GrabOne liquidation: Some businesses still honouring vouchers despite impact

Family-friendly theme park Action Ninja World in Matakana told the Herald that GrabOne had not reimbursed it for the vouchers it sold for “months”. Photo / Supplied

One small business in north Auckland is owed tens of thousands of dollars in GrabOne vouchers that have not been reimbursed, but it and several others are still honouring the discounts after the company went into liquidation.

Family-friendly theme park Action Ninja World in Matakana told the Herald that GrabOne had not reimbursed it for the vouchers it sold for “months”.

And now GrabOne has been put in liquidation and the e-commerce website has been shuttered, merchants who advertised on the site are unable to access their online sales records.

Action Ninja World said it would honour any existing vouchers bought but customers should email. Meanwhile, the company was worried about its future.

“We get a lot of customers through GrabOne, so it [the liquidation] will affect our business into the future on top of the money we’re owed.”

Owhango Adventures owner Grant Lethborg told Stuff the end of GrabOne would impact his business too.

“We do $60,000-plus worth of sales through GrabOne,” Lethborg told Stuff.

He said it was an “avenue of sales that has been quite good over the years”.

Snowplanet is among the businesses that say they will continue to honour GrabOne vouchers. Photo / Supplied

Snowplanet told Radio New Zealand, meanwhile, it would continue to honour vouchers as well. However, it has had no assurance from GrabOne it would be paid.

Of the businesses the Herald contacted, six said they would still be honouring vouchers until their expiration dates.

Vivo Hair and Skin Clinic told the Herald it would honour vouchers until they expire, as did Parakai Springs, Warakei Terraces and Thermal Hot Springs Spa, Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre, Auckland Adventure Park, Action Ninja World and Concierge Car Wash.

The Grand Mercure Puka Park Resort told the Herald it would only be honouring vouchers that had already been used to book reservations.

In a notice on its website, GrabOne’s liquidators said the company was unable to provide refunds to customers who hold on to unredeemed vouchers.

“Consumers will need to take steps themselves – including contacting individual merchants – to assess how unredeemed vouchers will be treated,” the notice said.

Daniel Stoneman and Neale Jackson of Calibre Partners were appointed liquidators of Global Marketplace New Zealand, which operates the GrabOne business in New Zealand.

GrabOne’s website has disappeared, replaced by a message from the liquidators.

“Due to funding constraints, the business has ceased trading and the liquidators are immediately commencing a sales process for the company’s business and assets,” the liquidators said.

“As a result, the company will not be promoting any existing or future deals whilst in liquidation.”

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.

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