Yelp

8/10/2014

I'm a local business owner with 3 stars and 13 reviews. However yelp has filtered 17 FIVE STAR REVIEWS. How does that work????? It makes me look terrible and it's hurting business. Yelp is a joke a as far as I'm concerned. I hate how I am now at the mercy of bad reviews and an Algorithm system that is filtering out good reviews.

I wonder how much higher my advertising payments have to be In order for yelp to let some good reviews through.

1/31/2014

I'm the king.

This is my kingdom.

My yelp tenant-farmers pay me tribute in the form of booze and grub.

8/26/2014

Hey Stupids, I looked at something in La Crescenta ONCE!!!!
It's not my freaking primary.
Get your shit together

7/23/2014

On occasion it can be useful to check whether a restaurant is likely to be something I might enjoy.  Knowing how other people feel about a place and surveying pictures of food served by a place can be informative.

But yelp makes that hard.  How?  By not entering reviews of restaurants and pictures of food based on date, newest first (although I just learned there is a sort by date of review feature).  But as for pictures, forget it.  For a popular restaurant you might have to spend half and hour checking out pictures from five years ago, which might be first to appear.

As this is a tech site, what I describe above begs the question.  Why can't yelp make it easier for the people it wants to attract to its site?

6/28/2014 Updated review

RIPOFF ALERT!!!!!!!!!!
YELP IS BROKEN COMPANY DON"T ADVERTISE OR REVIEW HERE, NO SUPPORT AND LAME POLICIES. SMOKE AND MIRRORS

I wish I would of read this before I signed up, who would think a company that advertises other business' reviews would have such poor service. I've been with yelp now for 3 months and I have to say its not worth 1 dollar. The account manager never contact you other that send you an invoice every month.   Stay away

If you are Business owner/ Manager tell yelp you want you company removed from there listing service even if it free, Customer will blackmail using yelp, I've had it happen numerous times without warrant, GREED + POOR SERVICE = YELP

11/18/2014

I run a small business and have been asking my customers to go on Yelp and give an honest review. The problem is we are small and have only 5 reviews. Because we are small and have a limited number of reviews Yelp's software does not recommend any of them good or bad. It looks like Yelp needs to fix their software and listen to their own customer reviews before they try solving the worlds business problem. I do think the arbitration system is good because if you have someone who is honestly not your customer you can report it and have it removed however this is the only upside I have found.

11/14/2014

I use yelp every day - I love being new in town and knowing where the awesome hidden spots are so I don't have to eat at a mainstream chain. I love going on yelp talk section for another city I'll be visiting  and asking locals to help me plan where to visit and where a Ravens sports bar is, I always look at the pictures of food especially when I'm eating at an ethnic place where I don't really know what every dish is like. I like saving money using yelp deals and getting free desserts when checking in at some places. I like using it to message the people that are the Duke of a restaurant to interact over messaging asking about dishes and their favorites. I like messaging with business owners questions that I have about hosting events etc. I like being in a busy street leaving a bar and using the optical search to see what's near by. I like sharing my experiences and taking pictures of where we go. I like bookmarking delicious looking spots and going to that list when I go out. There are so many great uses for Yelp and I am glad to be a user - I've also turned dozens of friends into avid yelpers. You all really need to do a tv commercial or viral video to let the general population understand how many cool things you can do with it and not just search for reviews

3/29/2014

Love Yelp as a member - it's changed my life for the better! I use it to discover new restaurants, bookmark ones I want to try, see what foodie events are upcoming, share with friends where I'm going and most importantly, browse at all those yummy food pictures!

I didn't know you could rate Yelp - awesome stuff!

10/17/2014

Yelp presents one hell of a moral dichotomy for me. While I absolutely enjoy the company of those who have befriended me through Yelp, I really can't shake off the fact that Yelp has gotten away from what is coined on the Internet as "Yelp Extortion."

