Monday, May 23, 2011
Have you had a good deal?
I am sure many of you have made it here via Google or a friend that cares. I have to say first up that I am not a group buy hater. I watch them every day like you do so I'm also looking out for good deals too. So if you know of any restaurants, car mechanics, beauty therapists that have gone beyond the call of duty when responding to a group buy voucher (that, lets face it, they set up), then please leave a comment below. We'll try go for honesty and if you see a suggestion that seems to be contrary to your experience, feel free to butt in, even if its anonymously!
Frisk Espresso from Spreets
Who loves coffee? Who's been wondering why Northbridge doesn't have any decent coffee? I have been doing that so it was quite a stroke of luck that I found out Frisk Espresso on Francis Street was serving up Five Senses Coffee with Bannister Downs milk at the same time seeing it appear on Spreets. From that, I had a feeling our brothers in Frisk aren't beginners in the latte art culture.
So anyway, we're here to review their group buy etiquette, not just the coffee which was excellent by the way. The deal - 20 coffees to be redeemed within 3 months from the date of activation (you turning up and saying, where's my coffee?) for $20. Sounds good? Great if you live in Northbridge. Something to chew on if you don't go down there much.
I did some thinking throughout the day, watching how people responded to the deal. It wasn't a massive response like, say, The View Restaurant in Fremantle but it was climbing up. What if I miss out? I took the plunge and forked out my credit card to have $20 plucked out of its credit limit.
When I went to "activate", there were no dramas and I was curious how they would record the 20 cups. Well they just gave you a loyalty card with a flimsy Spreets piece of paper with your name sticky taped to it. Wow, don't lose that piece of paper! The cafe is pretty funky with street art on the side, water drums doubling up as lampshades inside and cable wheels used as tables outside. Couches were mixed in with primary school desks in a dimly lit shop playing artsy music. Nice place to use free wifi in Perth.
Rules to the game: If you want to get a large coffee, its going to cost you two stamps. You can only use your card once a day. You got three months to do it in. Go!
So anyway, we're here to review their group buy etiquette, not just the coffee which was excellent by the way. The deal - 20 coffees to be redeemed within 3 months from the date of activation (you turning up and saying, where's my coffee?) for $20. Sounds good? Great if you live in Northbridge. Something to chew on if you don't go down there much.
I did some thinking throughout the day, watching how people responded to the deal. It wasn't a massive response like, say, The View Restaurant in Fremantle but it was climbing up. What if I miss out? I took the plunge and forked out my credit card to have $20 plucked out of its credit limit.
When I went to "activate", there were no dramas and I was curious how they would record the 20 cups. Well they just gave you a loyalty card with a flimsy Spreets piece of paper with your name sticky taped to it. Wow, don't lose that piece of paper! The cafe is pretty funky with street art on the side, water drums doubling up as lampshades inside and cable wheels used as tables outside. Couches were mixed in with primary school desks in a dimly lit shop playing artsy music. Nice place to use free wifi in Perth.
Rules to the game: If you want to get a large coffee, its going to cost you two stamps. You can only use your card once a day. You got three months to do it in. Go!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Brentwood Deli Fish and Chips from Jumponit
I called the deli as per the instructions on the Jumponit voucher. The call kept ringing and ringing and I started to wonder whether I would be able to place my order. In the end I decided to just drop by and present the voucher.
I walked into a very typical suburban deli wondering whether this was the F&C shop I was looking for. The couple seemed to be setting up for the night and after a while, I managed to place my order - two serves of fish and chips handing her the voucher. I braced myself. She took it and filed it away. As I waited, I was wondering whether they would honour the two soft drinks part of the voucher. I also decided to secretly call the deli to see if their phone rang. The phone was ringing but I couldn't hear a phone! No wonder! Anyway, ten minutes later, she handed me the two boxes and as I left, I motioned to the drinks fridge and she said help yourself.
When I opened the box, what greeted me was the largest fish serve I have seen for a long time from a fish and chips shop. It was pretty decent looking and I was so hungry that it was only half way through my meal that I thought of taking a photo for a a possible blog about group buys. Too late, ahh stuff it. I'll keep an eye out for more deals from here, but I'll know not to ring my order in.
I walked into a very typical suburban deli wondering whether this was the F&C shop I was looking for. The couple seemed to be setting up for the night and after a while, I managed to place my order - two serves of fish and chips handing her the voucher. I braced myself. She took it and filed it away. As I waited, I was wondering whether they would honour the two soft drinks part of the voucher. I also decided to secretly call the deli to see if their phone rang. The phone was ringing but I couldn't hear a phone! No wonder! Anyway, ten minutes later, she handed me the two boxes and as I left, I motioned to the drinks fridge and she said help yourself.
