Yelp

2/3/2015 Updated review

I'm confused...why did my review get deleted off a company's yelp page? UMMM, you got some essssplaining to do.....

1/20/2015

Considering that #YELP has been around for at least a decade, offering a place to help others choose wisely... I like YELP.  Where else can you post your two cents (or, five, as the case may be), but here?

I also like YELP's #disclaimer vid, youtube.com/watch?v=PniM…, in that YELP states it doesn't accept #bribes in the form of businesses that pay for ads via YELP vs we, the #Consumers, who visit and evaluate the companies.

As long as YELP remains #equitable & #fair, in terms of doing business and receiving remuneration without favorable bias given toward any customer, YELP will remain #ethical & #cool #imho.

* * * * Only 4 Stars, due to the lacking Customer Service service, and discriminatory photo removal that company owners choose to represent their businesses; it should remain their choice, not YELPs.  PLEASE keep your Call/Response Centers in the USA!

1/23/2015 Updated review

I still love yelp and use it all the time, but I'm a little annoyed by some changes.

1. what's up with video in the images....especially videos that are set to play automatically with the sound on automatically. It's like getting rick-rolled when you look through food pics.

2. on the web app, looking through photos and then using the back button is super-annoying. Why is every image a new page?

That's it... still the best way to find good restaurants!

12/19/2014

Jim Bob, a Yelp Member with 2 Reviews, 0 friends who joined yesterday and posted a 1 Star review is apparently legitimate.

However, Mary Ellen with 5 reviews, 1 friend, who joined two weeks ago and posted a 5 Star review for the same business apparently doesn't meet the quality guidelines, so the review is "not recommended".

There is a vague video attempting to explain this, but we all know how the business can fix this. So there's this marketing program you can buy into with Yelp...

Oh, in terms of "reviews", there's a healthy portion of idiots that skew reality a bit more so than Fox News.

But still, they're worth 2 stars because idiots and otherwise can be entertaining (especially when I want to be a hater and flag their sucky reviews).

Also, having address and phone information can be helpful...

12/16/2014 Updated review

LIARS AND THIEVES!!!

So, I got sweet talked into doing a short term advertising with Yelp and figured that even though I hate the way they do business and treat small businesses, so many pp use it, I will give it a try. We signed up for 3 months at $350 per month for a guaranteed 800 views per month of our business for Yelpers. OMG  it's like everyone who works here is a pathological liar.

First, our biz, PF WINE TOURS,  is  always # 40 or later when u look up "Wine tours Napa" which makes no sense because there are companies ahead of us from San Rafael and San Francisco plus that's not their specialty. Our agent told me I can filter the search by ratings and that should change where we show up since people often do searches that way. Nope -now we showed up a bit better -varies between #25 and #32, whether I am in Napa searching or San Francisco or San Jose or SoCal BUT STILL, quite a few companies with 4-stars, 4 and a half and even 3 and a half stars!!!!5,ahead of our five-stars! WHAT THE FUCK?

The first 10 days of advertising with Yelp, I have to say, calls and inquiries about wine tours (and bookings) from Yelp significantly increased. Very happy. After that, for the rest of the time, it was back to the way it was before advertising. I did hundreds of searches over that time period and I only saw our ad pop up once. That's bogus.

A few days ago,  now that I have  time now that's it's low season, I finally had a chance to see our performance for each month we advertised. Of course, there was more activity and the graph was over 100 views per month but guess what? Not one single month, were we over even 200 views even though we were guaranteed 800!!!!!

LIARS AND THIEVES.

9/30/2014

DO NOT WASTE YOUR BUSINESS MONEY BY RUNNING ANY YELP AD PROGRAM! COPY MY REVIEW AND SHARE ON YOUR NETWORK SO YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS DO NOT WASTE THEIR MONEY ON YELP.

I tried yelp ad program on few of my stores in the past few years. The sales rep usually says the same stuff about how yelp ad increased other business owners user activities.

It sounds pretty tempting especially for those who just started their own business.
But as lots and lots of business owners who posted 1 star reviews at yelp company rating, it was not worth ANYTHING to try their ad program.