Less than a year ago, Yelp's CEO, Jeremy Stoppelman, did a AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit. This platform has been used by countless celebrities and significant figures like Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and more. Their opinionated or factual responses have received high praise from the people. However, when it was Jeremy's turn and he was pressed about Yelp's controversy where they call and pressure businesses to buy their advertising services or else those businesses will "mysteriously" and coincidentally receive bad reviews, his denials and general responses were some of the most poorly received of any AMA guest. Why? There are countless testimonies about Yelp's pressure circulating on the web and it's not uncommon to see businesses with very little traction suddenly receive an inordinate amount of praise after purchasing Yelp's services. I can't help but feel terrible for the small businesses that get completely shafted by Yelp's absence of integrity. Those business owners risked everything to pursue their dream and make a living. Unfortunately, Yelp remains (in my eyes) as one of the most cloudy places to get reliable information. However, what Yelp does very well is essentially monopolize the business searching function from a high tech point of view, so you're almost damned if you do, damned if you don't.

With all that said, I really do enjoy using Yelp. I've met plenty of great people on this site in my years as an Elite. They're smart, personable, love to eat and drink, and open to meeting new people. While my goal wasn't to use Yelp to find friends or love, I've been fortunate enough to have found them on this unexpected platform.

My advice to you if you're new to Yelp? Don't see this place as just a "oh, I'm only writing and reading reviews" kind of place. There's a whole community here. Find some locals and add them as friends, especially those who share the same taste as you. You'll learn to trust their reviews over the masses (makes finding good food much easier). Heck, you might even see people who eat at places way out of your budget. Add those people, too. Those are the people you can not only buddy up with for a nice occasion, but you have smart people to align with. Send compliments as if they were text messages. Any Yelp Elite will tell you that "compliments" are not strictly compliments on this site. Get to know people! ...unless you're one of the many creeps on this site. I can't tell you how many guys there are who have this really obvious motive to only talk to women with a failed effort to meet them. If that applies to you, then piss off. Go use Tinder or OKCupid.com.

If your name is Shelley Z, Alex L, Paul L, Marvel Z, James D, Jennifer L, Rohlin A, Robbie B, Marissa S, Chris C, Grace C, Tracie L, or that crazy Gigi M (lol!), then I want to thank you guys for all the great times here. I've yet to meet a few of you, but for the most part, I think of you guys when I reflect on the warm community on Yelp. You guys are awesome! Looking forward to many more years with all of you!

11/19/2014

I hate yelp.   Please stop calling me.  Please stop trying to get me to pay you.

10/29/2014

I have a person calling my from yelp san francisco head quarters in the 4 floor this acording to him ,this guy its calling me and treat me about shutting down my business if I don't sign up with him a contract for advertising for a year
I never have this type of pressure to sing a contract over the phone since that this guy. Have not respect for a costumers

6/27/2014

You guys suck, in my experience.

Unfair practices, deleting real reviews and you cant even get a hold of them because none of their emails allow you to reply.

How dare you delete my perfectly valid negative review of The Woofer Walkers.

Way to hide behind a computer screen guys!

What are you going to delete my profile now because I posted a bad review? go for it. im done with you guys! accurate reviews website my a$$!

1/28/2014

My 100th review goes to Yelp, and for good reason.

I've been a member since earlier last year, but didn't start digging into the app until about June. Like others, at first I only used Yelp to help me find great businesses. Then I started noticing the Elite badge more and more. I wanted it, and I wanted it bad.

I didn't write my first review until October '13, so I had a lot of catching up to do. And I did it! As soon as I hit 30 quality reviews I nominated myself to become a member of the Tampa Bay Elite Squad. I remember checking my email over and over again, waiting for good news. I saw it on my app first. Stars falling down behind my profile and a shiny new badge! I was over the moon, and I still am.

I have already made so many new friends, explored all sorts of businesses, and attended memorable events that I could go on and on about (vote Brett N. for best Community Manager!). I am incredibly thankful I stumbled upon Yelp. Yelping has become a way of life for me, and I am excited and delighted to see what 2014 has in store. It's neat to be Elite!

Thank you Yelp!

12/31/2013

Holy Heck I did it!! 100 reviews in less than a year!! I never thought I could do it, but with motivation from my honey!! I was able to accomplish it.

So I dedicate this 100th review to yelp.  I know, a lot of people have mixed feeling about yelp.  In my opinion, I love yelp!! What other website or app can provide you instant location of places to eat or activities to do? I will have to admit, I probably spend more money going out to eat ever since I found yelp.  

