Yelp is suing a San Diego Law Firm for trying to rig its reviews. Yes, you read that correctly, Yelp is suing a law firm for using staff and other friends of the firm to submit glowing review of the law firm. How is that different than any other company who "works" the Yelp system? It is not. However, according to the principal of the law firm,Yelp's lawsuit is really retaliation for the law firm having the audacity to sue Yelp in small claims court.
The law firm obtained a $ 2,700 judgment against Yelp. The basis for the breach of contract lawsuit was that Yelp apparently promised the law firm 1,200 impressions per month if the firm paid Yelp $540 per month. According to the lawsuit, Yelp did not deliver the 1,200 impressions. Although, the representative for Yelp claimed that the law firm did not understand how it measured such impressions and that Yelp actually "over delivered" on the ad impressions as promised. A likely story, indeed.
Of course, Yelp is not only suing the law firm, it is also "filtering" all of the law firm's reviews. According to several people posting on various blogs about Yelp, this is not an uncommon tactic for Yelp (i.e. to filter reviews when the company does not advertise with Yelp). The small claims judge accurately, in my opinion, described Yelp's contract as "the modern-day version of the mafia." I could not agree more.
The law firm obtained a $ 2,700 judgment against Yelp. The basis for the breach of contract lawsuit was that Yelp apparently promised the law firm 1,200 impressions per month if the firm paid Yelp $540 per month. According to the lawsuit, Yelp did not deliver the 1,200 impressions. Although, the representative for Yelp claimed that the law firm did not understand how it measured such impressions and that Yelp actually "over delivered" on the ad impressions as promised. A likely story, indeed.
Of course, Yelp is not only suing the law firm, it is also "filtering" all of the law firm's reviews. According to several people posting on various blogs about Yelp, this is not an uncommon tactic for Yelp (i.e. to filter reviews when the company does not advertise with Yelp). The small claims judge accurately, in my opinion, described Yelp's contract as "the modern-day version of the mafia." I could not agree more.
Just saw this . . . more fuel for the fire:
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.findlaw.com/free_enterprise/2013/09/19-firms-fined-350k-for-fake-online-reviews.html?DCMP=NWL-pro_downloadthis
I used to hear ads on KFI 640AM (it's been a few months) for a company that would help your online presence be positive (by getting rid of or burying bad reviews. And an impression they might help with good reviews). Seems like they might be skating on the razor blade of facilitating false advertising.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to think somebody is paying attention to their brand to try to keep it honest. Of course, it could also just be arm twisting to make the lawyers Yelp.