

Groupon Merchants cover a broad range of industries, in categories which include:

Food and Drink
Beauty and Wellness
Culture, Activities, and Events (“Things To Do”)
Home, Auto, and Local Services
Hotels and Travel

How is my campaign unique to my business?

Groupon deals are not created using a cookie cutter approach — each business has its own marketing strategy and goals, so every campaign is different. Just because you see a competing business offering a particular discount in your area, doesn’t necessarily mean your campaign should follow the same structure.

Whether you build your campaign with our self-service Campaign Manager or with the assistance of a dedicated representative, our Merchant Support team is always available to answer questions and help tailor your campaign to your needs. We’ll work with you to create the deal that makes the most sense for your business.

Will I receive quality, loyal customers using Groupon?

Yes; although merchants sometimes worry that customers won’t return without another discount, we’ve found that many of our users are not motivated solely by price.

Because our merchants promote unique high-quality offerings, we're confident that their products and services are enough to not only acquire new customers, but keep them coming back.

Will my business lose money running a Groupon campaign?

No; an unhappy merchant won't stay on Groupon for long, so we only make money when you make money. Our deal templates provide recommended discount ranges with margins tailored to your industry and business type, to help optimize your campaign so it can serve as a sustainable revenue stream.

More importantly, Groupon assumes all costs and risks to get your campaign up and running. Traditional marketing platforms charge thousands upfront just to host your ad, or they charge for each click or impression. When business owners pay to use those platforms, they take all the risk: the investment might pay off by generating sales, or it might not and they simply lose that money. Groupon works differently.

We don’t want you to spend your marketing budget without results, so we operate a “pay-as-you-go” model. Instead of paying for your campaign, you only pay a marketing fee on each sale we secure for you. This fee reimburses Groupon for covering the costs of setting up and promoting your deal — if you'd used traditional marketing, that money would have already been paid upfront, and maybe not even resulted in those sales.

Are sinking businesses the only ones that use Groupon?

No; many well-known, thriving companies have used Groupon to promote their businesses. This list includes Starbucks, McDonald’s, Nordstrom, and Sony Electronics; thousands of high-end fine dining restaurants; big city museums and zoos; luxury hotels; and Michelin-starred international eateries, to name a few.

Offering discounts does not mean a business is struggling financially. They might be looking to explore a new customer demographic, test a new service offering, unload extra inventory, increase demand during a slow season, get in front of a holiday rush, or simply promote their business. Groupon is for any business seeking fresh marketing strategies to reach more customers and boost exposure.

Campaign Creation and Management

How do I create a campaign?

After you sign up to become a Groupon merchant, you'll be able to create an account to access our Merchant Center portal. There, you can build your campaign using our self-service Campaign Manager tool. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the process, check out our video tutorial.

Can I create my campaign online?

Yes; you can build your campaign on desktop or mobile with our self-service Campaign Manager. If you're not a Groupon Merchant yet, you'll have to sign up first to get a Merchant Center account. If you're already a Groupon Merchant, log in to Merchant Center, select the "Campaigns" tab, and click “New Campaign”. You can create up to five campaigns for different services.

How long does it take until my campaign goes live?

Depending on the start date you chose, your campaign will typically be approved for launch within about 7 days after you've successfully submitted your campaign details. You will be sent an email with the expected launch date and a preview of your Groupon campaign.

If you're a first-time merchant, don’t forget to submit your bank and tax information. We are unable to proceed with launching your campaign if we don’t have these details.

How much does it cost to list a campaign on Groupon?

Can I customize my Groupon campaign?

Yes; Groupon will offer you a range of campaign templates to choose from, based on your business category. Once you select the template, you’ll be able to set the campaign price and discount, redemptions per voucher, and campaign image. You can also build your own campaign with our guided tool, which enables you to upload your own images and set fine print details that make sense for your campaign, such as expiration date, restrictions, etc.

To create a campaign use our Campaign Manager by logging in your Merchant Center. If you aren’t a merchant yet you can sign up via our intake form.

Can I limit the number of Groupons sold?

Yes; Groupon works with you to set a reasonable monthly cap on the number of vouchers you make available for purchase when creating your campaign. This way, you won’t sell beyond your capacity and get overwhelmed by customers, which could result in a poor experience for both parties. You can see the cap that is set on each of your campaign options in Merchant Center.