Yes their mysterious filtering system filters your patron's honest five star reviews and keeps those fake or hating one star reviews on your account.

Well, here is the biggest problem. As I posted a screenshot of my store's user activity, my user views DECREASED ever since I started YELP AD PROGRAM.

This ad was such a waste of money. It does not help your business at all.
I want all of the business owners who was scammed by the yelp ad program to capture my review with my screenshot that proves the decrease activity on the user views and SHARE on the Facebook or Twitter so there are no more victims in the future.

The only way to recover your loss is to let this company lose their business.

And let's see what happens to my review. I hope I didn't write anything against their scary guideline.

Get a life yelp.

P.S. Check the photos and find my screenshots that shows the huge decrease since the ad started.

9/23/2014

When I signed up for Yelp seven years ago in September 2007, Yelp's third birthday, I had no idea what kind of experience I would have on what was a fairly new social media site at the time.  It's been an incredible ride these past seven years!  I was able to celebrate Yelp's 10 year anniversary at the Gold Soiree elite event at Yelp HQ this past August 1, 2014 and what a celebration it was.

I have seen the many changes, good and not so good,  that Yelp has undergone.  You can't please everyone but the one issue that folks gripe about still is how to become Yelp Elite.  I would highly suggest to Yelp that you revisit and explain to the Yelpers how one can become Yelp elite in a manner that is transparent and simple enough for folks to understand.  You can't make someone Yelp elite that has barely any "useful, funny, cool" votes on their few reviews and hardly any photos with limited check ins, for example.  Yet, the Yelper that writes reviews with photos and has many "useful, funny, cool" votes plus multiple check ins gets zero Yelp Elite love?  I also want to clarify the reviews of this particular Yelper are also well written and detailed...helpful and useful to Yelpers across the globe compared to those folks who write two-three sentences max and call that a review...unreal!  If Yelp can fix this issue with Yelp Elite criteria, this problem would go away.  Hope someone reads this and acts on it!

On the plus side of Yelp, I have enjoyed the many friendships that have bloomed in these seven years!  I have attended many UYEs (Unofficial Yelp Events), YEE (Yelp Elite Event) and some private events such as weddings, baptisms, birthdays and any kind of celebration you can think of.  With the advent of Yelp opening in other countries, I have enjoyed Yelp friendships there too with invitations to visit.

Yelp has also provided me a platform, via a review I wrote for Stanford Cancer Center, to talk about my views on cancer, a chronic disease that has no cure but remission for the lucky ones.  I cannot tell you how that one review has touched so many folks around the globe and how it has helped those who were either cancer patients or had a loved one that is a cancer patient or sadly, passed away.  I will be starting a clinical trial this Monday, Sept. 29, 2014 as the sarcoma that we hoped last year's chemotherapy took care of, came back a year later in my lungs.

The outpouring of support from my Yelp family, locally and abroad, has been tremendous for this new cancer adventure I will take up soon.  I wasn't afraid when cancer came knocking on my door 11 years ago and I'm not afraid now.  I will say this about social media and in particular Yelp, the goodness that folks have within comes rushing out to help and support one another.

I look forward to Yelping during my clinical trial and onward!  Thank you Yelp, especially Jeremy Stoppelman!

• 

  8/1/14 Terry, Beth, Jo and Noelle at Yelp 10yr Gold Soirée event; Terry and Jo are Yelp Elite from Honolulu, HI

  8/1/14 Terry, Beth, Jo and Noelle at Yelp 10yr Gold Soirée event; Terry and Jo are Yelp Elite from Honolulu, HI
• 

  8/1/14 Beth W. and Candice, Southbay's awesome CM!

  8/1/14 Beth W. and Candice, Southbay's awesome CM!
• 

  8/1/14 Jeremy and Noelle J., photo credit: Beth W. I take great photos!

  8/1/14 Jeremy and Noelle J., photo credit: Beth W. I take great photos!
• See all photos from Beth W. for Yelp

8/2/2014

First off this place is huge!!! It's 26 floors of historical San Francisco decor and scenery. Once known as the biggest and tallest building in San Francisco, the Yelp headquarters is located on floors 1-14. Although yelp is one of social medias biggest and fastest rising companies. They have made sure to hold onto some of the characteristics of its historical building.

Surrounded by the construction of what potentially will be amazing skyscrapers in the downtown area. Yelp headquarters seems to maintain a peaceful and calming demeanor about itself. But I digress, I have been yelping since 2011 and I must say this is one of the highlights of my yelping career, if that's what you want to call it. I have come to rely and even depend on Yelp to give me the best reviews for some of the most questionable restaurants. Yes!! you can become extremely dependent on this app but think of the negative. That being how many restaurants or businesses you would have patronize that would've given you poor service.

Thanks to many of my friends that use Yelp consistently, I have come to enjoy this app and all the functions it offers due to consistent updates from the company. My my dream is to hopefully one day be able to achieve the awesomeness that is Yelp elite status!! and all the benefits it offers the user. Such as interactive and exciting events filled with some of the best of the best in the Yelp community.

Although I do love you have there are a few things that should be improved upon. Like knowing if you get the review of the day. Although I've never achieved this it would be awesome to know if I had. Other things like clear ideas or what it takes to become Elite and even a much easier interface that can clearly decipher real and authentic reviews. Reviews coming from active and real accounts compared to the fake ones on Yelp.  

But all in all I love the functionality of yelp and it's ability to make life easier for all that use it. The great CM's that I've met like Blue and Abby are true ambassadors to the Yelp community. So remember....

Love long and Yelp on!!

• 

  It's like coming home!

  It's like coming home!
• 

  The wall of fame at Yelp.

  The wall of fame at Yelp.
• 

  True beauty

  True beauty
• See all photos from Donald W. for Yelp

11/21/2014

Here's why I love Yelp: I use it the way it's SUPPOSED to be used! Is it perfect? Nope. Does it help me find what I'm looking for? Yup! Does it allow me to share my thoughts and opinions, both good and bad on businesses I've patronized? YUPPER! So, out of all the other Social Media outlets, I think Yelp is among, if not the, best out there. You've got to put everything into its proper context. Use Yelp for what its intended and keep proper perspective.

I try to all the time. And that's why my friends I LOVE YELP!

2/2/2015

Yelp and I have a love/hate relationship.  I love reading reviews and getting ideas of what places to frequent.  I hate that reviews are filtered which doesn't give a fair analysis of a business.  Unfortunately, I think that the hate wins over love.  It seems unconstitutional to limit by speech and not publicly post all of my reviews.  
I've emailed yelp who says it's their automated software and things change daily.  You know what it never changes.  I noticed advertised business reviews stay on but unadvertised business doesn't show all the reviews.  Seems unfair.
Because of this yelp, the hate wins.  Sorry

2/2/2015

Awful - works against hard working business owners.

1/14/2015 Updated review

Good news to report to one and all:   I have not recently been forced In "Talk" by my local Yelp "elite" into submitting to simulated gang rape!  

I dunno.  

Maybe it's because  I didn't scream loud enough (grunt, squeal, shriek, cry).

Or "get down" on all fours and shake It.

Or maybe there wasn't enough blood, when they began to punch me in the face.

Or rope.

I thought I was only supposed to yelp.  

* * * * *

You've heard of "bubble tea." haven't you?

All you need to know about Yelp is: "bubble heads."

As in food, booze, loud music, twitter, and--for group cohesion--virtual group assault and other pretty cool activities.

(There isn't supposed to the slightest whiff of social critique on Yelp but I'll say, anyway, that I'm glad I'm a baby boomer).

Awesome.  I mean, like, it is really awesome.

lillian3.blogspot.com/20…

1/19/2015

Yelp needs a zero or half star option for the company's that are that bad in there customer service issues !!!  

but other then that thank you for being here !! :)

1/11/2015

I signed up many, many years ago on Yelp and it wasn't until about a year and a half ago that I started using it. My ex and I used to see who could find the best new restaurant and I decided to go back and get a bit of help feom Yelp haha. Yelp has definitely put me ahead of him in finding gems not only in my state but also when I'm traveling.

The badges are the thing that definitely got me hooked!  Receiving a badge makes you want to compete against yourself as well as fellow Yelpers for the tops spots such as first to tip, duchess, elite etc. It's a great way to keep a following as well.

I did give Yelp 4 stars because I feel that there is a preferential treatment once someone has turned Elite. I've noticed this with the Yelp community and representative here in Arizona. I put up an event that takes place downtown every Monday that encourages people to get fit and it wasn't approved, there wasn't even mention of it. Yet I see those that are elite with multiple events posted. I notice the same thing with yelp talk. An elite can post negatively yet the non elite is the individual that gets reported and has their thread deleted. This is extremely upsetting because I believe in fairness...beside elite or non elite we pay the bills. The community, the receiver, the consumer.

Other than that negative issue, I highly recommend Yelp to everyone...seriously I do. It my all time favorite app. I just hope they get that under control.

12/15/2014 Updated review

Yelpers
Exploited
Like
Peons

1/8/2015

Yelp! What does "cool" mean?
Can the Grand Canyon be "cool"? Like Miles Davis is cool? I understand what "useful" and "funny" means- but "cool" I do not. Does "cool" represent a light heartwarming read? Or something cutting edge? Or is it a bark or grunt expressing a positive agreement?
Must Yelp encourage trite, overused slang in one of its three options for review summation?

Brrrrr .... I'll put on a sweater, it's "?????" outside!

9/24/2014

Yelp sucks, simple as that.  They are manipulative and unethical.  I have had issues with their marketing people and their review process.  It seems good reviews go away if you don't advertise with them.  Curious, very curious!

I'm adding more here because it's too short to be a review. I'm adding more here because it's too short to be a review.  I'm adding more here because it's too short to be a review. I'm adding more here because it's too short to be a review.

10/1/2014

And for my 150th review, I choose to review you, Yelp. Not entirely original, I know.

I first joined Yelp for all the wrong reasons. I had waited over two hours to get some sub-par food and I wanted the world to know. As it was my first review it didn't even show up as recommended. After that review, I began using the app, and it kept bringing me to new and exciting places. I did re-visit the first place I ever reviewed to give them a second chance and change their rating, just for the record.

I don't want to get into it too much with all the business owners that complain about Yelp, but certain things must be said. When a business first opens, there are typically several reviews posted by people with 1-5 reviews that are pretty obviously friends of the owners giving them a perfect five star rating. As these people have either never reviewed, or barely reviewed, their reviews are not recommended (just like my very first review giving the business one star). Said business owner then complains  because the reviews from his/her friends and family aren't recommended, yet there is no issue when the person with no reviews that one stars them is not recommended either. Typically, the truth comes out after 25-30 reviews.

All Yelp is, is word of mouth, only over social media. If your food and service are below average, you should look at the reviews and fix it. You were going to fail with or without Yelp if you ignore your customers. On the other end of the spectrum, I've seen new businesses embrace Yelp, listen to their customers, and enjoy success early.

Now that I've digressed, let me tell you how Yelp has made my life more awesome. I've discovered restaurants that I would never have known about, or would never have tried. I've found doctors and mechanics on Yelp. I found Cuban food being served out of the back of a gas station for the love of God.

I've been able to attend awesome events, and meet friendly and superb people. When I look back at my first reviews and my most recent, I also see that I've become a better writer and hope to continue to evolve.

Thank you Yelp!

12/10/2014

Yelp is one website that one really cannot base their 100% decision on. I have experienced this on a personal and professional level. I read the reviews on yelp just to find out what a place looks like, their hours, what they serve, etc etc and I DO NOT even consider the comments made. Usually these people only put a review when they do not get what they want. they put bad reviews on small businesses just to get back at them without really trying to find a better solution first. Yelp does not even do anything to validate or investigate if these negative reviews are precise.

It is unfair for the business being reviewed, most of the time they are not given a chance to resolve whatever miniscule complaints reviewers make up in their minds.

Way to go yelp for creating and promoting a hostile society!!!

1/2/2015 Updated review

I am surprised that Yelp removes reviews from its own page! It/robot/they/intern removed my review from their page citing it contains inappropriate content per case #3071386. I am unclear whether it's the language or the sentiment in itself that is more inappropriate, but I'll censor the (what I believe he/she/it/they believes is) naughty language, so that this review stays up this time!

