On March 15th, I purchased a Groupon for $200 for ...

On March 15th, I purchased a Groupon for $200 for two, or 50% off, for the nine hour Volcano Park Tour Hike & Glow. Before I purchased the Groupon at 3 a.m., I went to this tour operator's website to make sure they had space available for the tour we wanted the next day. Their calendar showed the tour was open available to book for the next three days.

Their website wouldn't let me book with a Groupon Voucher, and it instructed me to call them directly to redeem with 24 hours notice. The Tour Company had an office in our Hotel, at the Hilo Double Tree, so first thing in the morning I went down to book the tour for the next day with my Groupon Voucher. We waited in line for 15 minutes while another couple took forever asking questions about booking tours. There was only one rep.

When we finally got our turn, at first, their representative told me we were the only two who had booked the next day, and they needed a minimum of four people for the tour to operate. She told me we could book it, and hopefully within 24 hours at least two other people would book. She then asks if we could go another day? (We only had two days left, so our time was limited. ) We said we'd book and hope somebody else joined before morning. She then called somebody to inquire about booking us with our voucher, in the hopes they'd find another two people by the next day. When she got off the phone, the story changed. Now she told us the tour was not available the next day because they didn't have a bus to run it!

I then spent three hours of my morning wasting my vacation while trying to get a refund with Groupon that you must request within 24 hours of the purchase. (There is no number to call and talk to a human) In the meantime, my bank put a freeze on my debit card because they saw a transaction in Hawaii, although we'd been using the card for ten days here. Now Groupon is telling me I'll get a refund in ten days. So we'll see? (I admit, This tour company has no connection to Groupon, so that wasn't their fault with our refund trouble)

We then spent the next day trying to find another tour that didn't cost $400+ for two people. This tour company tried to sell me a shorter tour for $300, but I declined getting ripped off by a tour company. Because all the activities in Hawaii are way overpriced! Two people can barely do anything for less than $300 per activity. On a two week trip, this really adds up!

Well, we finally found another tour and went with them today. They only charged $100 per head for an eight hour tour. The kicker? When we got to Volcano Park, a big red van with this tour group's signage was there in the visitor lot! (I thought they weren't running the tour because there was no bus available? )

I might be wrong, but I theorize the lady was telling the truth that nobody else had booked the tour at the time we tried. I think when she called her superior and told her we had a voucher for $200 for their tour that usually costs $400, the superior must have told her to make an excuse up about not having a bus the next day instead of honoring our Groupon Voucher for $200.

I understand business is business and you've got to make a profit, but when we bought the Groupon, it said redeemable any day until July 2019.

If you're going to offer 50% Groupon deals, I really think the company should honor them. Not just decide you got too good of a deal, there's not enough people booked paying full price, so they're going to make up two different excuses as to why the tour won't be going that day. (Even though their own website showed it open and running the day we wanted to go)

I don't like being lied to! Would not recommend this company.