We will notify you once a deal option is 90% sold out, and you can reach out to our Merchant Support team at any time to change your campaign’s capacity.

How do I prepare my business for my Groupon campaign?

There’s a lot you can (and should) do in the lead-up to launch to get the most out of your Groupon campaign. That includes making sure you can access the Groupon Merchant Center when and where you need to, training your staff to redeem vouchers as well as encourage upsells and return visits, and familiarizing yourself with the Campaign Manager in case you need to edit or pause your campaign.

How do I make changes to my Groupon campaign?

You can edit your Groupon campaign without contacting Merchant Support, using our self-service Campaign Manager. To make adjustments, follow the steps listed below:

Log in to Merchant Center,
Navigate to your Campaigns tab, click on the pencil icon next to the campaign you want to edit, and select “Edit Campaign.”
Once you have saved all your changes, you can preview your campaign by clicking on the "Preview" button.
If you are happy with the preview, click the “Publish” button.
The requested changes will be reviewed by our team and will go live within 24 hours of approval. If your requests cannot be completed, we will email you with the next steps.

If you have difficulties making changes to your offer, please contact our Merchant Support team.

Can I pause my campaign if it gets too busy?

Yes; you can pause your campaign at any time using the self-service Campaign Manager tool. Simply visit the Campaigns tab in Merchant Center, click the pencil icon next to the campaign you want to pause, and click on “Pause Campaign”. However, keep in mind you will still have to honor any Groupon vouchers that have already been sold.

To prevent your sales from exceeding the capacity your business can process, we recommend setting a monthly cap on available vouchers — you'll always have the option to raise the cap once sales have almost reached the limit. It may also be easier to manage your capacity if you make your deal bookable, so that customers can select their timeslot when purchasing.

Redemption and Payments

How does Groupon pay merchants?

Groupon merchants receive payment on a weekly basis for all vouchers redeemed in the preceding week. Payments are made each Wednesday except the last week of the month; this payment is always postponed to the next week. Payment is made on redemption instead of on purchase to cover potential refunds in case the customer never comes in to receive service.

Why is redeeming vouchers important?

Consistently redeeming your customers' vouchers prevents duplicate redemptions and voucher misuse, ensuring you get paid for your work. If a customer calls Groupon for a refund but you've redeemed their voucher, we know the customer has already been serviced and the refund will not be deducted from your revenue (it will instead be covered by Groupon).

In addition, redeeming vouchers helps you track how many customers you've serviced, and also prompts customers to provide feedback you can view in Merchant Center.

How do I redeem Groupon vouchers?

You are paid for every voucher that you redeem, so please be sure you and your staff are aware of the different redemption methods.

While redeeming each customers’ voucher you have the option to add in the customers bill total, which is the total amount spent during their visit, including money spent beyond the Groupon voucher and any tip they may have left. These fields are not required but this will allow you to monitor the true value and total amount spent by each Groupon customer.

You can redeem vouchers the following ways, via your Merchant Center account or the free Groupon Merchant mobile app:

Scan customer vouchers on the spot, using the free Groupon Merchant app on an Apple or Android device.
Manually typing the voucher’s security code into Merchant Center (click “Redeem” at the top of the page, then type the code into the resulting text field)
Automatically check customers in at the time they booked, eliminating the need for voucher redemption, using one of Groupon's booking solutions.

Redeeming Vouchers in the Merchant Center

You can redeem vouchers individually or multiple vouchers at once. To do so:

Click the “Redeem” button at the top of any screen in the Merchant Center
Enter either a single voucher code or multiple codes, separated by a comma
Once the voucher code is recognized you will be able to click the green “Redeem” button

Redeeming Vouchers on the App

A customer may bring in a voucher (either printed out or on a phone), and you can follow these steps to redeem:

Open the Groupon Merchant app on an Apple or Android device with reliable access to the internet or a wireless network
Log in using your Merchant Center credentials
Follow the on-screen instructions to scan the barcode using the camera on your Apple or Android device

Redemption Troubleshooting

If you have problems redeeming a voucher, please check the following options for guidance:

Groupon Voucher “Not Found”

If a voucher's status reads ""Not Found,"" you may be in the wrong Merchant Center account. This can happen if you have multiple accounts with Groupon (for example, if you’ve been featured in different countries or have multiple businesses). You can access your other accounts by clicking on Change Account. If you're still experiencing issues, please contact our Merchant Support team.