Yes, I'm a yelp addict. I do the following:
Check in the morning to see if I have any new like clicks or compliments
See if my reviews got any new FUCs.
I take pictures of every food I eat before anyone can begin touching their food.
I try and get FTR or FTT.  
I check in just so I can get the badge (although I haven't gotten any new ones lately)

I'm sure I do a whole lot of other stuff but I never thought yelp would be fun.  

"Yelp is not a dating sight"...ok how many of you can say "whatever" to this? Yes, yelp makes it clear that it is not a dating sight but how many of you found your "SO" through yelp.  I will have to say, I am one of those people.  I met my honey through yelp, I wasn't looking for anyone and he showed up in my life at my first Yelp Event and the rest is history.  You can learn so much about a person based on their review.  

Now if you are looking for a "booty call"...then go find some other site.  I'm sure Match.com or OKcupid will suffice.  Don't be a d-bag and try and hit it and quite it with a yelper.  That's just wrong in every way.  If you don't care, then I wish the God's above, strike you with a lightning bolt!!

Anyways, I've not only met my honey, but I also met a lot of friends through yelp.  I think my friends know me better than my own family. LOL.  
If you are fortunate enough to get the covenant "Elite Badge".  Then the party has begun.  There are so many events hosted by yelp for us fellow writers just for them to say "thank you for your reviews"!  We were lucky to have the BEST CM...Ms. Nique (East Bay).  I think writing 100 reviews for East Bay and trying to be part of giving Ms. Nique the title was the motivation I needed.  Nique is not only a wonderful CM but is so sweet and friendly.  I am very lucky to be part of the East Bay Elite Team.

Yelp has gotten far from when I first started in 2011.  I think the only thing I would like to see is being able to compliment on pictures.  I also think they should do a cleanup on old pictures (2+ years) and have them automatically removed.  Seriously, businesses change after 2 years ago.

The adventure may have just started but the journey with my honey will be memorable.  Thanks Yelp for being a part of our journey.

To the yelp friends (Amy P, Alex P, Ari W, Brandi W, Casey P, Cassandra E, Chris M, Jing F, John M, Julian N, Julie K, Kristy T, Roger P, Tommy M., and Yue L) who we were able to hang out with outside of the events...here's to another awesome year!

11/26/2014

Signed up for Yelp, and used them for a month for free, and then i've been paying for that last month or so,  After using them for about a month or so,,  I haven't recieved a phone call, email, text , nothing from any thing close to a lead...

I've been tryjng to get in touch with Yelp them for several weeks, and they are very hard to get in touch with.  I have Phil for my marketing manager, he blew the appointment we had for a conference call, because of a fire alarm.  Not that big of a deal, but we all  have cell phones and emails that we can send out from our phones..
...  I came home early from work for the call.
Strike 1

i call him 2 business days later, and his voice mail says he is out of town on militarty duty  , problem was his voice mail was about 3 days past that date on his voice mail.
So if this guy can't update his own voice mail and get in touch with me because i'm not happy, what in the world is this company going to do for me.
Strike 2

I have emailed the sales person and Phil on monday, expressing my feelings and just wanting to terminate my contract.  At this point, i don't want a refund, but i don't feel i should have to pay for breaking this contract, especially since they haven't done anything but take my money and waste a lot of my time..  Well, its Wednesday night, and still no word,, but i did get some emails promoting other companies..
Strike 3

For anyone considering using Yelp, They aren't even members of the BBB.. That should say something in itself..  They have some dealings with the FTC already..
probably from misleading people..
they told me when we got signed up,,  they were top 10 on Alexa rankings,

I checked it later,, its more like 38 in USA and over 120 in the world.  

I am very concerned about this company and am worried that they just took my money and I'll have to go to court to keep from loosing more money.

Very disappointed at this point.  Not a good feeling when you get in a contract with people with such poor integrity and communication skills, and the irony is they are in the reviews business, and they have poor reviews on their own site.

