Carnivore Club Groupon

A reader recently pointed us to this Groupon for the Carnivore Club, a subscription meat-delivery service that TINA.org was disappointed to learn does not double as a meat lovers dating site (what, you’ve never heard of Sizzl?). Alas, Carnivore Club members who receive four to six cured meats a month aren’t looking for a soul mate as much as meat plate.

But to get back to the Groupon. The reader cried false advertising over the 40 percent savings claim, arguing that one can purchase the same premium meat crate on the Carnivore Club website for $55 (shipping included):

So basically you pay $5 more on Groupon to get a $15 credit for the future so they ensure you come back?

TINA.org brought the issue to Carnivore Club Founder and CEO Tim Ray. Ray said the premium meat crate is only available via Groupon. It used to be sold on the company website for $85 (thus the $100 value after adding the $15 credit). But here’s the rub: The premium crate contains the same amount of meat as the package one receives with a one-month membership purchased on the Carnivore Club website for $55.

The only difference between the package sold on Groupon and the package sold on the company website, aside from the cost, is the packaging itself, Ray said. The premium meat crate is “a handmade wooden crate, basically a keepsake, instead of a throwaway,” he said.

The Groupon does not disclose that the same amount of meat can be purchased for $5 less on the Carnivore Club website through a one-month membership.

Be wary of bloated advertised savings appearing on Groupon.