When I opened the box, what greeted me was the largest fish serve I have seen for a long time from a fish and chips shop. It was pretty decent looking and I was so hungry that it was only half way through my meal that I thought of taking a photo for a a possible blog about group buys. Too late, ahh stuff it. I'll keep an eye out for more deals from here, but I'll know not to ring my order in.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Riley's Woodfired Cafe from JumpOnIt
When I saw Jumponit featuring Riley's I went mouseclicker happy and bought three vouchers, then I realised that they expire in three months! Wow.. better start planning.
I've just recently redeemed the second of my JumpOnIt for Riley's Woodfired Cafe. The voucher said that we had to call in to book "Bookings Essential" but when I called, they said that they don't take bookings. All that worrying was for nothing so I just turned up with three other hungry people to see what we could get for $50 worth of food for $25. We ordered two pizza's and a pasta overshooting the $50 by about $9 and realised that the food probably wasn't enough. The Bari pizza was great and the Gamberoni was fantastic! I can't remember the other pizza but I completely forgot about their dessert pizzas which I had tried before taking advantage of the Jumponit deal.
The most recent time I went with two smaller mouths to feed and this time we ordered a beef pizza, the Gamberoni again and a garlic bread. Gamberoni was not as good as the first time I had it and the pizza kept reminding me of a Domino's meatlovers so maybe won't go for that pizza next time.Garlic bread was fine. The cost was $49.50, just under the $50 voucher :)
Both times they were happy honouring the JumpOnIt but the only trick for new players is that the voucher does not include drinks. Also, I am not sure why they don't check the validity of the vouchers before receiving them. I guess Brentwood is a pretty affluent area.
I have one more voucher to use and look forward to it, but time is ticking as the voucher expires in June!
I've just recently redeemed the second of my JumpOnIt for Riley's Woodfired Cafe. The voucher said that we had to call in to book "Bookings Essential" but when I called, they said that they don't take bookings. All that worrying was for nothing so I just turned up with three other hungry people to see what we could get for $50 worth of food for $25. We ordered two pizza's and a pasta overshooting the $50 by about $9 and realised that the food probably wasn't enough. The Bari pizza was great and the Gamberoni was fantastic! I can't remember the other pizza but I completely forgot about their dessert pizzas which I had tried before taking advantage of the Jumponit deal.
The most recent time I went with two smaller mouths to feed and this time we ordered a beef pizza, the Gamberoni again and a garlic bread. Gamberoni was not as good as the first time I had it and the pizza kept reminding me of a Domino's meatlovers so maybe won't go for that pizza next time.Garlic bread was fine. The cost was $49.50, just under the $50 voucher :)
Both times they were happy honouring the JumpOnIt but the only trick for new players is that the voucher does not include drinks. Also, I am not sure why they don't check the validity of the vouchers before receiving them. I guess Brentwood is a pretty affluent area.
I have one more voucher to use and look forward to it, but time is ticking as the voucher expires in June!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Perth invaded by Group Buys
Well you may be sitting there wondering what's happened in Perth in the last 12 months. Not much unless you have an internet connection in which case you would have noticed an avalanche of group buy deal websites like Scoopon, Jumponit, Cudo, Spreets, Stardeals and on and on and on.
What's a Group Buy?
Well, you know how you used to go to FAL to get stuff cheap because you would buy things in bulk? Well, some websites decided to source deals that would only get activated if a number of people bought in on it. Your local restaurant will give a 50% off if you can find 100 other people to also prepay for a voucher.
Who wins?
Well depends. The website wins because they get a cut of every coupon sold. The customers win when they use the coupon (often, its more like if they CAN get to use the coupon.. more on that later). The restaurant wins when you don't use your coupon cos they still have your money.
Yeah, so why this website?
Everyone jumps on a bandwagon but often many people fall off it and get hurt. However, the bandwagon carries on its merry way. We don't like this. Many people get stung by deals that go sour and nobody gets warned about it as the bandwagon rolls back into Perth.
On the OTHER hand, some wonderful deals are to be had and businesses to be praised for their response to honouring the coupons that they put out. If you have had a great or a bad experience with group buy websites, we want to know the details. We'll improve how we do this as we go along but for now, feel free to leave comments to the posts.
What's a Group Buy?
Well, you know how you used to go to FAL to get stuff cheap because you would buy things in bulk? Well, some websites decided to source deals that would only get activated if a number of people bought in on it. Your local restaurant will give a 50% off if you can find 100 other people to also prepay for a voucher.
Who wins?
Well depends. The website wins because they get a cut of every coupon sold. The customers win when they use the coupon (often, its more like if they CAN get to use the coupon.. more on that later). The restaurant wins when you don't use your coupon cos they still have your money.
Yeah, so why this website?
Everyone jumps on a bandwagon but often many people fall off it and get hurt. However, the bandwagon carries on its merry way. We don't like this. Many people get stung by deals that go sour and nobody gets warned about it as the bandwagon rolls back into Perth.
On the OTHER hand, some wonderful deals are to be had and businesses to be praised for their response to honouring the coupons that they put out. If you have had a great or a bad experience with group buy websites, we want to know the details. We'll improve how we do this as we go along but for now, feel free to leave comments to the posts.
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