Not So Good Groupon Return Policy Experiance

Bought two Groupons for an activity ~30 days ago - to go with a friend. I recently got an injury that prevents me doing this activity. So I phoned Groupon ask to refund them - expecting no hassel because the Groupon return policy states:

"If your Groupon experience ever lets you down, let us know and we’ll refund your purchase. Period.

If you’d like to return a purchase for any other reason, our Customer Support team will work with you to help make it right. Contact us."

Plus a little video talking about no red tape returns, that they are crazy for having such a generous return policy, etc.


Conversation went as follows
Me: <Injured self, can't use Groupon, please refund both.>

Rep: "We can refund one but we can only give you Groupon credit for the other one as it was as a gift".

Me: "I purchased them to use together with a friend. Now I can't go and I want my money back. Groupon credit isn't acceptable."

Rep: "Groupon credit is good, etc".

Me: "That is completely unacceptable and directly contradicts your return policy".

Rep: "Okay, I'll give you credit this time. But we are losing money, we promised the company sales, its so long after the deal, etc"

I don't feel like I should have to fight with a representative of a company to get them to follow their return policy. If this had been my GF, she would have been stuck with Groupon credit. I'm a tough negotiator so it was fine for me.

In the past I've spent a couple hundred at Groupon and I would choose Groupon over its clones because they had a great reputation for service - now I feel like this reputation wasn't deserved and these deals are a commodity.

Just wanted to throw this out there. I got my money back but I didn't expect to have to argue for it.


tldr: Got hassled returning two unused Groupons 30 days after purchase. Whining here even though I got my money back.