Groupola iPhone offer - absolute scam, disgusting ethics

Bannik

I've used other offers on Groupola successfully.

I've seen other legit websites have the same problem with crazy offers like this. One of those that I thought was dodgy as I clicked a link the second it appeared to see a "sold out" message and felt the same as the posts here. However, on the next offer I just happened to look as a link for a XBox360 came live, clicked it and got it.

Yes, it probably was a stunt to get more registered users but they actually have a good reputation so I doubt they would risk it by pulling a scam. They could easily have sold out in mere seconds, there are thousands of registered members on Groupola, I read somewhere there are over 8500 members in Manchester alone. The number of phones on offer was relatively tiny compared to the number of users. Groupola have a good reputation and have had loads of good press (I checked before I joined them), I certainly wouldn't miss out on their offers over one bad experience on an offer that was bound to be ridiculously over-subscribed.

Bannik

Sorry for the double post. The second post was the one that I made first that has suddenly appeared 25 minutes after I tried to post it and after I had pasted it into another post! weird

FATBALLZ

It's hardly a scam is it. If you're so upset why don't you set up a website selling items at a £400 loss.

Thought not.

spora

I did my research before i joined up with the offer and decided to go ahead with it as i found nothing to suggest that they are scammers. I noticed that the offer was mentioned on The Guardian website http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/jun/30/apple-iphone-groupola-discount

And The independent and The Times Online have both written articles about/mentioning Groupola:
http://money.independentminds.livejournal.com/249446.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/consumer_affairs/article7069494.ece

I dont think that these major and well respected websites/newspapers would have written an article about a company without doing their research.

I also feel like Groupola had the opportunity to potentially scam a hell of a lot of people if they wanted to (why stop at 200?). Obviously we have no proof how many people they sold the phone to but i have now read just one other post saying that they have got the phone (ive been reading quite a few forums). I would be very worried if loads of people said they got them as apprently 5million people logged on to get them, so obviously the amount of people who didnt get them would vastly outweigh the number of people who did.

Im quite anxious about the whole thing as i did manage to get one so they therefore have my credit card details. This is mainly because the old "if its too good to be true it probably is" keeps ringing in my ears. Plus (if 5 million people did actually log on) then there was a 1 in 25,000 chance of getting one- but i suppose i have just as much of a chance as anyone else.

Anyway, theres nothing i can do about it now. I will just wait and see. Im confident i can get my money back from my credit card company if it is a scam, but im 98% sure its not. I will post an update here (hopefully clearing Groupolas name )

corbyboy

spora wrote: »

I dont think that these major and well respected websites/newspapers would have written an article about a company without doing their research.

Have you read those articles? There is nothing more in those articles than appears in the Groupola press releases. They have clearly done no research.

spora wrote: »

Anyway, theres nothing i can do about it now. I will just wait and see. Im confident i can get my money back from my credit card company if it is a scam, but im 98% sure its not. I will post an update here (hopefully clearing Groupolas name )

People aren't suggesting it's a scam to defraud you of any money. There is no doubt that some people will get a cheap iPhone and I hope you get one. As I mentioned earlier, I seriously doubt that Groupola managed to get 200 iPhones, but I am happy to be proven wrong.
It's the lack of transparency and the inconsistency in the number of phones available that is causing the trouble.

trumpton

I don't think people are suggesting it is a scam in the sense that they will run off with your cc details, or indeed that there were no phones whatsoever. It's more that the Groupola and My City deals often aren't the good deal they seem, eg. you buy a discount voucher, then the prices mysteriously go up etc.

I have just had a warning over on Hot Deals UK for voting cold on too many deals - mostly I have voted cold on Groupola/My City deals. Personally, I think they should not list them, but I guess the income generated by members clicking through is substantial and they don't want people being put off.

spora

corbyboy wrote: »

Have you read those articles? There is nothing more in those articles than appears in the Groupola press releases. They have clearly done no research.



People aren't suggesting it's a scam to defraud you of any money. There is no doubt that some people will get a cheap iPhone and I hope you get one. As I mentioned earlier, I seriously doubt that Groupola managed to get 200 iPhones, but I am happy to be proven wrong.
It's the lack of transparency and the inconsistency in the number of phones available that is causing the trouble.

I have read the articles and you are right, but what i meant is surely those newspapers/websites wouldn't promote a dodgy company?

Oh ok, i thought people meant they were gonna take my money (and card details) and run.

By inconsistency in the number of phones avaliable are you refering to the counter they had on their website? Because people were making a big deal that for some it was showing one number and for others it was showing another. But i dont think that suggests anything. I dont know if you took part in the Homedraught beer offer, but the counter messed up with that. The same with the BurgerKing t-shirt offer. But, as far as im aware, no one had any problems recieving the items. Its just something that seems to happen with popular deals.

spora

trumpton wrote: »

I don't think people are suggesting it is a scam in the sense that they will run off with your cc details, or indeed that there were no phones whatsoever. It's more that the Groupola and My City deals often aren't the good deal they seem, eg. you buy a discount voucher, then the prices mysteriously go up etc.

I have just had a warning over on Hot Deals UK for voting cold on too many deals - mostly I have voted cold on Groupola/My City deals. Personally, I think they should not list them, but I guess the income generated by members clicking through is substantial and they don't want people being put off.

yeah this was something i was conscious about. I found out about this offer on the 'quick! grabbit while you can' board on this website. It was removed about 5 mins later. I assume because of all the problems people have had. I took part in the cinema deals with My City Deals and KGB and had no problem but i know a lot of people did. And it seems people are still having a problem with the sunglasses offer. But because they send the phone to you and not a voucher for one specific shop i decided to go ahead with it. If they dont send me the phone for £99 as stated in their t&cs then i will make sure i get my money back.

competitionscafe

corbyboy wrote: »

Have you read those articles? There is nothing more in those articles than appears in the Groupola press releases. They have clearly done no research.

Exactly. Lazy journalists just regurgitating a press release.

The person behind the company is well known for being unethical. He was banned from these forums when he started his voucher code site for spamming the forums with links to it. And he regularly stole voucher codes from other sites which were intended for use by those sites only:
http://www.affiliates4u.com/forums/affiliate-marketing-lounge/68920-mark-pearson-myvouchercodes-please-stop-6.html

http://www.affiliates4u.com/forums/affiliate-marketing-lounge/91624-removal-myvouchercodes-play-com.html

Even the name groupola is obviously deliberately chosen to be easily confused with another similar site (groupon).

dacouch

http://www.bitterwallet.com/tag/grouploa