10/24/2014

I work for an automotive group with 5 different franchises. We serve hundreds of customers a month and of course with that kind of customer base and in this industry we have our fair share of happy and unhappy customers. We put a lot of faith in review sites to give prospective customers a fair idea of the type of business we are. That of course is with the exception of Yelp. Their "secret" filtration system keeps 1 star reviews from 2011 by users with no previous reviews or yelp activity at the top, and recent 5 star reviews from active Yelp users on the shunned "not recommended" page. All the while having an advertising sales agent calling and emailing every other day to sell us what Yelp can do for our business. Even if advertising with Yelp could boost our star rating, we are not buying into it. Our owner wants nothing to do with the dishonestly and marketing games of yelp and has informed the 23 other dealers he is associated with to do the same. Want to know an honest and fair rating system? Talk to Google. Want some real info on the workings of Yelp? Educate yourself:

forbes.com/sites/jimhand…

huffingtonpost.com/mark-…

1/10/2014

It's YELP-a-licious time

I've been YELP'd!  Who knew I could be my OPINIONATED SELF and do a YELP review!

So OK after well over 5500 plus reviews and growing what could I possibly say that has NOT already been said 5500 times...NOTHING!  

So this will be sort of quick...

Who doesn't like YELP?  OK there are probably some that don't but I'm sure it is only those companies that think BAD SERVICE and/or HORRID FOOD should be A-OK and it's NOT!  If you're like me you either work hard for your money, or had to jump through a few too many hoops to get that Trust Fund you deserve for doing ABSO-FRICKIN-LUTY NOTHING but existing, or maybe you had to suck up to that rich uncle or aunt before they died, whatever the case the last thing you want to do is give it away to some APPALLING business that doesn't deserve it!  You would be better off burning it in the fireplace to keep warm and it would serve a better purpose because at least you're getting something out of it...like keeping warm!

YELP gives the little person (that would be me and you) a opportunity to voice our concerns and opinions about our experiences at business'.  They are like a digital Yellow Pages but Red with a comments field.  I use them everywhere I go!  I look up business while out and about to find somewhere to eat or shop before I embark on an unpleasant experience!  Not only that the app gives you the address and you can get directions right to the location.  Of course the only issue there is with GPS.  Point "B" is sometimes not where it states it is on the map but from my experience it is usually NOT too far off!

My friends and family think I'm a little cray-cray because I am always on my YELP app in the streets.  We will go to a new place and I am taking notes so I don't forget anything because I need to YELP about it once I get home!  I'm always taking pictures of food, items and signs to post on YELP!  I have trained them to NOT touch the food before I can get a picture of it, but even if I forget I will take a picture of the empty plate!  I am always checking-in at different business to let my YELP FAMILY know where I am!  

The weird thing is that I'm NOT into social media.  I don't feel the need to tell people I am going to the bathroom or eating lunch YET I try to be a GOOD LITTLE YELPER and do the EXACT same thing I don't like about those other social medias on YELP! LOL! Yes that is about as crazy as it gets! I don't do facebook, twitter, snapchat, instagram, etc... I could NOT care less if I tried about those social media type things but YELP is different to me somehow, in my sanitarium of a mind.  

I like that no one can really Google me because YELP doesn't use your full name.  So unless they just so happen to see a picture of you on a YELP business site no one knows your there that you don't want to know!  I can't tell you how many times I have bumped into people I DON'T KEEP IN CONTACT WITH and had them tell me, "I looked for you on facebook, but I couldn't find you"!  Are you FRICKIN kidding me?  You're the exact reason I don't have facebook!  If I wanted you to know where I was and keep in contact with you, YOU WOULD ALREADY FRICKIN KNOW and have my address and number!  Then they quickly say we should exchange numbers and I ALWAYS give them a fake number BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HANG OUT WITH YOU!  I really didn't CARE FOR YOU IN HIGH SCHOOL or COLLEGE and I DON'T FEEL THE NEED TO REHASH, REMINISCE, GO OVER, or HARK BACK TO the past!  The fact that I had the UNFORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY to go to school with you was ENOUGH we DON'T NEED to repeat the process!  Or I just pretend like I don't know who they are!  Works EVERYTIME!

The ONLY thing I think YELP should change is to add a NEGATIVE STAR REVIEW!  There have been a few places that I WISH I COULD GIVE A NEGATIVE STAR or NO STAR because it was such a HORRIFIC EXPERIENCE!  But overall I LOVE YELP!

