Groupon and Denny's a Duo Misleading People?

This may be yet another case of .

The deal is here (until it's possibly taken down or revised): https://www.groupon.com/deals/dennys-17416112

The screenshot they cannot change I've taken is here: https://screencast.com/t/1lgtT6V4m

And the details ("Fine Print" and "About" sections) of the deal here: https://screencast.com/t/1lgtT6V4m

Notice that About section too--it speaks of the many (>1,000) Franchise locations.

Now, take a look at the details of the buy page: https://screencast.com/t/0XWfvTj1X

Notice: nothing about limits. Just "Denny's." (Same is true if you scroll-down, I've just not put the documents retained into the public screenshot since I don't want to put any credit card details online!)

Just to be thorough, here is what you see on "My Groupons" after making this purchase: https://screencast.com/t/DszA4giDydR

But something strange happens. You notice on the "My Groupons" page, when you click "View Details",
https://screencast.com/t/Soe4KfLeqoT

You see this: https://screencast.com/t/eJezqXnex

Notice on the right: https://screencast.com/t/eJezqXnex

The "Fine Print", of course, says the same on this page--no mention of limits to one Denny's or another: https://screencast.com/t/lQAXuSYi

To keep being thorough, in that box to the right, "Company Website" links to...http://www.dennys.com/, the generic site.

So the confusion becomes, what's with the inconsistent details? Why does the location say that Denny's is the merchant (the generic, overall brand/franchise corporation) with what you can see but, when you go back to double-look, then hover-over "Denny's" in the location area, there it points you to a "merchant map"which happens to have an address that is not generic which is...beneath all the other details on your screen, including the fine print--and the "About" section suggesting this is for Denny's overall, not a specific location or franchise???

https://screencast.com/t/t9Vupl3po

For special insight, here is how a location-specific (details commented on screenshot) add posted to Groupon usually appears:

https://screencast.com/t/t9Vupl3po

Is this not misleading and illegal? Yet another example of illegal practices what Groupon has been in trouble with authorities over before?


I hate to immediately be a bit confrontational but it's not like they conspire with retailers to intentionally mislead people as to whether they are getting a deal by showing higher prices than the norm and "discounting" to a price that's greater than the normal one or anything--followed by given psychopathic-signalling quasi-responses which you would get from political consultants' communications manuals...<oh wait, yes Groupon does do this>. And much more:

# Others Documenting how Groupon Manipulates through the Interface: It's like we're back in the bad old days of all the fine print being super-fine, hidden or on another page, or in a slightly-off gray to the newspaper gray to be...practically invisible.

# And MOOORE:

62 Times Groupon Mislead its Customers

5 Reasons Customers are Turning Against Groupon

ASA Bans Misleading Groupon Ads

I think I'll be reporting this to a few agencies who have oversight over this kind of thing...