Group Buying Code

Group buying is a service, often online, that allows you to access products and services at significant discounts based on the number of people who buy them.

Some of the more respected companies offering this service include Cudo, Deals.com.au, Groupon, Living Social, Ouffer and Scoopon.

Group buying offers benefits both consumers and companies. Consumers, such as yourself, benefit from being able to access discounts on compelling activities and experiences. Companies benefit from being able to access new customers, and promote their business to a broader audience.

This new way of accessing products and services is rapidly growing.

 As the industry association representing Australia’s leading marketing and advertising organisations, ADMA has developed a Group Buying Code of Conduct. It is there to protect you, and provide ADMA Members with a guide to their conduct.

The ADMA Group Buying Code of Conduct

You can download the full details of the Group Buying Code of Conduct (PDF 1.3MB).

Group Buying Code of Conduct

In essence, the Code has been developed to:

  • Ensure that consumers have access to the product and service information you need to make informed choices
  • Give you additional confidence that the signatory organisation that you are dealing with will act in a fair, honest, ethical way
  • Give you additional confidence that the group buying industry is compliant with relevant laws including the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Privacy Act 1988 including the National Privacy Principles and the Spam Act 2003
  • Provide you with the ability to raise issues with the confidence that your complaint will be treated fairly and in an honest and ethical way

Complaints

The Australian Group Buying Code of Conduct includes an independent, transparent and open complaint-handling process. The complaint handling process will be managed by the ADMA Code Authority.

Leading Australian group buying organisations have shown support for this initiative by becoming signatories to the code.

Signatories include:

  • Cudo
  • Deals.com.au
  • Groupon
  • Living Social
  • Ouffer
  • Our Deal
  • Scoopon

If you have contacted the company involved and you still have an issue, you may make a formal complaint online now.