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ALMOST THREE IN five consumers have signed up to an online discount site, according to research published by the National Consumer Agency.
The study, conducted by Amárach Research, found that 57 per cent of consumers have signed up to a website that offers online-only deals, such as BoardsDeals.ie, Groupon.ie or DealRush.ie. Of those who said they have signed up, 56 per cent have purchased a product or service from an online discount site – which accounts for 32 per cent of the adult population.
Although women were more likely to be signed up to a discount site, men were found to be more likely to have purchased from such a site.
Over one person in every four (28 per cent) of those who purchased from an online discount site said they had reason to be dissatisfied with their purchase, the NCA reports. The main reasons cited for the dissatisfaction were:
Most of those who felt dissatisfied with a purchase were among the 16-24 year old age group. Almost half (49 per cent) of consumers who were dissatisfied with an online deal complained, with 59 per cent lodging a complaint with the site’s company and 32 per cent complaining to the actual provider of the product or service.
The study found that just over half of those who complained (52 per cent) felt they had their complaint resolved.
Consumers’ attitude to online deals was overwhelmingly positive overall, with just under 9 in 10 (87 per cent) of customers who had previously purchased from a discount site saying that they would buy from the same site again.
The two age groups found to be most likely to repeat purchases were 16-24 years old and those aged above 55.
The National Consumer Agency conducted the study via an online omnibus involving a nationally representative sample of 1,005 adults aged 16+. Fieldwork was conducted between 21st – 30th November 2011.
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Online shopping is the way forward
What they don’t look at in these stats is that for a lot of online deals sites such as Groupon, you have to enter an email address just to get on to the website and see the deals – while it’s still a ‘signup’, it might not have the same level of purchasing intent.
visit http://www.mydealpage.ie – it gives an instant overview of all the deals sites. Or if you do decide to sign up with your email address you’ll get just one daily email with all the deals!
the journalist a few articles back might nite be happy with the use if a woman in the picture to sell the story
Not. stupid tucking autocorect
Fatcheese is the business. The ‘deals’ sites are pretty shite unless youre a woman, they are heavily loaded with beauticians & hairdressers etc. very little for men on them.
Online deal sites = shit people dont want so we’ll sell it cheap
Fact
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