Groupon Voucher “Rejected”

If a voucher’s status reads “Rejected”, the customer attempted to purchase the deal but their payment didn't go through. As a result, a line item appears in the customer list but no valid voucher has actually been issued. Any voucher marked “Rejected” is not valid and should not be redeemed. Always validate a voucher at the time of scheduling, and be sure to redeem each voucher at the time of use to ensure all customers have made valid purchases.

Groupon Voucher “Pending”

If a voucher's status reads “Pending”, it typically means the customer's payment hasn't gone through yet. Once their payment has cleared, you should be able to redeem the voucher.

Redeemed by Mistake

If a voucher was redeemed by mistake, we are unfortunately unable to ""unredeem"" this voucher. If the customer still needs to be refunded for this voucher, you can either contact Groupon Customer Support and request a refund on behalf of the customer, or provide the customer with proof stating that the voucher should be eligible for a refund, which they can give to Customer Support.

Pay-on-Redemption Merchants: Any payment made for this voucher will be deducted from your payout the next time you redeem a voucher for the same offer.

How are refunds handled?

Groupon may issue refunds to customers for a number of reasons, including special circumstances on a case-by-case basis and customer complaints that we deem reasonable upon review. We will always update the status of your vouchers in your Merchant Center account, so please check that vouchers are valid before servicing and redeeming them. If you have already received payment for a redeemed voucher that was subsequently refunded, your share of the voucher’s value will be deducted from your next payment.

If you would like a customer to receive a refund from Groupon:

Provide the customer with written confirmation of your request.
Have the customer request a refund by contacting Customer Support through their Groupon account.

If the customer is unable to contact Customer Support themselves, please send a request to us with the following:

The reason for requesting a refund
The customer's full name
The voucher code

Merchant Tools

What tools does Groupon offer?

We provide a whole suite of Merchant Tools to help you get the most out of your Groupon campaign:

Merchant Center - The portal where you can create and manage campaigns, redeem vouchers, view performance data and customer demographics, update your business's information, reach out to Merchant Support, access other tools, and more.

Campaign Manager - The self-service tool which lets you build and launch your own campaign, as well as make edits at any time.

Booking Solutions - Making your Groupon campaign bookable streamlines the purchase process and boosts business. Connect your deal to an account with one of our integrated partners, or use our own free Booking Tool.

How do I reset my Merchant Center password?

To reset your password, visit Merchant Center. On the login screen, click “Forgot your password?” Enter the email address associated with your Merchant Center and click Reset. You will receive an email containing a link to reset your password.

What is the Merchant Center?

Merchant Center is your hub for managing your Groupon campaign. It's the portal you log in to when you want to update or pause your deal, build a new one, track your performance and view customer demographics, contact Merchant Support, and more. Sign in to Merchant Center here.

What is the Booking Tool?

Groupon offers our merchants the option of using our own free Booking Tool. It has all the capabilities of a complete booking platform, including accepting reservations, checking in customers, scheduling group classes, and more. You can even sync your Groupon bookings with Google Calendar to keep all your reservations in one place! See everything you can do with our Booking Tool.

The Groupon Booking Tool is only available to Groupon merchants. If you’d like to receive access, reach out via the Support tab in Merchant Center so we can get you set up.

Does Groupon Merchant have an app?

Yes; with our Groupon Merchant mobile app you can manage your Groupon campaign on the go. It has all the capabilities of the desktop version of Merchant Center, letting you redeem vouchers, get instant help, and more. Get it now for Apple or Android!

How does Groupon collect feedback from customers and how can I respond to it?

Groupon prioritizes your ability to receive valuable customer feedback and use it to grow your business. Within a week of a voucher being redeemed, we prompt the customer with an optional feedback survey. Their ratings and comments will appear in the Feedback tab of your Merchant Center account, where you can reply to thank them for their feedback or share your contact details if they've raised an issue that requires follow-up. We’ll also display a selection of your most recent customer comments on our website.

FAQs & Help