If Groupon is your go-to for great deals and savings, kudos to you and your happy wallet. But the thing is, it’s not all that great for some services.

When you are picking out vendors for important events (weddings, office parties, birthday parties) you probably have a budget you want to stick to. So, Groupon to the rescue?

Maybe not. And here’s why:

1. You Get What You Pay For With Groupon Photo Booths

You know the saying, “You get what you pay for?” 

Well, it rings true, loud and clear when it comes to vendors on Groupon. 

Many times, photo booth vendors on Groupon are using it to make a quick buck. You see, Groupon takes a pretty hefty chunk of every sale vendors makes. It’s usually a whopping 50% of each sale!

So what’s the incentive for vendors to put wear-and-tear on their best equipment during low-paying gigs? 

There really isn’t any.

They’d probably rather hang on to their good stuff for the people who are willing to pay what the service and equipment is worth.

2. Poor Equipment Equals Poor Quality Photos

Do you really want grainy photos and crumby props at your event? 

You probably could’ve just used a selfie stick and saved yourself a few pennies. And to be honest, once your guests see the poor quality of their photo booth sesh, they’ll probably just stick to their smartphones and toss the prints. 

3. Groupon Doesn’t Guarantee a Photo Booth Attendant

Worse yet, you may not have an attendant at all if you purchase a cheap deal from Groupon. And if that low-quality equipment malfunctions or guests need help, you’re on your own.  

A good photo booth vendor prides themselves on customer service. They either have attendants at all events, or they offer a stellar booth that’s super simple to use. 

4. Groupon Photo Booth Vendors May Not Be Reliable

When you book a vendor for a special occasion, you need to be able to count on them to show up with bells and whistles. They better be there on time to set up equipment and, more importantly, show up in the first place. 

We’ve heard horror stories about Groupon photo booth vendors ditching out on events, never showing up, or ghosting clients a few days before the big event. 

If you’re wondering how those clients handled it…they called us and we were there to save the day! So no worries!

5. A Disappointing Deal

Here’s the kicker…in order for Groupon vendors to make any profit on their sales, they hike up the regular price just to make it look like you’re getting a huge deal. 

In fact, they’re going to make what they want on the sale regardless of any perceived discount they offer to you. 

And to make matters worse, if you aren’t careful, most of these offers will be bare bones. Meaning you’ll be hit with hidden fees for things that should come with the photo booth in the first place (like props, backdrops, prints). 

In the end, the money you spend to “upgrade” your Groupon deal to get what you want could have been well-spent on a quality photo booth from a vendor who cares about you and your guests.