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Yelp seems to be using their power as a database to force businesses into an unfair situation where they must pay for positive reviews or risk their reputation. Yelp frequently recruits businesses without their consent, then lets anonymous users fill their pages with positive and negative reviews. When the business tries to take advantage of the site, Yelp’s sales team allegedly asks for money to keep the reviews visible. Those who don’t pay see their positive reviews fall into the “not recommended” category, forever lost to potential customers.
Yelp is effectively creating a pay wall, one that is reinforced by 2,000 complaints from the FTC. Many of these disagreements allege that Yelp is forcing businesses to pay for the privilege of using a system they neither opted into or knew about.
The CEO of Submit Express, Pierre Zarokian, discusses the latest developments in the Yelp situation. He offers some alternative solutions to businesses affected, and even goes into detail with some of those affected by these moves. Check out his latest article on Search Engine Journal.