HAPPY YELPING

11/21/2014

Yelp is a scam. The reviews are NEVER accurate. I can't trust the ratings at all. The only thing I use it for is seeing what is around me. Just because someone was in a bad mood one day they say terrible things about really quality places!

11/24/2014

Yelp can help you become aware of businesses that could be helpful to you. Yelp talk in SF is a playground for trolls and their not too bright enablers. Minus a star for that.

10/26/2014

YELP is a scam. I am so sick of reading things on here. Just because people can't get their way they give you a one star. REALLY! If YELP themselves receive only a 2 star rating what does that say about the business?

You flag a review, they do nothing even if theres evidence of false information. Their sales rep call and said " We can help you with improvement of rating, for a low monthly fee..."

I am not a yelper but sick of seeing direct attack on good people and good businesses. YELP you need a new business model, YELP has no CORE values at all.

Small business owners should ask all their clients to give them 1 star rating, this way when a real 1 start rating does come through no one would care. You have the right to say what you want but when evidence of false information is given to you, YELP please listen, stop making a penny for once sec and listen to the TRUTH! Your auto response email is lame.

12/15/2014

Yelp! whats' going on with my account????

1/23/2014

Yelp gets me.

I understand how you work and operate, and end of the day it's your company, run it how you want.

I understand how your filter works and it's very smart, and works perfectly.

Your community managers are very friendly and open to the newbies in the community.

Hopefully one day I can "chill" in the Yelp headquarters like Vince Vaugn and Owen Wilson in "The Internship". That would be awesome, I will take photos of your bathroom if you wish and review them as their own business? Ideas? thoughts? Best bathroom reviews 2014 coming soon..... lol.

Thank's Yelp for making me quit facebook and dedicate my social media time to actually achieving mini personal goals and something that is appreciated.

Yelp is the future and some people just  don't see that yet. Your idea's and way of documenting the world is the next step. We have accomplished connecting people through Facebook, now let's connect the rest of the world through Yelp.

6/17/2014

Yelp is in the business of extortion and black mail. Basically,  if you own a business they call you every single day and make it seem like you won't be found with out them.

They charge $500 per month for 2,000 impressions, that may seem like a lot but it's a rip off. Impressions means your ad appears in the list with many other ads and businesses.  It doesn't mean someone saw your ad or even noticed it. Yelp also requires a 12 month contract to advertise with them with a $600 early cancelation fee. If you believe in what you're selling, Yelp, then why do you require a contract and early termination fee? with out guranteeing anything to your clients. When I said no to them they changed the category of my business, made it hard for clients to find us and filtered my legitimate reviews. I got over it, you're still not getting my money!

The biggest red flag for any one dealing with yelp is their automated responses to any objection you have. My favorite one is, "Studies have show that clients who sign up with yelp make $3 for every $1 they spent." Okay? but when I ask for a gurantee, they can't give me that. mmmm....no gurantee in writting that adverstising with yelp will work, but yelp does have a 12 month contract with early termination fees?! How does that make sense to anyone?! I have to commit to pay YOU for something YOU sell but you don't have to gurantee me anything? SCAM, SCAM, SCAM!

I opted out for Google ad words and for 10,000 impressions I pay nothing!  I only pay a few cents if someone actually clicks on my AD and looks at my website.  Facebook has also been a wonderful source of advertisement. With facebook you can choose your budget of $5 and up and choose your market target: age, gender, preferences and so on.

PLLLLEEEAAASSEE SAVE YOUR MONEY!!! Try local advertising and networking with your local chamber of commerce.

I feel bad for the small businesses who have lost their hard earned money to these mobsters.

Also, do not fall for SIGNPOST INC. they are an app advertising company. Sadly I fell for them and paid out $375 for their services. After I researched them they seemed legit and had no bad reviews. Later, after their ads had no leads for my business, I found out they are owned by Yelp. Of course their wasn't any bad reviews for them!

I can't believe how easy we are to control. We have given complete power to yelp in all of our decision making. They control how people shop and the decisions people make. They seemed like a great company at first until their true intentions came out. CONTROL OF PEOPLES DECISION MAKING AND USING IT TO MAKE MONEY.

They set a standard for all businesses and they themselves can't even get a 3 star rating. When they call me again I'm going to say, "Sorry, based on your yelp reviews I can't do business with you." That's what a lot of small businesses deal with!

