CMA urges Groupon to commit to improve customer service

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has urged Groupon to commit to improve its customer services.

On August 9, the CMA wrote to Groupon outlining its specific concerns about Groupon’s compliance with consumer protection law and warning that if Groupon did not change its conduct it could face court action.

The CMA was concerned that Groupon was not responding satisfactorily to customer complaints and was not always providing customers with the refunds and other forms of redress, such as replacement items, to which the CMA considers they were legally entitled.

Now Groupon has committed to give refunds to some customers who were previously not given the option within the next seven days and paid within 14 days of their response.

Also, a banner will be placed on the homepage of the Groupon website and app for the next 60 days outlining details on the availability of refunds.

A new team will be established to investigate deals when a certain number of customers get in touch with Groupon about their purchase.

Groupon has also committed to ensure mystery shopping exercises are carried out.

CMA chief executive, Andrea Coscelli, said: “So much of business relies on trust. It’s essential that people shopping online receive what they ordered and are supported if things go wrong, quickly receiving any refund they are due.

“We welcome that Groupon has now committed to address concerns about customer service issues and ensure it is abiding by the law, so that people can feel more confident shopping online in the future.”

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