Yelp outs 8 businesses trying to buy reviews

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Sep 23, 2010
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stay safe bros! Imagine being caught buying yelp reviews for a clients website, lol, talk about PR headache!

After Sting Operation, Yelp Outs 8 Businesses That It Caught Trying To Buy Reviews

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Yelp is now showing “Consumer Alert” warning messages on the profile pages of eight businesses that it says it caught in a sting operation trying to buy reviews.

As the New York Times reports, Yelp conducted a sting operation in which one of its employees pretended to be an “Elite” reviewer and responded to review solicitations on Craigslist.
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View it LIVE @ Bert Levi Family Jewelers - Gaslamp - San Diego, CA
 


I don't mess with reputation management for clients, but I'm curious...

Where's the line drawn on this?

Say a bar has a promotion that says "Leave us an honest review on Yelp tonight, show it to us on your Iphone and get 50% off drinks all night" or something along those lines.

Would that be considered shady?
 
^ Probably only if they also give discounts for honest reviews that only mentions bad things about the place.
 
scottspfd82 said:
I don't mess with reputation management for clients, but I'm curious...

Where's the line drawn on this?

Say a bar has a promotion that says "Leave us an honest review on Yelp tonight, show it to us on your Iphone and get 50% off drinks all night" or something along those lines.

Would that be considered shady?
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I do this every time I update a digital product. I'll email my old clients letting them know they can have an updated version if they give me a good review (i usually get 30-40 to respond and pick the best one's) plus some sales because I usually leave a coupon code for a discount if they dont want to write a review. I dont see a problem with this technique. I find that only negative reviews make it to the internet. Satisfied people just go about their day and need a little incentive.
 
Rusky said:
Satisfied people just go about their day and need a little incentive.
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This is the problem with the whole review model in general.

Happy customers don't say shit. They're too busy enjoying the product/service. The only people who go out of their way to speak up are the ones who are pissed off.
 
1)
Advertise on CL that you will write neg reviews for businesses ( competitors ) for 50-100$ a pop.

2)
Sit back, and bank.

3)
Live Luxuriously.
 
How ironic, considering you can actually pay Yelp to get a negative review removed!

Fucking douche-bags!
 
it was obvious that was happening....the internet it's full of fake reviews and testimonials anyway
 
guerilla said:
Someone should come along and do it better... :)
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well angie's list went public and are profitable so I consider them the profitable successor. I don't use either for anything though and I agree there's space to improve over Yelp. The trick is to monetize correctly, which Yelp has failed at miserably.
 
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