I contacted LivingSocial to return 4 certificates that I purchased from them for discounted Kayak rentals from a local company. The certificates did not expire for two more months, but LivingSocial refused to take them back or provide even a purchase credit.

The reason for the return is that I visited the kayak vendor rental company for another purchase and found the vendor to be disorganized (late for my rental appointment), inconsistent (charged for services not mentioned on the original offer), and a bit "creepy" according to my daughter. I told this to the LivingSocial agent and let her know that neither my daughter nor I had any intention of ever visiting this vendor again.

The response from LivingSocial both over the phone and in a subsequent e-mail is that their "return policy is 5 days from purchase; after that, they do not accept returns". I would have been happy with a credit to my account, but LivingSocial would not do anything other than recite their policy to me at least 4 times in our conversation.

I found their Customer Service person to be short and condescending with me. They questioned me way beyond what I thought should be acceptable and then told me my reasons were not valid and would not warrant a return or credit. I was on the phone with them for about 20 minutes and was very angry with how poorly they treated me. I own a large company and if we treated our customers this way, we would likely be out of business.

I've used several other internet "deal" companies and on the few occasions that I've had to return a certificate, I've found them very agreeable and helpful. I'm no longer going to use LivingSocial and I encourage other consumers to think twice before using LivingSocial.

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6 Updates & Rebuttals

Ken

Colorado,
USA

Why does your company even have policies if they are just casually enforced?

#2Consumer Comment

Sun, January 08, 2012

Here's an excerpt of the Terms and Conditions from Living Social's site:

10. RefundsLivingSocial will provide a refund of the purchase price paid by you for any Deal within five days after the purchase of a Voucher, provided that the Voucher has not yet been redeemed. After five days, we do not provide refunds except that we will provide a refund if you are unable to redeem a Voucher before the applicable expiration of the Voucher because the relevant Merchant has gone out of business.

Not really too difficult to understand, but you know that as they told you several times.

"The response from LivingSocial both over the phone and in a subsequent e-mail is that their "return policy is 5 days from purchase; after that, they do not accept returns". I would have been happy with a credit to my account, but LivingSocial would not do anything other than recite their policy to me at least 4 times in our conversation."

I can't even guess why anyone would believe they'd enforce their policy...go figure.

wmplace

Tampa,
Florida,
USA

Your Response Speaks for Itself

#3Author of original report

Sat, January 07, 2012

This is the kind of Customer Service you can expect from LivingSocial.com.

Robert

Irvine,
California,
U.S.A.

Gee was I wrong?

#4Consumer Comment

Sat, January 07, 2012

Well perhaps I was wrong I guess as a good businessperson you must make exceptions for EVERYONE who asks. Who cares if they want to use a coupon that expired in 1979, YOU want to make sure that they are happy. Who cares if they bought something 3 years ago and want to return it because it no longer works, after all the only thing that matters to you is that they are a happy customer. Who cares if even though the item inside the box is perfect, if the box has a small mark on it you give them 75% off after all your only purpose is to be sure the customer is happy.

Oh wait, you say those are silly comparisons. Then I guess you must feel that a store has the right to hold to their policies if they see fit. If that is the case I guess you do feel that policies are great until they no longer work to your advantage. So in the end this has nothing to do with being guilty until proven innocent, it has to do with a store who is holding you to their policies. If you don't like their policies then don't patronize them. If they make an exception for you..great that is their choice, but for them holding you to their policies and not returning the offer is not a RipOff.

Oh and the "You must be an employee" is pretty much SOP on this site and the only thing that does is make you look silly. Because if you actually looked around you would see that I and others post on many...many companies on both sides.

wmplace

Tampa,
Florida,
USA

Yes, I do

#5Author of original report

Sat, January 07, 2012

Perhaps not as large as LivingSocial.com, but we employ 150 people, so technically a small business. And yes, we do have problems where our staff don't always respond as I would to a complaint. But, we constantly remind them that to lose a customer costs us far more than to make an exception, and we empower them to make exceptions. We do this with such things as accepting an expired coupon, reducing the price on merchandise to be competitive, or just providing a discount or free item when a customer has found our service to not be up to par. When I made a return to Groupon, their Customer Service was excellent -- they did ask why, I told them, and they said "no problem". So, I will use Groupon again, but will quickly "unsubscribe" to LivingSocial.com.

Your comments curiously sound like the kind of reponse I received from LivingSocial Customer Service. They questioned me like I was wrong to even expect some consideration. When I told them I had visited their vendor and found them "creepy" and not a business I wanted to patronize, they even questioned that I had done so. I felt like I was being treated as guilty until proven innocent.

In any case, I hope these comments help you re-evaluate your customer service. This is the first ripoff report I have filed on an internet company (and I've only ever filed one other), so I don't make this a practice; it's only when I feel seriously wronged that I do.

Flynrider

Phoenix,
Arizona,
USA

Kinda funny

#6Consumer Comment

Fri, January 06, 2012

I find it a bit humorous that this owner of a large company does not understand basic published return policies. Then again, LivingSocial has probably not been notified that this person is special and should be automatically exempted from any of these policies, simply by making a phone call. That's what they do at all of the well run "large companies" that I do business with. Hahaha!

Robert

Irvine,
California,
U.S.A.

Oh you do

#7Consumer Comment

Fri, January 06, 2012

I own a large company and if we treated our customers this way, we would likely be out of business.
- So you own a "large" company. Okay as part of your "large" company I would imagine that you have a various policies in place for your customers and employees.

When someone wants you to make an exception to your policy, what do you do? Since you want LivingSocial to make an exception for you, I am guessing that you make an exception for EVERYONE who asks you to make an exception for them. Or is this another case where you think policies are great..right up to the point where they no longer work to your advantage.

Or is this a case where your business is so perfect, your employees are wonderful, and your customers so great that you don't need to have any policies.

I do thank you for one thing though. I have used LivingSocial but have never bought any deals because I thought that the purchases you made are "final" and I wasn't sure I would be able to use them. So thank you for letting me know they actually have a 5 day return policy. So once again..Thanks

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