Online Deal Gone Bad (Updated!)
When you buy an online deal, how do you know a store will honor it? Today, I walked into Posh Nail Spa in Dallas Texas with a “Posh Manicure and Pedicure” voucher that I purchased through Gilt City, and I found out the hard way that not everything is what it seems online.
I purchased my voucher from two weeks ago, as I just loved the name. I thought I check it out by buying the voucher in hopes of this being my “go-to nail salon.” I called Posh Nail Spa, and I made my appointment notifying that I had a voucher. I walked in, and again shared my voucher, and the nail technician began working on my feet. She was friendly, and the appointment was going so well, that I was looking at my calendar when to book again.
And then, it happened. I looked at the time. It was 60 minutes into the appointment when I asked my nail tech how much longer it would be. The voucher said “60-minute manicure and pedicure duo.” I really got no answer other than, please check with our receptionist to reschedule the manicure, which I did. Instead of booking service or even asking how much longer I had, Maggie the receptionist said “I am sorry but you used a coupon, and we don’t provide the service that we do for those who pay full price.” Oh, no she didn’t. If you know me, you know that I am not a fan of the word coupon. (I know, I know.) Then, she went on to say she would not provide the manicure except for following the pedicure. Note: I could have stayed longer, but the poor language to a customer, her arrogance and lack of respect for me made me upset that I just had to leave.
The nail tech nicely finished my pedicure. She asked if I was returning, so she could finish my package, in which I directed that the receptionist was NOT allowing this to happen. Maggie the recpetionist blamed her owner as informing her that she must treat customers with “coupons” differently as “you really didn’t pay for the service.” So, I ended up NOT getting the neck & shoulder massage or the manicure as I paid to Gilt City.
Lesson is beware of using deal sites like Gilt City. Lesson learned that I will NEVER go to this nail place again. Customers should be treated the same across the board. Posh Nail Spa is a HUGE oxymoron as it was not “posh” or a “spa.” Avoid it at all cost, and head to Hollywood Nails. 🙂
UPDATE: After notifying Gilt City about my service from Posh Nail Spa, they responded:
Hi Jennifer,
We sincerely thank you for providing your feedback on your Gilt City experience with Posh Nail Spa.
At Gilt City, we strive to provide you with excellent, luxurious and stress free experiences. After reading your post, we can see that you clearly did not receive the treatment we had in mind for you. We sincerely apologize that some services for which you paid for were not fulfilled. We completely agree that customers should be treated the same across the board. Contrary to what they told you at Posh, you did pay for those services, and you were entitled to them. We thank you for bringing it to our attention that this vendor does not seem to agree. It is very difficult to determine the caliber of how a vendor will treat our members prior to doing business with them and we are indebted to you for recounting your experience for us.
As you did not receive the extent of the services you paid for, we have issued a full refund for your Gilt City purchase.
We again offer our sincere apologies for the experience you underwent. We thank you and encourage you to keep providing us with your feedback in the future.
Best,
Rachel
Gilt City
Thank you, Gilt City! I will try you again, but next time, I might just buy products and foods, like Lilly suggested in my below comments.
Jennifer
Wife. Mom. Editor. Host. Speaker. Culinary Explorer. Fashionista. Altruist. Persuader. Coffee Aficionado. Arachnophobic.
10 Comments
Dawn
Good to know! Had that happen to me after I bought a Groupon for my own dermatologist’s office! They made me wait almost an hour for Botox before I finally had to reschedule. Grrr…
messwright
Thanks for your honesty, Jennifer. I actually passed this place the other day and considered going in. Obviously, that’s never gonna happen after reading this post and the mis-guided philosophy of its “owner.”
I do want to point out, however, that Gilt City is not at fault for anything here. How could they know Posh would treat their customers like beggars (at best) and losers (at worse)? I would only find fault with the Gilt folks if you reported this bad service to them (which you should) and they continued to run deals for Posh (which they shouldn’t).
I personally have had two wonderful experiences because of Gilt City deals. The first was a discounted facial package I bought for FaceLogic. It was a wonderful experience, and I have since purchased a membership. It’s my go-to place for skin care and nice gifts for my girlfriends now.
My other Gilt City experience was as a vendor. I offered half off my Summer Camps at The Lab, and half of the customers that purchased those deals have come back. One of the people has even become a good friend and offered me free legal help (she’s a lawyer) at a time where I was desperate for some professional help.
My point is, don’t throw the proverbial baby out with the crappy, murky Posh foot bath water!
Jennifer B
Great points, Mess! I actually did contact Gilt, whom I haven’t heard back from (BUT it just happened today, sooo). I have also had GREAT success with other Gilt deals like Fresh Diet. I am just flabbergasted at the nail salon’s behavior.
Lilly
This is always soo disappointing. Sorry to hear that you were a victim of the group deal gone wrong! My friend works for Groupon and gave me some hard, fast rules that I try to live by unless I know the vendor well. No services, just product and food! He said the most likely to get overwhelmed are salon/spa/massage, house cleaning and auto detail. The rest just churn out more product. Seems to have been the case for me!
Lilly
pancakesandbeetjuice.com
Jennifer B
Lilly, that is great advice! I’ll remember that for the future 🙂
Ricky Cadden
That’s pretty absurd. Any good business owner should know that, if anything, you might treat customers using a coupon a smidge better, because they’re most likely testing your service. Give them a reason to come back when they can’t find a coupon. You’re definitely better off.
Haley Schultheis
I hope Gilt gives you the refund you deserve.
Dallas Single Mom Examiner
This is horrible. Thanks for spreading the word and hopefully writing a related yelp and google review as well.
For some reason I don’t use Groupons or vouchers and the sort for personal care services because I typically understand why businesses use these daily deals sites and that is because:
1) So new they don’t have customers
2) So bad they don’t have customers
Both of which deters me from using either inexperienced or horrible stylists and technicians. I agree though about Gilt City, they are a very good site for lots of things and I love their goods deals a lot.
However I am also a spur of the moment gal that likes to get my dud done at the last minute and when my mind feels like it. So typically I never get the vouchers for that either since I’ll pay a premium for on the dime service.
I do love Hollywood Nails.
Allison
I don’t understand why a business would participate in using a daily deal if they were only going to be so rude about it. Blah. Next time, head to Pampered Soles on Lovers Lane and you won’t be disappointed.
Jennifer B
Thanks, Allison, for the recommendation! I’ll have to head there soon for my manicure 🙂