1/14/2015

Yelp is a joke.
Lucky for some of the business owners that some of the people know to go to the " Reviews not recommended" to see all the reviews. They tried to set me up with adds on yelp. I wouldn't take it if the give it to me for free. I recommend to everyone NOT to give them any money since yelp is a free recommendations from local people telling other people about good local businesses. If that's affective then why would anyone want to give them money to get something they can get fro free. They are lame and what they do with the reviews is even more lame. I have over 20 reviews but until  recently they only allowed 2 and now the added another from 2009 Did I say they are a joke? Thank G-D I don't count on these cunts for my business but i feel sorry for those who are looking for a good reliable honest local business  and they think yelp is a good place.
I find it funny that yelp place all of the 10 5 star reviews out of over 6000 at the top of the list and if you scroll past it's all 1 star. I bet if there was anything less then 1 star they will get it. Last thing: I hope the yelp lamos read the reviews they are getting and hopefully they'll change there lame ways.

7/30/2014

I used to like yelp until they filtered my twenty some reviews in one month. When I tried to get some answers. I was told that yelp system filter the persons review who hardly use yelp. REALLY??? BULLSHIT. How come ON TIME AIRPORT TAXI'S review doesn't get filtered?? I used to work for them and he makes all of his drivers to sign up on yelp. Then he ask the drivers to write a review. What I heard was the owner of ON TIME AIRPORT TAXI hired a lawyer to delete one of my friends ad and filter reviews from my business. Even the owner admit that he did that. Yelp is getting trashy day by day. I really liked yelp that's why I'm hoping that it might change and start treating everyone fare. I even can prove that ON TIME TAXI'S reviews are fake. (All of them). Either yelp better start filtering ON TIME TAXI review or it better get my reviews back.

8/2/2014

In general I like Yelp as a concept, but the execution is questionable.

My business has received seven reviews: three are 5 star reviews, one is 4 star,  and all four are "not recommended" (3) or "removed for violating content guidelines" (1). The other three are 1 star reviews: one spite filled diatribe from an ex-client who was happy with us for years until one issue sent her on a rampage. Another spite review because a customer got charged for something that was their own fault, and one more spite review from a guy who misunderstood something that wouldn't have even been an issue if he had just listened to what we told him.

All that is fine if all of the reviews are shown, and visitors to Yelp can sort through them and come to their own conclusions. But due to some mysterious criteria only two of the seven are shown and they are both 1 star reviews. One of the 5 star reviews is from a person with five reviews, but it gets relegated to "not recommended" while one of the 1 star reviews is also from a guy with five reviews and his is displayed.

It's not fair to businesses, and it may well be costing us customers.

12/13/2013

I come from a believe system of "don't mock it till you try it".  So I tried it (And I wish I didn't), I  am the owner of Viva Photo Booth and signed up with yelp to advertise my business and it was bad! truly the worst advertisement I have ever invested-in. Lucky for me I did not sign up for the year service, instead I convinced the sales rep into a 3 month contract. $1,050.00 dollars later no results.  Not one conversion into a sale, not one call of anybody saying they heard about my business through yelp.

You can have 1,000 times better results using facebook, google, groupon, livingsocial, word of mouth (free) with a fraction of the cost to yelps marketing efforts.

I don't understand yelps business model as customer service is non existent, you will be lucky to get someone on the phone and if you ever do trust me nothing is getting fixed. Not to mention what everyone except yelp already knows, the filtering system doesn't work.

Hope to save everyone some time and hopefully save business owners from making the deadly mistake of flushing your advertising dollars down the toilet, I will conclude with the following:

-1,000 stars for advertisement vs your dollars spend
-1,000 for customer service.
1.5 stars to yelps sales rep department (tactically persistent with useful schemes)

Interesting that yelp shows a five star review on the search engine when you search "review yelp" It's like a 5 to 1 ratio of One-star reviews to One-Five Star Review. Also interesting the 5 star reviews are like really dumb down and non informative. Clearly the five star reviews should be filtered or at the very least labeled "5 star nonsense reviews" as they are not informative with things like "Yelp is helpful. Yelp is fun. Yelp is cool.  Yelp, Yelp, Yelp! and "My 1,000 review"

Just saying;)

Facts
Based on my marketing efforts through yelp, yelp claims the following:

Estimated Revenue from Yelp Customers
Yelp Customer Leads 74
Average Revenue per Customer Lead
× $ 358

Estimated Revenue from Yelp Customer Leads
December 2012 - December 2013 = $26,492
Each Customer Lead is assumed to be a unique customer

According to a survey of business owners in your category by The Boston Consulting Group, the average revenue per customer in the "Event Planning & Services" category is $358.

***Actual revenue from yelps customer leads = -$1,050 dollars

In their terms of service, Yelp asks all users not to violate the site's content guidelines by "compensating someone or being compensated" to write a review. Perhaps they need to write it out in bold that compensation won't be coming from "yelps" end, either.

12/3/2014

While is see the value of Yelp (and use it myself), it is deeply flawed. I run a restaurant in the city and I've been trying to update information like our hours of operation and menu, and am met with nothing. Literally nothing. I have asked several times to update the menu, and instead found that they set us to take online orders....from a menu that is NOT up to date. We can't even receive the online orders. I have attempted to log in with what I was given as our business log in, but that apparently doesn't work. NO ONE at Yelp has responded to my multiple attempts to contact them. All I want to do is make sure that the information that Yelp users are getting about our business is correct. If anyone at Yelp sees this, please contact me. Please.

12/5/2014

Cool, open space. Enrolled staff. Great visit. Thanks to Luther Lowe for showing me the Yelp digs.

9/8/2014 Updated review

Dear Yelp, I confess. I am a drive-by yelper a lot of the time. I just look up reviews for spots as I pass by them. I don't even say howdy. After all, signing in will not yield a personalized list of nearby places which my friends & favorites have recommended.  Seems you are location challenged , or you would have gotten with the programming by now.  After all, you already use google maps and ajax on all your webpages.

Could I make this a bit easier for you? Even a map view of places I have bookmarked would help. You know, so we can see if there is anything we've bookmarked nearby us. It would at least mean that there is some benefit to our reading and bookmarking other people's reviews. (Other than laughs.)

Just put this mantra in your white noise filter ... "Personalized maps are the sticky sauce." and someone is sure to figure this out for you.

I mean I can't be the only one craving this ... everyone will eat it up.

7/11/2014

Please I beg of you. Do NOT sign up for there marketing. I am still paying for it. It is a scam. Use your money on google adwords or stuff like that.

1/23/2014

I've been saving my 100th review for a review of my favorite website Yelp.  Yelp can mean different things to different people.  Before I started writing reviews I strictly used Yelp to get a rating for a restaurant I was going to try.   I had never even written a review, checked in anywhere or offered a tip.

Then I got a little more into Yelp when my husband and I were planning where to eat during our trips to Ft. Lauderdale.  It proved to be helpful and pretty accurate with figuring out what to expect from a restaurant, hotel or other type of tourist attraction.

I had no idea that Yelp was a social network for people who like to go out a lot.  I had no idea that some people were considered "Elite" in the Yelp community.  I had no idea how much fun Yelp can be.  Fast forward a few years and I am checking in everywhere I go, bookmarking places that I want to visit, have written 100 reviews and have been selected as a Yelp "elite" member!

Yelp is a wonderful place and I love all of the friends I have in my network.  I don't know too many of my Yelp friends offline but hope to catch up with them one day if I visit their cities or attend a Yelp Elite event.  Thank you Yelp for offering a fun alternative to Facebook.  On Yelp, you aren't bragging or annoying your friends by checking in everywhere (as opposed to Facebook, where people would start to delete you from their newsfeeds).  You are supposed to check in and give your opinion of everywhere you visit.

The most useful part of Yelp for me is the tips.  They give me a way to read one highlight from each person instead of reading an entire review.  I like to read reviews but sometimes just want to get a quick impression of a place.

I also like the bookmark feature.  It's extremely helpful when planning a trip or having quick access to a place that you are planning to visit soon.  Giving and getting compliments is a fun part of being on Yelp (thank you Paul K. for the encouragement!).

Keep it up Yelp!  I will be here writing tips, posting reviews and taking lots of pictures.

