Have you heard of Groupon? I'm sure it's viral everywhere in the world right now. It's a internet version of having a coupon where shops slash their prices to woo you into their shops, have their services & then try to sell you a package costing $2000 or something! ;)
Ruthlessly speaking, they basically corner you inside their den & try to make you sign a contract with them :)
Ruthlessly speaking, they basically corner you inside their den & try to make you sign a contract with them :)
Anyway, my bestfriend is addicted to Groupon. She can afford anything she wants & yet she loves the fact that she can do more with the same amount of money through Groupon. I guess it's a clever way to stretch money.
Recently, we bought brazilian IPL for $158 Singapore Dollars. It says UNLIMITED BRAZILIAN IPL FOR 2 YEARS. Then when you read the fine lines properly, you are allowed to go once a month for 6 months and for the subsequent months, you can only go once every 2 months. In general, if you wanna pay this price, be prepared to delay your success for at least 2 years.
Buying the Groupon ticket is easy. They look too good to be true. It even said it's painless. NOT!!! To get an appointment was one thing.
"Oh are you using Groupon?? Right. We are full on weekends and we are full until May !"
Wow! Shouldn't you put that in your ad as well? Once we got there, they were fine, didn't think there was an issue with IPL...u know the usual routine...are you pregnant? Do you have any allergies? Bla bla bla
Then came the part whereby they really one to make sure you are a first time customer, so they need your ID. In Singapore, as strange as it sounds, it has our race stated on it.
Yes, your ethnicity. Which is kindda weird since most Singaporeans are no longer a pure race. Me for instance, my mother is part French & Arab (Don't ask me how that happened). And my father is part Chinese & part Indian.
However, the rule in Singapore is such that your race is what your father is. So even though my dad's mom was Chinese, his dad was Indian - that made him Indian. And since my dad has INDIAN in his ID, even though I look nothing like one, my race card has to follow my dad's. Therefore I am INDIAN. Mind you there is nothing wrong being either race. It's that it's extremely misleading.
I never bothered to explain to others about my mixed ROYAL blood cocktail. Haha... I usually just say I'm Indian.
However, the rule in Singapore is such that your race is what your father is. So even though my dad's mom was Chinese, his dad was Indian - that made him Indian. And since my dad has INDIAN in his ID, even though I look nothing like one, my race card has to follow my dad's. Therefore I am INDIAN. Mind you there is nothing wrong being either race. It's that it's extremely misleading.
I never bothered to explain to others about my mixed ROYAL blood cocktail. Haha... I usually just say I'm Indian.
For instance, during this first time session, the ladies at this place didn't have any issue with me until she saw my race. She then said " We are not sure if we can do your sessions because Indians usually have dark skin and it may burn their skin."
Sadly, this reflects her ignorance. There are Indians who are fairer than my mozarella cheese husband!!
Sadly, this reflects her ignorance. There are Indians who are fairer than my mozarella cheese husband!!
I kid you not. That was what they said. So I blatantly asked "So you are saying you do not do Indian pussy?? Coz you can see that I am not dark or do you think my pussy has a different colour? "
That caught them off guard. They became very uncomfortable because I was stating the obvious & NOBODY is supposed to state the obvious here! I asked how come she didn't have any issue about my skin when I was here for that 15 minutes before she saw my ID. She obviously can see that I'm not dark that the machine would burn me like she claimed.
The ladies spoke in Chinese for a bit. The other one was saying that she shouldn't have said it that way. It sounded rude. I replied back in English (Yes, I speak Chinese as well...among 6 other languages I speak) that I understood her clearly and if she has a problem with it she can tell me.
They became awkward after that. They know that I could easily pull out the racial card here. The other one was trying to explain to me but she knows that I understood what she was saying in Chinese.
They were suddenly nice to me. They somehow know I have the higher power to do something about this.... (I didn't by the way...it's not important enough to waste my time on)
Oh.... one more thing. Why do they call it BRAZILIAN IPL?? When it's not really Brazilian! While doing it, they said that they do not do the lips (I'm not talking about the one on our face)! And I'm like, "you mean I still have to wax that part for the rest of my life?"
She just shrugged her shoulders.
Oh.... one more thing. Why do they call it BRAZILIAN IPL?? When it's not really Brazilian! While doing it, they said that they do not do the lips (I'm not talking about the one on our face)! And I'm like, "you mean I still have to wax that part for the rest of my life?"
She just shrugged her shoulders.
So, that again is misleading advertising I felt. The experience: Well, well, I won't say it's painless. It made me shriek & jump here and there but maybe because I am loud in general :) Then again my bestfriend went in and she was shrieking as well.....
The girl next to me was going in after my bestfriend but she looked a bit worried! Haha.... We did make everyone laugh though! Because we were being very silly.
Anyway, enough about the IPL ... I also bought a Hair Rebonding groupon for $18. Seriously, that's nothing! But of course, the service you get is also NOTHING!!
I called this Salon. I think it's called MINISTRY OF HAIR. I called them and told them that I just bought the Groupon that they just put up 10 minutes ago.
The woman on the phone went " You bought with Groupon? We don't do weekends and we don't do weekdays evenings. The next available slot is at 2pm on 31 of June!"
I was politely saying, sure I'll take it. "Ok." She said and she slammed the phone. Right....
This Groupon is valid for 6 months and I can only get a slot on the 2nd or 3rd month of purchase usually. Strange. Why wouldn't they put all that on their ad?
Luckily I'm not in such a hurry myself. I wasn't even sure if I even want to rebond my hair but since it's for $18, I will use the time to think.
Whatever. This Groupon thing has grown really big and everyone is trying to be in it and hope to get business with it.
Sadly, some of them who jumped into this fast moving wagon, fail to realise that the way to get business is to prove yourself from the moment when a client calls for your business.You are supposed to welcome people with open arms & make them feel like they want to come back to you. Why else would you bother slashing your prices to rock bottom?? Come on, people!!
My initial experience haven't been good. Which makes me feel this Groupon thing is a bit crass still. It will take a while before the serious upper scale people get into the game. Until then.... we will have to make do with 2nd class treatment for Groupon purchaser.....
Sadly, some of them who jumped into this fast moving wagon, fail to realise that the way to get business is to prove yourself from the moment when a client calls for your business.You are supposed to welcome people with open arms & make them feel like they want to come back to you. Why else would you bother slashing your prices to rock bottom?? Come on, people!!
My initial experience haven't been good. Which makes me feel this Groupon thing is a bit crass still. It will take a while before the serious upper scale people get into the game. Until then.... we will have to make do with 2nd class treatment for Groupon purchaser.....
Oh well.....
