Interview with Julie Mossler from Groupon
Discount Freebies interviewed Julie Anne Mossler, PR & Consumer Marketing Manager from Groupon who graciously gave of her time to answer a few questions and make a special offer for Discount Freebies followers.
How long have you been working for Groupon?
One year
What is it like to work for Groupon?
It’s crazy, but really great. Some days with the amount of activity it's not unlike navigating through an airport terminal. We have seventy people starting every two weeks...I don't see it dying down anytime soon!
What do you like the best about Groupon?
Definitely the people.
What is the most fun part of your job?
The nerdy part of me loves accomplishing publicity from things like Nightline. Beyond that, there are so many bizarre things going on...practical jokes are very popular here. Every day is different.
Please tell us a little about your company.
What makes us special is the fact we provide a daily service with our deals, but customer service throughout the duration of the Groupon period is a priority too. We have a no questions asked return policy. If a merchant or Groupon ever lets you down, you get 100% of your money back. We pride ourselves in being a company we as customers would want to shop with.
Merchants enjoy working with us because we're unlike any other form of advertising they've tried. Traditionally they were cutting a check up front without any guarantee a person would come through your doors. With Groupon, customers are buying the vouchers up front and therefore far more likely to visit a business to redeem.
How many cities and countries do you currently cover?
29 countries
250 markets
20 million subscribers worldwide
How did Groupon grow to keep pace with demand?
A big part is hiring. We have a work hard, play hard culture. We purchased our largest clone, Citydeal, in April, which allowed us to expand into Europe overnight.
What type of selection process does a business go through to be able to be chosen for a Groupon?
- Positive online reviews
- Websites with pricing
- Word of mouth
Our deals pass through 8 levels of quality control teams to make sure facts are accurate and a business meets our standards.
What were some of your favorite deals?
I love music, so concert deals are my favorite. I was able to see Elton John and Billy Joel at Wrigley Field! I tend to buy a lot of custom Groupons, like wine and jewelry, as gifts.
Favorite possible future deal?
I'm still trying to convince myself to buy Sky Diving!
Is Groupon related to any other social group discount businesses?
No
Why should people choose Groupon over any place that offers group discounts and deals?
This is only place I would shop. I was a customer before I worked here. We are proactive in emailing people if a problem occurs. It’s the kind of business you want to work with. We have a customer service call center. All in all, it's a very transparent company and I think that's apparent to consumers and merchants. It’s a really fun company to interact with.
What’s on the horizon for Groupon?
We are looking at affiliates to provide value to subscribers. We did a major partnership with the Gap with a Groupon that ran in all states. It was very successful. We are working with McClatchy Newspapers.
What is the name of the Groupon cat?
It’s called “Groupon the Cat”. He's incredibly wise and often knows more than our writers do.
Any special deals for the Discount Freebies audience?
We can give away a Groupon credit of $25 to two of your readers.
Thank you very much Julie!
Please see our blog at Discount Freebies Blog for other details, including the post of Friday, October 22, 2010. The rules for trying to get the giveaway were posted on the blog. The start of the giveaway time was announced there also. Only emails timed after the start of the giveaway period were be considered. We had two winners and no ties.
In case there would have been a tie, preference would have be given to those registered on the Discount Freebies blog as followers and to the same on Twitter. In case of a tie between followers, preference would have been given to those who have signed up for both as followers.
You can sign up on Twitter as a follower at Twitter:DiscountFreeBs and for the blog at Discount Freebies Blog.
Post Interview Note (March 2011)
