Merchant Center FAQ
Creating your Groupon Store
I’ve created my Store. Now what?
We need to verify your store and then it will become viewable on the Groupon website.
How do you verify my Groupon Store?
First, we make sure that the person creating deals is actually authorized to do so on behalf of the merchant. We will call the phone number provided during the store creation process, as well as perform a few common-sense checks.
I entered my address and got an error message. What do I need to do and why?
In order for Groupon to ensure that your deals get to customers in your area, we need to verify it using standard latitude and longitude values. If you received this message there was something about your address that this verification couldn't reconcile. Try again, if you get the message again please call our friendly customer service team that can help you get on your way to creating deals.
How many emails will I receive from Groupon?
To keep you informed of all activity in your Groupon Store, we will send an email once we’ve verified and approved your store. We will also send a confirmation email when you submit a deal, another email when the deal launches, and one more when the deal ends or when you close a deal.
Updating your Groupon Store Profile
How do I update my Store profile?
From the Merchant Center dashboard you will be able to update your Business Profile and build out your Groupon Store. Make sure you fully setup your Groupon Store. Answer the five questions to convey some interesting, compelling information about your business—customers are more likely to buy if they know who they’re doing business with. And be sure to add photos and web links—a good visual can really help sell the deal.
What if I do not have a “Primary” location?
Just select whichever location you want to appear first in the list as the main location of your store.
Why should I add pictures?
A good visual is the quickest, simplest, and often the most effective way to grab customers’ attention. Add pictures of your store, your product, yourself. Pick photos that give potential customers an idea of what your business is all about and what to expect when they visit.
I’m not a writer. Can you give me some advice on how to share details about my company?
First, keep in mind that you only have 325 characters in each box to tell your customers all about you. So keep it simple, have friends or coworkers review what you’ve written and try to find a tone that matches your business. Borrow tone and ideas from other writers that you find especially eloquent and pithy (but don’t steal their exact phrases—that’s plagiarism).
While you don’t technically have to fill-in every box, we STRONGLY encourage you to try. Customers might not have the information they need to purchase. And don’t copy directly from your website. You want the copy on your Groupon Store to drive customers to your site. What a disappointment it would be if they find the copy they’ve already read.
Whatever you do, don’t write dry marketing copy. Be honest, be direct and be confident. You’re better off sounding unpolished than slick, and it’s better to write like a human being than a marketing agency. You want to reach new customers, then engage with them so they become repeat customers.
What’s with this "Don’t come here if . . . "? I don’t want to discourage customers.
Then don’t! This is another opportunity for you to hook them by being creative. For example: Don’t come here if you’d rather eat a frozen Salisbury steak, microwaved with mushy, alleged vegetables, than eat a grass-fed ribeye prepared on the grill and served with locally grown vegetables and a sauce made fresh every day.
Redemption
How do I get paid for my Groupon Store deals?
Be sure to enter your Payment Information in your Business Profile. We need to know where to send payments and whose name to put on the checks. We will send a check about every two weeks if your outstanding balance is greater than $50.
If there is a balance to be paid that is less than $50, the check will go out either when the last Groupon is redeemed or on the expiration date. After the expiration date of the deal, we will still pay for redeemed Groupons.
How do you know how much $$ to send me?
After a Groupon is redeemed, you can enter the redemption code, up to 1,000 at a time, in the Manage Redemptions tab of your Merchant Center. The code is easy to find—it’s underneath the barcode on the lower right of the Groupon.
Do I have to enter redemption codes separately for each deal I run?
No. You can enter up to 1,000 redemption codes at a time for any deal(s). You will see the specific number of units redeemed per deal on the My Deals tab.
Creating A Deal
Can I set limits on my deals?
Yes. You can limit the total number of purchases. You can also set restrictions on how customers use the deal. For example if you’re a restaurant you can set a limit per table or per order.
Do Groupon Stores have “tipping points” like traditional Groupon deals?
No, but merchants can choose to limit the number of customers who can buy their deals.
I started to create a deal, but changed my mind. How do I cancel?
After you click Launch or Save and Exit, your new deal will appear in the My Deals list. You will then be able to either Edit or Delete your deal from there, right up until the moment it launches.
Can I edit a deal while it’s running?
No. If the deal has launched, then you cannot edit the deal. However, you are able to close it from the My Deals list or the Admin panel in your view of the deal. And if you want to immediately create a new deal that is an edited version of the one you just closed, you are free to do so.
What are "Custom restrictions . . . "? Can you give me an example?
Examples of specialized conditions are: not valid for alcohol, pizza served on Thursday – Sunday evenings only, reservation required, must be able to swim. Try to keep restrictions to an absolute minimum so your deal appeals to the broadest group of customers possible. Specialized conditions are subject to approval by Groupon.
I see that I can opt to run my deal “As soon as possible.” How soon is “As soon as possible”?
If you choose to launch your deal as soon as possible, your deal will begin to run about an hour after it is created. All Groupon Stores deals will be live for 24 hours after they launch.
Will running a deal in my store affect my ability to run a featured deal?
No, running deals through your Groupon store will not affect your ability to run a featured deal. If you are interested in running a featured deal, you can submit your information at http://www.grouponworks.com/contact and it will go directly to the Groupon representatives for your city. If they think it will be a good fit, they will contact you to discuss your business and possible offers.
Promoting Your Groupon Store Deals
What is the best way to drive traffic to my Groupon Store Deal?
Use every tool at your disposal. We have created easy links for your Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. If you have accounts with these companies, post and tweet your deals to the world.
Can I use email?
Absolutely! If you have an email list of customers, send them the link to your deal so that they can all get in on the action.
Following
Who is going to “Follow” my store?
Everyone who has purchased your Groupon is following you. Also, users can click the Follow button on your Groupon Store page.
What is the best way to get people to follow my Groupon Store?
Remember that Facebook, Twitter and email suggestion just a few scrolls above? Do that, but promote the link to your store. Encourage people to click the Follow button located there. Hopefully, the more deals you run, the more followers you'll have, and so on and so on and so on.
What happens once a customer has chosen to “Follow” my Groupon Store?
Your followers will be notified whenever you launch a deal so that they can get in on it as soon as possible.