11/5/2014

If I could put no stars I would.  They are constantly filtering bad reviews to be the first thing you see and putting good reviews in a "filtered" section that most people don't even know to look for.  That is if they don't delete the good reviews completely.  What a scam, the owner should be embarrassed and not be so greedy, at the end of the day you should feel terrible about yourself.  All of us little companies that work hard to create a great name for ourselves are suffering and being punished because we can't afford to pay yelp or choose not too.  Put yourself in the shoes of a small business owner and try to have some compassion for what you are doing to us all.

1/19/2015

Don't like they are a member of ALEC.

6/28/2014 Updated review

WHEN is Yelp going to add other buttons than "useful," "funny," or "cool??!!"
It's a creative company. How about buttons like "you're wacked," or "learn how to spell," or "you have got to be kidding?!"

Or what about the button they use for pictures in the review line-up..."not helpful."
I understand the need for being positive but it's just not real.

1/11/2014

What is Yelp you ask, a few years ago I'd asked that too!?!  A way to find good eats, and treats, fun things to do, a place to read other's opinion's and write mine too! Is it just a community of people who like to eat & write reviews? Check ins, tips and photos galore, it's that with opinions but so much more!
I was introduced too a society of Yelpers by the fabulous Monica O this chic rocks, leave it to her to find a way to have fun "outside the box!"  
Lead by our Awesome Yelp Community Manager Lindsey D. we've enjoyed the Best of Arizona's local flavor! I'm an AZ native, one of the few whose lived here all my life and yet there are places that existed that I never knew.
I've learned how vital supporting your community is by eating, drinking, shopping local, and I've volunteered too!
I've seen great places, enjoyed amazing food,and have made fabulous friends too, what better way to say thanks and I love YELP, than to write my 100th & give them a 5 star review!!!

11/6/2014 Updated review

In Canada, a major tv consumer program is airing an expose how misleading online review sites are. I am not sure I can post the name here,  It is CBC Marketplace. They found that is completely legal to hire professional reviewers who get paid around $5 per review, have multiple userids, and you never know, they could be one of the elite reviewers posting. this is in fact their job.

10/19/2014

No Ifs ands or Butts! YELP is Fabulous because we all are!
    There is no perfect person, no perfect machine, no perfect App, no perfect job, meal, World!
    We all Try! And that's what makes us special! YELP! rhymes with HELP! And that's what we do for each other! Why this App and Life has motivated me to get out into the World!
    Thank YOU! "YELP APP"! You've given all of us a Safe and Supportive Arena to become Ourselves! Letting us Shine in our own ways, nudging us when we have gone too far, and even closed some of our accounts!
    You are a Machine, a Program, giving us Chances, Awards, Rewards, Opinions, Voices, Sounds, Friends, Elites, Invites, Reviews, and Tips!
    You are not just a "Space", or "Face", or an "Insta"! You work hard ! And we try harder to Improve You and Ourselves!
    To Review YELP? Is to Review a Mirror! 6 Stars is what I give because One day you will add-on another Special Star for something! An "APPLICATION" which shows us OURSELVES!

Love, Glenn F.

10/23/2014

Yelp is the most unrealistic, unprofessional site I have ever seen.  They are here only to destroy small businesses.  They love to put the awful reviews that are packed with lies and throw out the good reviews.  

I actually called yelp and asked for them to remove my Company from their site...the man laughed and said that will never happen that they own us once we are on there.  I beg to differ Yelp I am the only owner of my Business.  So, I guess I will be taking legal action.  

I suggest to all Business owners that see this and cannot get off of Yelp we start a major class action lawsuit.

6/25/2014

Unfortunately there are no zero stars for yelp ratings or I would go there now.  After letting go of a staff member, we received multiple fictional negative reviews.  Until that point, we had never had a bad review.  I have proof available that the reviews in question are from people that have never been in my business, but that doesn't matter to yelp.  After refusing to address the fake reviews, they then had the gall to ask for money for adds on their site.  After I refused, I had a few legitimate reviews suddenly end up on the "not recommended" list.  Posting this will probably hurt me more, but that's fine.  

Yelp needs a new tag line....
real people....fake reviews.....

Fix your issues Yelp