Groupon and LivingSocial succeed because consumers perceive them as great deals. But is that true?

Perhaps not.

Thumbtack.com called 10 vendors offering daily deals (five from Groupon and five from LivingSocial) and found eight instances where they were quoted a price over the phone that was cheaper than the advertised regular price being offered.

All five of Groupon's prices were higher than the same merchant's price when called, and three of the LivingSocial ones were.

Granted, this is an extremely small sample size, but it is worth noting. Part of the reason people like buying Groupon and LivingSocial so much is the fact that they are saving a huge percentage. By inflating the regular advertised price, the companies can increase the percentage saved.

Some of the most egregious examples from the Thumbtack.com post: