Yelp is a freaking scam - small business owners agree? (1 Viewer)

[jhib]

Couple great "elite" invite events this week. Tonight, a free dinner at Tanoor Mediterranian Grill with drinks included. Tomorrow night the GF will be going with 4 guests ladies to a local massage place for free finger foods, wine, massages, and live music.

I guess that answers my earlier question. Of the four reviews from elite members since the event at Tannoor, only one (Matt S) made it clear that he was there for a yelp elite event, and even then your average reader wouldn't necessarily know that it was free.

 

[[icon]]

Couple great "elite" invite events this week. Tonight, a free dinner at Tanoor Mediterranian Grill with drinks included. Tomorrow night the GF will be going with 4 guests ladies to a local massage place for free finger foods, wine, massages, and live music.

I guess that answers my earlier question. Of the four reviews from elite members since the event at Tannoor, only one (Matt S) made it clear that he was there for a yelp elite event, and even then your average reader wouldn't necessarily know that it was free.

Sorry missed that... there's no formal mention of leaving reviews at the events. We are asked to leave reviews at the special event page as the coordinator's supervisor uses that to gauge feedback from the folks who attend.

Normal reviews of the venue are not implicitly expected but I generally do post up something. I leave fair reviews though, not auto 5's for hosting the event. I generally mention it being a yelp event in the interest of transparency.

The dinner was great... kind of like a better version of a Texas de Brazil, with an endless stream of meats on swords circling the table. Solid Mediterranean sides/apps. The place does not have a beer/liquor license but the Yelp coordinator brought a case of Meiomi pinot noir and some champagne for the group. Had a great time. Will be back.

 

[EYLive]

Couple great "elite" invite events this week. Tonight, a free dinner at Tanoor Mediterranian Grill with drinks included. Tomorrow night the GF will be going with 4 guests ladies to a local massage place for free finger foods, wine, massages, and live music.

I guess that answers my earlier question. Of the four reviews from elite members since the event at Tannoor, only one (Matt S) made it clear that he was there for a yelp elite event, and even then your average reader wouldn't necessarily know that it was free.

Sorry missed that... there's no formal mention of leaving reviews at the events. We are asked to leave reviews at the special event page as the coordinator's supervisor uses that to gauge feedback from the folks who attend.

Yep, they never ask for reviews of the business, but it's pretty much understood that is how the business gains lots of unfiltered 4-5 star reviews. Free food and a fun atmosphere generally leads yelpers to post favorable write-ups. I've done this many times myself.

Instead of spending money on traditional or digital marketing, the business's management will contact the local yelp community manager to set up an event for publicity.

 

[jhib]

Couple great "elite" invite events this week. Tonight, a free dinner at Tanoor Mediterranian Grill with drinks included. Tomorrow night the GF will be going with 4 guests ladies to a local massage place for free finger foods, wine, massages, and live music.

I guess that answers my earlier question. Of the four reviews from elite members since the event at Tannoor, only one (Matt S) made it clear that he was there for a yelp elite event, and even then your average reader wouldn't necessarily know that it was free.

Sorry missed that... there's no formal mention of leaving reviews at the events. We are asked to leave reviews at the special event page as the coordinator's supervisor uses that to gauge feedback from the folks who attend.

Yep, they never ask for reviews of the business, but it's pretty much understood that is how the business gains lots of unfiltered 4-5 star reviews. Free food and a fun atmosphere generally leads yelpers to post favorable write-ups. I've done this many times myself.

Instead of spending money on traditional or digital marketing, the business's management will contact the local yelp community manager to set up an event for publicity.

Thanks for the insight, guys.

Not that I think it's horrible or anything (more just what I expected), but I do think it should be standard practice for the elite member leaving the review on the business's page to include a note that it was based on a free event. For transparency as [icon] noted, but also to make the review more meaningful.

It wouldn't cause me to discount the review, but it would make me look at it differently. On one hand, it would be more clear that it was a real review from someone who had obviously really eaten there, so it would have added value. On the other, food, drinks, and service are usually judged more leniently when they aren't weighed against the cost.

It's a different story for the reviews of the event itself. I didn't catch what [icon] meant by that until seeing the separate listing. It's good to see that most people leave their reviews there instead.

 

[JaxBill]

Yelp documentary in the works?

 

[sublimeone]

Awesome: Here's a link to the kickstarter campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1299637435/billion-dollar-bully/description

ETA: Yelp sucks, small business owners unite

 

[[icon]]

Got a sweet free steak dinner event coming up next Wednesday.

Last week the GF and I enjoyed a Salsa dance class from a new studio gratis, thanks to Yelp. We had a great time.

 

[sbonomo]

Got a sweet free steak dinner event coming up next Wednesday.

Last week the GF and I enjoyed a Salsa dance class from a new studio gratis, thanks to Yelp. We had a great time.

you and the gal salsa dancing.... That is an interesting visual.....

 

[NREC34]

I thought this bump was going to be about this story I saw earlier today:

http://deadstate.org/restaurant-shames-lying-yelp-reviewer-by-releasing-security-footage/

 

[[icon]]

Got a sweet free steak dinner event coming up next Wednesday.

Last week the GF and I enjoyed a Salsa dance class from a new studio gratis, thanks to Yelp. We had a great time.

you and the gal salsa dancing.... That is an interesting visual.....

How so? Beauty and the beast? Hehe

 

[McGarnicle]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

 

[[icon]]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

 

[Brony]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

How else do you propose that a New Yorker expresses their mild outrage about a distant pizzeria in a passive aggressive form from the comfort of their couch?

 

[GregR]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

Couldn't they use IP address location to filter those not posted from the area and put them aside until reviewed?

 

[McGarnicle]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

Have you seen the page? An instance like this is a no-brainer -- their page is getting slammed because of an issue unrelated to their food or service. Just suspend all reviews until it blows over.I think the idiot pizzeria owners deserve what they get btw, this is all about Yelp again looking like a joke.

 

[[icon]]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

Couldn't they use IP address location to filter those not posted from the area and put them aside until reviewed?

My cell phone's IP frequently registers from all over the country depending on what mobile servers i'm hitting on Verizon. I post most of my reviews from my phone.

 

[[icon]]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

Have you seen the page? An instance like this is a no-brainer -- their page is getting slammed because of an issue unrelated to their food or service. Just suspend all reviews until it blows over.I think the idiot pizzeria owners deserve what they get btw, this is all about Yelp again looking like a joke.

Again... your exact solution is what now? This happens many times a day. You want to hire a team to look for this? What's the threshold?

Details man... you've got all the answers. Share em with the poor shleps like me!

 

[McGarnicle]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

Have you seen the page? An instance like this is a no-brainer -- their page is getting slammed because of an issue unrelated to their food or service. Just suspend all reviews until it blows over.I think the idiot pizzeria owners deserve what they get btw, this is all about Yelp again looking like a joke.

Again... your exact solution is what now? This happens many times a day. You want to hire a team to look for this? What's the threshold?

Details man... you've got all the answers. Share em with the poor shleps like me!

JUST SUSPEND ALL REVIEWS UNTIL IT BLOWS OVER.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Pizza place is doing just fine. Clearing hundreds of thousands in a day due to the stupidity in America.

 

[GregR]

Regardless of your opinion of the situation in Indiana, Yelp should've locked the Memories Pizza site from further posts. To allow a flood of 1-star reviews and meme pics from people who've clearly never eaten there further damages the site's credibility IMO.

HOw do you propose they differentiate between that and the real 1 star reviews? Sure, skimming for reviews admitting to not eating there is fine. However manually scanning entries costs money. Do you propose they shut down ALL negative reviews for a time window? What about 2 star reviews? What about BS 5 star reviews by the opposing parties? Freeze out everyone, including the diners who may have legitimately eaten there that day?

Couldn't they use IP address location to filter those not posted from the area and put them aside until reviewed?

My cell phone's IP frequently registers from all over the country depending on what mobile servers i'm hitting on Verizon. I post most of my reviews from my phone.

Exactly. If your phone isn't using a mobile server somewhere near the place being reviewed, it would get filtered for review. If you are there in the area, it wouldn't.