Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Is this FAQ going to be a waste of time?
  2. What is dealVITA?
  3. Who is dealVITA?
  4. Is there a downside to using dealVITA?
  5. Does dealVITA restrict my options of deal sites?
  6. Fine, but do you only have bad options, because you're new?
  7. Will dealVITA save me, a merchant, money?
  8. How long does it take to get set up on dealVITA? Or, how much of a commitment is this?
  9. Does it matter whether I know what I want to offer and at what terms?
  10. What does it mean to "be pitched"? How do I opt to be pitched?
  11. Privacy. What are you going to do with my information?
  12. So, how often will you spam me?
  13. In that case, why did Apple get so big?
  14. Does dealVITA "automate" daily deals? I mean — does it take out the human element? We like the human element, because daily deals is a financial risk.
  15. What terms can I specify to deal sites?
  16. Will dealVITA ever charge merchants money?
  17. Are you hiring? I see an option for "Jobs" on the "Contact" page.
  18. What's this "secret feature" you mentioned?
  19. Are you only in the United States?

Is this FAQ going to be a waste of time?top »

This is a good FAQ, really. We took some time to write it. We've updated it a few times as well. Actually, there are some pretty good jokes in it, I mean not typical, "look how clever" we are jokes, but I'm talking real, joke jokes. We also snuck in some links to interesting material in a few of the questions. They're there to be found. Finally, it's an honest man's FAQ. No deception or spin here. So please sit back and enjoy this FAQ.

What is dealVITA?top »

You don't deal with airlines directly, do you? I bet you go to a comparison site... am I right? So if you're a merchant thinking about daily deals, why wouldn't you do the same, I mean if you could? Well... now you can. Having launched on June 6th, we are the first marketplace type-of-site for merchants doing daily deals. An airline comparison site is a smart analogy. We are a Kayak.com: See what options are out there, find out who can offer you what and when, and then either pick a deal site and get hooked up with them via our site, or say "no," and keep going it on your own... The choice is yours.

Who is dealVITA?top »

Richard discovered this site on a USB drive when he was going through a box in his grandfather's attic. Extremely happy, he loaded it onto a computer. A startup was born. Since then, dealVITA has grown into a motley crew of Zach, David, Abhi, Richard, Frederick the intern, and an expanding sales force, all living in San Francisco, working out of our well-decorated Market St. office. A more detailed page with results of our photo shoot coming soon.

Is there a downside to using dealVITA? top »

5 minutes of your life you could be practicing the piano. But you're bad about doing that anyway, so no, not really. It's free for merchants, and it's a quick and painless set up. If for some reason you don't find dealVITA useful, you are free to walk away. Just call us before you do; we can probably still help. Until we reach 8 million users (that gives you until next Tuesday, analysts predict), we'll give you as much personal attention as you need. We know daily deals, we know the different needs for different businesses, we know the deal sites. Being useful is the reason we're here.

Does dealVITA restrict my options of deal sites? top »

A resounding nope. We have no special agreements with deal sites, and we don't plan on it. Any and all sites who meet our quality standards and who want to do business with you can get in touch. We have a "deal site preferences" section as well, where you can control the sites that contact you. A lot of "exchanges" or "self-serving" platforms (pun intended), can really restrict your options. So beware.

Fine, but do you only have bad options, because you're new? top »

Ouch, buddy. No! We'll put any deal site at your doorstep. Challenge us.

Will dealVITA save me, a merchant, money?top »

Very likely! Request an 80-20 revenue split in your favor (not 50-50). You'll be surprised that — yes — quality deal sites will still want to work with you. Your bottom line says thanks. We have a few other tactics that will also save you money (see the second-to-last question), but we want to chat on the phone first.

How long does it take to get set up on dealVITA? Or, how much of a commitment is this?top »

You could be up and running in under 5 minutes. Fill out a form or two, and voilà! Explore our resources and get connected with the right deal site.

Does it matter whether I know what I want to offer and at what terms?top »

Nope, no worries. Use dealVITA to figure out what you want. Pick the brain of another merchant from your industry. Or if you want deal sites to do all the work — click "I want to be pitched" on your profile (see next question), and deal sites can help design a package for you.

What does "be pitched" mean? How do I opt to be pitched?top »

Being pitched means you don't have a clear idea of what you want to offer in your deal, and you'd like deal sites to help you figure it out. Selecting "yes" means deal sites can pitch you ideas to help design a deal. You can also call us, and we'll give good suggestions.

Privacy. What are you going to do with my information?top »

Sell it so we can pay Frederick, the intern who entered the 500+ deal sites in our system. Well, no, just joking. It will just sit there on our site, safe and sound. Deal sites will be able to view some of your information (they have to know some things about you), but never your contact info, and they are legally forbidden from passing on your information to third parties. In case you are wondering, we require a phone number and name so we can call and verify who you say you are, i.e. our screening process. Just because we let an intern like Frederick in doesn't mean we let in crappy deal sites and merchants. Frederick is a pretty great writer at least: Frederick's Account of Daily Deals

So, how often will you spam me?top »

Apple didn't get where it is by spamming people. Neither will dealVITA.

In that case, why did Apple get so big?top »

A) No Winklevoss twins. B) Apple Documentary

Does dealVITA "automate" daily deals? I mean — does it take out the human element? We like the human element, because this is a financial risk. top »

We keep the human element there at all times (minus the few forms you fill out). That's one of our unique advantages. We don't leave you to some auto-platform. We call you and have a nice chat to feel out your needs. Then we put real sales reps in touch with you from the site you want. It's exactly how things used to work, but add in better terms and a better way to explore your options.

What terms can I specify to deal sites?top »

You can ask for whatever is important to you, but we encourage you to specify at least a minimum set of terms — towards having the best coupon campaign possible. These include: Revenue splits with deal site; your desired revenue per item (our homemade term); the discount % you'd like to offer; the date(s) for the deal to run; the date range for voucher redemption, including specific times and dates if it makes sense for your business; the minimum number of items to be sold; the cap on items to be sold; how soon you get paid; maximum purchases per person; deal sites connected to causes or charities; whether you get email addresses or not of those who purchased; and a special set of terms related to inventory for merchants who want to ship product. In filling out your profile you convey the "soft" factors about your business to the sites, such as the clientele you want, or the importance of brand and brand dilution. We enable you to build a complete picture of your business and what you want from daily deals, and then we find you the best carrier.

Will dealVITA ever charge merchants money?top »

No! Small fees in volume from deal sites is our business model, in case you were wondering.

Are you hiring? I see an option for "Jobs" on the "Contact" page.top »

It depends. Shoot us an email and maybe we can work something out. Typically, we would never want someone who would want to work at our company. But if you're a Rails handyman, we may make an exception. Best of all, during the interview, the CEO will take you on an unexpected walk through the Palo Alto woods.

What's this secret thing you mentioned?top »

Just give us a call. We'll call it a trade secret, fair? It's another reason why using dealVITA is objectively smart if you're a merchant.

Are you only in the United States?top »

No, actually. We help Canadians with a smile. And we like to talk to merchants before we go to bed (Pacific time), so we ended up in Australia too.