(no subject)

[nisaa]

Yelp.com has closed my user account because they think I have been using it for fraudulent purposes to give friends good reviews. My business account is still active and people can write reviews of me there but my user profile is gone and the reviews I wrote along with it. I am furious. Here's the first email I got:



I'm writing to let you know about our decision to close your account. Your user account was flagged by the Yelp community, and our Customer Service team has determined that your account has violated Yelp's Terms of Service (http://www.yelp.com/static?p=tos).

Specifically, the Terms of Service state that:
> "You shall not: create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses."

We have determined that you have been using Yelp to improve your business' and your friends'/other small business owners' ratings on Yelp through review trading. We have determined that review trading does not reflect unbiased customer opinions which violates the spirit of Yelp.

We review every situation with detail and care and take account closure very seriously.

Regards,
Kris
Yelp Inc. User Support
San Francisco, California



I got this email from them a week and a half after I said no to advertising with them at a cost of $300 per month. I didn't know that my business profile was still up when I replied to them with a snarky email saying:
"I''m sorry but I don't undertstand this at ALL. Does this have anything to do with the fact that I just said no to advertising with Yelp at the cost of $300 per month?" To which they replied:



Hi Denise,

Thanks for contacting us with your questions regarding recent actions taken on your user account.

While in the past we allowed business owners to write reviews of their own business and other businesses, we have found that reviews written by other business owners or users with a special connection to a business contain a bias that does not reflect true customer opinions which violates the spirit and purpose of Yelp. For this reason your account was closed.

We understand that you may be frustrated with our decision, but unfortunately our position remains the same. Hopefully over the long haul, Yelp's commitment to unbiased local reviews will serve your business well.

Additionally, we have attempted to clarify our policy regarding reviews by business owners here: http://www.yelp.com/faq#great_review



I am furious with them. And I just get these form letters back from them. I called the sales rep who tried to sell me advertising. He said he had nothing to do with it but would try to get them to respond to me more quickly. What I am furious about the most is that I feel they are calling my integrity into question. I only review businesses I have tried. And I put a lot of thought into what I write. And because some of my reviews were for other health care practitioners, they cut me off. (I'm sorry, whittles - my review of you is gone.)

I decided to save the draft of the email I was going to write to them until tomorrow when I've had time to think about it. I probably won't sleep on it because I'm so upset I don't think I'll sleep that well.

Comments

[klwalton.livejournal.com]

Wow. Yelp has never been reliable source for my business decisions, and this certainly does not endear them to me.

And you can tell them that from me. And in the next few days I might figure out how to tell them that myself.

Really, wtf?????

[boymaenad.livejournal.com]

yelp, I think, stands for "snarky complaint bulletin board community." and it's so dumb, it doesn't even stand for it right.

I like some of the info on yelp, but it's definitely based on rewarding people who complain as negatively and destructively as possible.

[kimatha.livejournal.com]

That's freaking ridiculous. Sounds like you're only allowed to review the businesses of your enemies. I suppose that's ok - using Yelp to wipe out your competition.

[glamtasm.livejournal.com]

Another friend of mine, who has been paying $1000 a month for priority listing or whatever with Yelp just had all his reviews taken down as well for equally spurious reasons that made no sense to me or him.

I have gotten calls from them wanting me to advertise as well and have tried to be very careful in my refusals because it does seem as though the person you talk to on the phone has the power to make sure more of your reviews are visible, or to 86 you.

I don't know what can be done, but I am more than happy to introduce you to my friend Michael in case you want to brainstorm together on what can be done.

I continue to be shocked and stunned by their audacity.

[nisaa.livejournal.com]

Yes, please introduce me to your friend Michael.

[merchimerch.livejournal.com]

yikes - I find that they may be confusing the notion of an informed review with nepotism.

How would they NOT want experts in a field to review products and services that they know to be of good quality?


The stupid...it burns.

[cat9.livejournal.com]

Well, I've been stunningly unimpressed with Yelp so far, so now I can just write them off completely. Like, restaurants I really like in Dorchester can be sure to have a review by some yuppie bastard from Cambridge who's all excited to have the first review in, but bitches how he doesn't feel safe parking in Dorchester and doesn't understand why the Dominican resturaunt only serves Dominican food. I decided the site was needlessly raising my blood pressure. I'm sorry it's raising yours! If I could kick 'em in the knee for you, I would.

[ame-chan.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's nuts. I don't understand why they'd do that to you.

*hug* Really sucks, honey.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

wow - people are stupid

[pergamenta.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Whoever is in charge over there is totally lame. My first year on Yelp, they invited me to join their "Elite" club. I didn't even know what it was, but I said Sure. Then last year, Stephie started sending me snippy e-mails about how I wasn't writing enough reviews or complimenting other users enough. My behavior on the site hadn't changed in that time, but somehow I was no longer living up to their obscure "Elite" standards! So I was kicked out of the club. Whatever.