Removed review:

There's something oddly phallic about women who post pictures of their nails for nail salons on Yelp. It strikes me as odd that every time I log onto Yelp, I am greeted by pictures of painted fingernails posted for nail salons. It's almost the equivalent of the woman's (CENSORED) pic. It seems to be a movement that is not gay per se - but cultivated around a community of self-pleasure around their own/others fingernails, i.e. people who think their cuticles are the shit. An "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" comparative on coloring, girth and of course size. Ask a straight guy who throws his (CENSORED) pic around the net and he'll swear up and down its not sexual, well maybe sexual but more of an autocratic sexuality - the pleasure of being admired or watched. That's kind of what I have come to expect with nail pics, it's a pleasurable, maybe sexual experience to know that people are checking out and admiring her fingers.

Maybe it's a feminist reclamation of the body because most guys care as little about nails as women do about dicks, or conversely care as little about nails as other parts of her body. Or, the painted fingernail is not about the guy being put into the equation at all. I don't think guys care about nails or seek them out as I saw one set of painted nails on Yelp, aquatic blue with white anchors painted in the middle of them get like 50 likes, by not one guy, and by at least three Tricia's.

12/18/2014

Was looking for Henry's Human Restaurant, but it's just a building with a website in it.  Lots of dungarees too.

12/14/2014 Updated review

Deduct one start because no improvement has been made in multiple areas. Still the company is making money in certain ways and slanting public opinion because they need businesses to pay extra for advertisement.

My friend had a very difficult time changing a business name, which he had done. But it took YEARS extra. Elites have a lot of terrible reviews. Don't believe me, check them out for yourself.

A new site that aggregates review and tip info will come along and topple them hopefully. Or maybe it will drive Yelp to improve in ways it has failed for years.

2/3/2015

If Yelp could get knuckle tattoos they would read "FAIL PILE"

12/10/2014

I'm disappointed in yelp.  

The system clearly has no system to vet reviewers with only one review who choose to slander and harass businesses.  

When a user flags reviews, the yelp staff who responds do not follow the standards that Yelp itself has established for quality, helpful reviews.  

So there's no clearly defined system to file a review grievance beyond one sided yelp emails.  

When Yelp chooses to not follow it's own review guidelines it dilutes the helpfulness and trustworthiness of the yelp reviews as a whole,

Yelp, I no longer choose to trust your services or the system that establishes the reviews.  

I no longer choose to use your service or participate in your community.

1/29/2015

I saw your CEO on Charlie Rose recently and enjoyed the interview very much; was glad to learn more about YELP as I only recently used it for the first time when I traveled to Indianapolis on Business.  

I was very unhappy to learn of your affiliation with the ultra conservative ALEC group.  My short lived association with you will remain that way - I will not use or contribute to YELP until you disassociate yourself with ALEC.

11/21/2014

I love @yelp  I came to enjoy the accuracy of their reviewers and the ease with which I could quickly ascertain which business were worth my while (and my $$).

I know now that the power of Yelp is in me.  I have always loved trying new places and spaces for food, events and various and sundry surprises in whatever locale I happen to be in.  Being able to "yelp" it out to my friends and the masses satisfies my soul as nothing else does.  

The lowly, local opinion has a  platform.  I am yelp, yelper, yelped.

4/12/2014

If I hear "Easy, Tiger, you might have to wait a while before checking in..." one more time, Christina may have to cut a biatch! Yelp, I love you to the moon and back, but you have seriously underestimated two things.

1) I can shop like nobody's business, so don't stop me from my frenzied check-ins when I'm on a roll in a mall or when hitting up a bazillion stores while window shopping.

