Chicago-based daily deals company Groupon said its Web site is back to normal after the combination of an Oprah Winfrey mention and a popular deal with retailer Nordstrom Rack caused traffic problems.
The site had been experiencing intermittent slowness in the morning for users depending on their location, said Groupon spokeswoman Julie Mossler.
Visitors reported getting error messages when they tried to purchase Groupons or access their accounts online. Mossler said Groupon was still able to sell “hundreds” of vouchers for online microcredit lender Kiva after the deal was featured on Winfrey’s annual “Favorite Things” segment on her Friday program.
Winfrey gave away Kiva gift cards courtesy of Groupon as one of the goodies for audience members. Kiva is a Web site where visitors can make microloans to low-income entrepreneurs, primarily in developing countries. Groupon’s promotion allows users to get a $25 Kiva credit for $15.
The Nordstrom Rack deal, which offers $50 in merchandise for $25, will run through the weekend. Groupon had been planning to run the promotion for an extended period even before Friday’s technical problems, Mossler said.
The Nordstrom Rack deal was featured in 18 cities on Friday and will be the main promotion in different markets on Monday, eventually reaching more than 50 cities, Mossler said.
Incidentally, Friday is the last day to redeem a Groupon for the Gap –- the company’s first nationwide deal — which also caused traffic problems for the site.
Groupon sold 441,000 vouchers in August, offering $50 in Gap merchandise for $25. After Friday, coupon holders can still be redeemed for $25 to spend at the retailer.
wawong@tribune.com
Everyone needs to stop complaining and threatening to “take your business elsewhere.” Groupon is a service that offers deep discounts, usually within local markets. Though they should have learned from the Gap debacle, they are still a vehicle for you to obtain on discounts every day. Sites go down all of the time from high volume traffic. Get over it!
and then you wonder why we call you SHEEPLE….baaah.
@ Annie: it’s poor customer service, and in fact, customers CAN and WILL take their business elsewhere- bloomspot.com for example offers a similar service. Point being- yes, groupon offers great deals, but if those deals cannot be attended to, at the customers’ leisure, it’s not such a great deal- is it? I find it irritating to have made plans to use my groupon this afternoon, only to be UNABLE to access it. This is a Dis-service, wouldn’t you agree?
Really Meagan ?? How often has this happened to you?? And you’re ready to go somewhere else? You’re going to have a rough time in life if something like this ruins your day. I hope bloomspot.com had a good deal for you today, since that is where you are taking your business.
No, I do not agree. Sometimes stuff happens. Just go sit down and have a cup of coffee or a cup of tea. Relax and you will feel much better.
With Groupon, there will always be another great offer. There is so much to do in Chicago, and a great deal of it is free. Stop at the City’s and State’s site at the Chicago Cultural Center and pick up their folders of places to go and things to do in Chicago.
Take a note from young people who are in school and have very little money to spend. They will share a sundae together, or they may take their camera and walk around the Loop and take some beautiful pictures. You may find something even better to use or do. Just wing it!
I like how they say it’s fixed and they recovered. Try buying the groupon when you’re logged in to your account. oh wait, you can’t log into your account!
i work at the gap…and let me tell you the 19th couldn’t come fast enough for me….i hope they never do this again…or at least explain to the morons who bought the groupon what the terms and conditions are….cause having to explain them…and then having the customer throw a hissy fit cause they can’t get their way is very obnoxious…it’s still a FREE 25 dollars people what don’t you understand about that?!?!?!?
@ Meagan – Have you ever purchased from Groupon before? Most of the time, the deal isn’t even valid until the next day.
I feel sorry for you if something like this ruins your day. Actually, I take that back. It must be nice to have this be a “problem”. I wouldn’t mind if this was the biggest thing to ruin my mood.
Anyone who’s ever worked retail knows the Meagan type: the hysterical hissy. From crabby to shrieking in 60 seconds. They try to take their bad day out on some poor clerk, often with language that would curl your hair. They always claim they’re “never coming back” but they always do. We used to reply to them: “Will you put that in writing?” I actually had one of these types state “every where I go I get treated rudely,” gee, wonder why that is. You reap what you sow. We used to get commendations for our great customer service from the normal folks.
Boo hoo…whiners!
These are the same people who would vote for Sara Palin. Totally clueless with misplaced priorities.
This happens every time Orca mentions something. Talk about Sheeple.
She’s a billionaire who gets paid for everything she talks up and pitches, wake up. As for Groupon, get better servers or quit crying. I had a blog that got mentions on the Drudge report that didn’t get taken down by traffic.
They pay her to tout the site and then aren’t prepared for the Obbbaaaaamaaa sheep that run there to buy whatever she ‘recommends’. Is this newsworthy? Apparently in that backwards ghetto city Chitcago.
I feel sorry for those who think shopping is therapy or a hobby. Less is more.
I love Groupon. Don’t forget to collect up to 20% cash back before every purchase there from sites like discover, mr rebates, big crumbs, and Lootzi. Best way to compare the cash back sites that I’ve found is to check out http://www.cashreporter.com