How Groupon changed everything.
I have become a “Craigslist king,” according to one of my students. “How do you do it, man?” he asked. “You find everything you need for next to nothing! Teach me your ways.”
Part of me wishes he had the same passionate inquisitiveness with regard to his studies; nevertheless, I was obliged to explain the art of bargain hunting. My reason for buying items through Craigslist doesn’t stem from an aversion to paying taxes on retail items, or a personal policy to only buy local. The single greatest reason for my developed skill of nabbing discounted stuff comes from being tight on funds.
According to Plato, necessity is the mother of invention, and I’ve learned to be quite inventive in order to get necessities for less-than-average price. I have learned patience in waiting for the right deal, and also the ability to strike like a viper when that deal presents itself. You see, with Craigslist, a good deal can be scooped in minutes. But with the recent boom in discount e-commerce, finding deals is becoming less of an art.
There are two web-based markets that have every bargain-hunter’s stomach filled with butterflies: the “deal-of-the-day” and “coupon” e-markets. Websites like Woot and Groupon have changed the game for bargain hunters, so that even a discount dilettante can feel like a pro. When Groupon launched in 2008, it had only one market: Chicago. By October 2010, it had hundreds of markets worldwide and 35 million registered users. The company’s profile for potential investors reads, “Groupon uses collective buying power to offer unbeatable prices and provide a win-win for businesses and consumers, delivering more than 650 daily deals globally.”
If you’ve been looking for ways to become less dependent on your iPhone, then steer clear of Groupon. Even my wife has fallen victim. Recently, we had a discussion about it: “Say it, dear! ‘My name is Rachel, and I am a Grouponaholic.’” “Well,” she retorts, “We have all year to decide when to use the coupon, you know we’ll need it eventually!” Truth be told, my wife and I have been down-sizing considerably — living with less and being content — which means we’ve been using Craigslist more, and Groupon less. But I’ll admit, one feels a noticeable high and marked residual pleasure from saving a few bucks. In fact, the feeling is akin to winning. So it’s not surprising that with all the “deal” sites popping up, temptation to accumulate “stuff” is growing stronger.
The timing of deal-of-the-day and web-based coupon businesses couldn’t be better. Entire nations are struggling with huge debt loads, rising unemployment, and significant declines in lending. Everyone is trying to save a penny. A deal sounds like a good thing. But it’s going to require our continued self-control not to end up ‘penny wise and pound foolish.’ We may spend more money than we intend simply because we’re buying a lot of things we don’t really need. Unfettered spending makes us victims of consumerism, fostering in us the need to acquire greater amounts of goods and services. We are besieged by a barrage of advertisements telling us we need product X to be happy, sexy, or smart. In light of this, we should be increasingly aware of our true needs, and then prompted to think through the process of buying — from whom or through which site.
There’s also a difference between obsessive frugality and good stewardship. Sometimes, bargaining to get the bottom dollar isn’t the wisest approach; we could be eating into someone’s due commission, or exploiting a seller unnecessarily. Finally, we must question the sheer amount of time it takes up in our lives in the form of countless emails, alerts, and notifications. We can be so consumed with getting a deal that we face diminishing health in other areas of our lives. Asking ourselves these questions will help us decide how to face the next killer deal that pops up in our email or on our smartphones.
When used properly, Groupon and the like can be avenues to experience healthy relationships and good fun. They make it possible for us to try exotic foods, travel, or skydive — things we might not have attempted at retail price. And several available deals require two or more participants, creating space for us to spend time with friends and family around fabulous food or exciting activities. In addition, several deals are set up to be given as gifts, and in a society that is increasingly self-centred, this provides us with opportunities to think about the needs and wants of others. So let us remember that as consumers, we can use these businesses as a resource to enjoy life in healthy ways, rather than allowing them to consume us.