2) My battery sucks. When you limit my ability to check in, you are assuming I have enough battery left to wait your allotted time, and guess what? My phone hates me. It hates you. It loves dying on me leaving me stranded and unable to Yelp my way around town. And let's face it- if I'm not able to search or check in or post my pics on Yelp, what's the point in living? ;)

So, I would really love to see that changed and when it does, 5 stars baby. But, let's be clear. I love me some Yelp. It has helped me find some awesome joints, places I would not have found any other way. I love Yelpers and interacting with them, and getting to know them at Yelp events. Met some really cool people via Yelp. Which brings me to the awesome CMs of Yelp, like Candice G (Chicago Burbs) and Angela S (North Shore). I can not say enough about how awesome these two are- 5 stars for you, ladies! I'm not just ass-kissing here, they are truly nice people and their events are so fun and not intimidating, even for me, a truly shy girl. That speaks to how nice and welcoming Yelpers are in general, in addition to the CMs and staffers. Thanks for making these events fun and smooth running, and occasionally inviting this girl to some of them.

I love Yelp, and constantly annoy my friends and family by taking pics of every place we go and every thing they eat. They have been trained well and many have almost lost a hand if I haven't snapped my pic before they grab...their own food, how rude! I'm a Yelper for life, Elite or not. I really can't imagine my life without it. That's either sad or really cool. You decide.

• 

  I always love visiting Yelp on the app. :) Hello, Darwin, is it?

  I always love visiting Yelp on the app. :) Hello, Darwin, is it?
• 

  Refreshing is fun! :)

  Refreshing is fun! :)

1/29/2015

Terrible Customer service. The only thing this company cares about is Ad revenue leaving both the consumer and business owner in the dust. They are a bunch of liars. Steer clear!!

12/8/2014 Updated review

Dear Hansel & yelp HQ,

Back on the road again, drama with yelp headquarters over published content is NOW over and am glad that I found the solution to decide to stay on yelp.

Peace & Warm regards

1/29/2015

Horrible company, dealt with them business wise and felt taken advantage, I should have know dealing with a company that only has 2 stars.....

12/9/2014

A review site is a useful tool to stay in touch with the public's wants and needs.
It helps you see if you are connecting with your customer base or not.
The filter algorithm is not doing justice to most businesses including this main yelp page. It is hiding the public opinion for better or worse it does not provide a current accurate representation of business.
You know what I would recommend?
Utilizing an algorithm that would filter out reviews that are over 1yr old.
That way if gives an up to date and more accurate business view.
It would show if a business is losing touch with its customer base or if it was working to improve its customer relations approach.

12/31/2014

What can I say?

First logged onto this here thingy in 2011 (online, not application) because back then, I didn't mind having a profile on every possible social network available to us. I was a  part-time lounge DJ in San Francisco responsible for his own evenings' promotions for crying out loud. I wanted to be involved. ( Involvement online does not always garner paid gigs  nor interest apparently)

At that time, I, like a few of you I'm sure, was not that engaged nor valued the service for what it was.  Now, even then, I always had high standards for service, regardless of price point and all other factors.  It is now, and has always been my belief, that you must shine at what you do. I don't care if you scrub school custodian uniforms for a living. Do it to the best of your ability and watch yourself excel. Some of us take longer to learn this golden rule, and for them I might need to learn more patience.. I'm trying... sorta'.

I believe my first review was for Ralph Lauren's now shuttered RUGBY flagship in SF, where I immediately became addicted to a brand and level of service simultaneously and just had to write about my experience as soon as I got home with my,( still in my collection), dry-goods.. A couple of years go by, move back home to this godless hellscape- L.A. ready to try all the new things I missed in my stead, yada, yada, yada. then,  have a conversation with my very dear friend, Ryan L. who, was an-absolute pro at Yelp. He wrote a review I really enjoyed and decided to hop on the train, for real this time.  Needless to say, it has brought me to this point today.

Nothing is perfect. There will be something to gripe about always and although I did have a true blast interacting with my Yelp friends, meeting some in the process and sharing my two cents more often than I am sure some would wish, I felt I could perhaps affect change in service and standards, even for the little guys looking to grow their business.  Of course, since brutal honesty is what I am all about, the phone app was my tool to share my disdain or ecstasy in real time.  

I suppose, all in all, I just wanted to thank you all for your check ins, bookmark worthy businesses, opinions, likes, interactions, messages, compliments and  riding along with me on my drunken, vegan exploration of the places I've traveled to and my own, self importance designating itself in one fell swoop. It has indeed been a GAS.

