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ONLINE COUPON VENDOR Groupon has been censured by Ireland’s advertising watchdog over a misleading deal offered on exclusive beauty products.
The initial Groupon email gave customers the option to buy either a standard or deluxe health and beauty ‘mystery gift’ for €5.99 or €8.99 respectively.
The complainant in this instance bought the deluxe edition. The blurb for same mentions eight separate products, including a three-in-one nail polisher, Olay face wash, a face mitt, and Tresemme Oleo radiance oil.
It also suggests that one customer in 40 would receive something from a list of exclusive brand products, such as Christian Louboutin shoes, a Prada handbag, or GHD hair straighteners.
The customer who complained actually received a pack of six assorted peel-off nail polishes, a pack of assorted blending sponges, and an eyebrow stencil tool.
She complained that the products received were inferior to what had been advertised.
In response, Groupon said that the point of the deal was that customers would be sent a ‘mystery’ gift, ie the nature of which would be unclear until they actually received it.
Value
They said that the value of the received goods was in fact more than four times that which the customer had paid, adding that if the customer were to receive everything on the list the deal could not be described as a ‘mystery gift’.
The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI), in its ruling, noted that ‘there was no indication that customers would receive only one’ of the gifts listed under each of the options given.
It also noted that the woman in question had received some products that had been listed under the ‘standard’ option, rather than the ‘deluxe’ one which she had paid for.
It said that if the ‘mystery gift’ consisted of just one option from the list of products given, then that should have been clearly indicated in the advertising. The absence of that inclusion constituted several breaches of the ASAI’s code, it said.
In conclusion, the ASAI said that the advertisement should ‘not be used in its current format again’, and that the company should ‘exercise greater care in the preparation of similar offers to ensure that consumers know how many items they will receive prior to purchase’ in future.
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Can a happy event like this not occur without the usual gobxxxtes crawling into the light with their “witty” comments. As a dog lover I found this a very emotional moment. My condolences to all who lost their lives or suffered…..
I’m a dog lover too but I feel it’s a rather insensitive story considering the tragedy that has occurred. 20 parents have lost their kids and yet they have to endure someone on the main networks telling them that she prayed to her god and he saved her dog. Think how the people whose kids are dead feel with this being blasted around the networks. It’s sick.
So nobody can be happy for fear of upsetting others?
Great, when you thought you’d seen all the idiots…here comes another attention seeking one
It’s the typical bible belt reporting that’s sick, no matter what the story, find someone saying god saved someone/thing and run with that. Oh, cute doggy. Even better.
Exactly Stephen. Who cares if she believes it was God or pot luck that kept him safe? You can be happy for her and still sympathise with the bereaved families. And in case nobody noticed, her home is now a pile of rubble! If her dog is a comfort to her, who are we to complain??
Well said Maria the dog is probably the only thing the poor lady has left
Isn’t it true to say that life is more precious than any possessions!
where i come from we consider dog a delicacy…..hard to get it in ireland tho
Thats ruff Aziz
Hang on, so because we don’t eat dog, that makes people who do come from dumps?? So… Is your narrow mindedness limited to food or other things as well? This lad is a troll but your comment is off the mark imo. There are hundreds of millions of people who consider any meat up for the eating, just because we choose no to doesn’t make them savages.
People consider a dog’s life way more important than a humans life, thats whats sad, very sad.
What does the reunion between this elderly lady and her dog have to do with the existence of god or not?? Can we not just embrace a happy story (however small) from this terrible event. She lost all of her possessions except now for her pet dog which is alot more than most have come away with. I for one am very happy for her & her dog
I saw that earlier in full on Skynews, she was giving a really frank perspective to the reporter and the reporter was asking kinda dumb questions before the dog appeared. It really pulled at the heart strings when her little pet came out of the rubble. All she cared about was her dog, it was so sad and yet so lovely to watch at the same time.
lovely heart warming story spoiled by a few thicks! I’m so happy some of you stopped licking your windows long enough to show the rest of us just how pathetic you really are! now back to your windows! happy for lady and her wee dog. R.i.P to those who lost their lives.
It appears every storm has a silver lining
God takes out an elementary school and saves and old lady’s dog. Must be a really just god.
But who’s more likely to have committed sins? The dog or….
It was a tornado that took out the schools, not god
…the old lady ?
My point exactly
Mike,
Elementary school children have not sinned. What a stupid thing to say.
And there is no God.
Lads ye should meet up and get your cult organised
@Hugo Not believing in a god without evidence whatsoever is cultish now ? Think about it. It’s the complete opposite.
Jack Bauer-idiot.
I lol’d!
Ciaran,
Why am I an idiot?
Because I don’t believe in a made up fairy tale?
Yeah, I’m the idiot.
Hilarious
Jack i’m just going to spit this out here,
I can never take anything you say seriously since Lisa Coyne hit ya with a comment one day with
“Your the detective, you work it out”
So anytime you post a question as in the two above I automatically think Jack Bauer should already know these answers
Hugo,
I’m just going to spit this out,
Get a life and stop stalking me.
Thanks.
Ohh someone is cranky
Idiots, I guess a few here not parents, not the place for your God/no God crap, show some heart…
It was a natural disaster that took out the school not god , with so much horror in the world can you not just let the little old lady believe what she wants to get though this this terrible time for her and her community , have some heart and compassion man
Awww that would tweak the heart strings!
Can’t believe some of the bickering comments people make. Glad that the old lady is okay and her pooch is well and safe.
For the people above who are critical of people saying “god help us” or something similar, I would like to hear what you would say in a similar situation when you are screaming for help while shitting your pants?!
There are no atheists in foxholes and thats a fact.
I suggest you watch the documentary on Pat Tillman….get back to me about atheists in foxholes then.
Lovely story but did it annoy anyone else that the stupid reporters stood there and let an old woman remove rubble herself instead of helping her? Just stand by and watch and hold a bloody microphone instead of getting stuck in and helping her get the dog out. ‘ Get the story’ being the priority instead of assisting an old woman and her dog. Regardless of the brutal journalism and ridiculous interview skills of the reporter, it’s a nice story though.
Poor toto
God, the comments on the journal drive me nuts!
This is a story about a woman finding her dog Graham. And proclaiming that her prayers to God had been answered.
So, yes, it is the place for a God/no God debate. Now run along
Death toll revised down to 24
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