Sincerely,
Chris V.

1/30/2015

I wrote a review of a business I especially liked, and I thought it had been published, but it didn't show up on the business' web page. I contacted Yelp and learned that many reviews are filtered out rather than letting readers decide for ourselves what is useful.

Though I've read many Yelp reviews, I never noticed before I got a response from Yelp that on the bottom of each page in a light grey print there is mention of  "other reviews that are not recommended." If Yelp is going to screen out reviews for reasons that are not obvious, it would seem that they could at least change the print from light grey to Yelp red. Then those of us who prefer to look through all the reviews will be aware that we can see what their  computer decided we wouldn't want to see.

9/18/2014

Is it cheesy to make my 500th Yelp review about Yelp?  Probably.  Good thing I don't care if I'm cheesy!

Anywho, I fell into Yelp by accident.  By that I mean that one of my friends invited me to a Yelp event and I figured "what the hey".  From there, I was absolutely hooked.  Here are a few good things that Yelp has brought me:

1)  Broadening my food horizons.  I have never been a picky eater and have enjoyed exploring new foods and cuisines, but didn't really have an avenue to find new places other than word of mouth.  I have tried so many things that I never thought I would have and feel like I am in the know on a lot of local hidden gems because of Yelp.

2)  The events.  How fun are the events, though!?  I am always excited before Yelp events and they have yet to disappoint me.  It is really cool to get a chance to get to know local businesses through these really fun events.

3)  Most importantly, the people.  I have made quite a few friends from Yelp and it is a really great way to meet like minded folks.  Yelpers tend to like to have fun and I have shared a lot of good times with people I have met through Yelp.

There are a lot more reasons that I have grown to love Yelp, but I figured I would highlight my top 3 (who really needs a super long Yelp review on this anyway).  I am a dedicated Yelper and am grateful to be a part of such a fun group!

1/28/2015

Horrible. terrible company that ruins legit business by letting other competitors bash one another.  Yep sucks.

1/1/2015

As a consumer, I'd give Yelp a 4. It's usually pretty helpful in finding what you need. As a business owner who pays for the 'enhanced profile' they offer, I give them a very firm 1.

It's not even possible to speak with a Yelp rep, you can only e-mail them. It's not uncommon to wait a week to get an e-mail back regarding time sensitive issues (from a tech company?!).  Another bone I have to pick with them is their 'recommendation software", which has filtered out nearly 1/3 of my reviews. I'm unable to get a response as to exactly why this is happening.

I strongly disagree with their approach to customer service. I think they need to take a look in the mirror (read your reviews!) and adjust their approach. (If you did, I'd pay you even more!) That being said, I like what Yelp stands for as an idea so it gets 2 stars.

1/28/2015

Finally they grew a conscience and have released the reviews my clients have left.  You CANNOT hold our reviews hostage and then try to extort advertising money! This is called a PONZI SCHEME, and it is VERY illegal.  Douche bags!!

9/5/2014 Updated review

YELP is Guilty, Guilty, Guilty.
They are a scam,  a fraud and have no integrity.
How's that for a review.

12/5/2014

Yelp allows false comments and lies about my business to remain, while removing actual reviews from people that have experienced my services.

This remains the case even though I have called customer service to explain my side many times.

Yelp's concept is wonderful, however its system is broken and needs to be fixed.

2/2/2015

I will base it on a number of experiences:
1) I interviewed there for a position 2 years ago. It was not what I would consider a positive experiences; horrible interviewers, sketchy process - 1 heavy STAR for poor HR/Recruiting process... all of it. I was not hired but left there not wanting to be. Maybe things have changed.
2) I like the concept, what it accomplishes and the service/value it provides - 4 STARS.
3) I couldn't understand why so many Yelpers made so many spelling mistakes until I joined and realized how tiny the font is when I write a review - consider making the font a tad larger; just ask your Web Developer to do it.
4) Occasionally I come across a Yelper bashing another Yelper for his/her review. I hope this is practiced not favored by Yelp so I will look for such Reviews to be eliminated, if that is even possible - 2 STARS