MeetupReviews 498

I've used this site for years for organizing social network events. The reason I used this site instead of facebook events pages was because I didn't trust facebook. Facebook has made significant changes to their site without notifying subscribers on many occasions. Well... After using meetup.com over the years and PAYING for the page, meetup.com has made subjective format alterations to the page as well. It is one thing if Facebook makes changes to a free page. However, paying for a meetup.com page and having them reformat the product that a customer has paid for, without their permission was very disappointing.

Unfortunately, anyone can attend and anyone can host these meetings. There is no screening. I just left a social for "foodies" and will never return. I thought it was a good way to meet new people (hence the name Meet Up) But it seems more like an avenue for a bunch of dorky and unsavory types. For a bunch of 40 somethings and older the majority were unmannered and socially inept--actually sat next to a man who played on his cell phone while sitting in the middle of a table of guests. I addressed his bad manners, instead of him apologizing to everyone, he defended his poor behavior by saying that it was a matter of opinion! Then another man defended this man's bad manners by saying that sometimes he (himself) needed to use his phone to check in on his girlfriend (as he was physically all over the woman next to him). They proceeded to tell me that the group was not for singles, it was for everyone. In other words, it was a great pool of lonely, single and desperate women victimized ( or not) by married and otherwise attached men. Why would it be open to married and attached people but they were not coming as couples? Why wouldn't they just go out to dinner on their own or have the social skills as a couple to make their own friends (which is very easy to do)? Not surprising that the organizers of the group were all men! If these attached men needed a social group, there are many other avenues that are morally acceptable than to prey on lonely, unattached women.
I also attended a meeting for spiritual awareness that describes itself as a meditation only to discover that it costs $8.00 per 45 minutes to "meditate" and connect with dead people. The organizer of that one finds everything possible to host a "meet up" and keeps a time clock next to her! She hosts a "meet up" group almost daily at $8 per person. I cannot believe that "meet up " rules allows a very profitable business to operate and use meet up avenues as their primary advertising.
In the case of these meet ups, I would definitely say BUYER BEWARE. It seems to be a great magnet for deceitful practices and more so, rude and ignorant people.

I created a beautiful page as an organizer who holds free and low cost health and spiritual practice events. I thought Meetup would be a good place to get the word out in our local area. I WAS SO WRONG. After hours of getting friends and local like minded people to join my new page and not to mention the hours creating the page and adding events etc... I get this email!

Our Community Team reviews each newly-created Meetup Group to see if it's a good fit for our platform. When we took a look at your Meetup Group, Three Roots Wellness, Center 4 Holistic Practices, NE, *******, we determined that it wasn't in line with our Group Community Guidelines. You can check them out here:

http://meetu.ps/1znyRv

As a result, we've closed your Meetup Group. Sorry about that. Don't worry, we've also refunded your Organizer Dues. It may take 3-7 business days for that refund to appear on your account. Please confirm receipt directly with your card issuer.

We appreciate your interest in Meetup!

Best,
Meetup HQ

ARE THEY GOD? They didn't even have the decent business professionalism to say "we noticed xyz and feel it is a violation of our terms you have 24hrs to remove it etc" NOTHING and when I emailed them so bewildered not even understanding what I did wrong they had an EVEN RUDER response...

I am so angry

These people are completely NOT professional and think they have the monopoly on social networking!

Oh don't bother calling them... you will not get anywhere because the customer service people do not handle ANYTHING according to Lianae (representative) who couldn't even tell me what I did wrong!

Where to begin. First, I attempted to create a specific kind of health group. Meetup rejected it, stating I was doing it for business purposes only. Keep in mind that I wasn't attempting, nor was I going to attempt to charge anyone for anything. I only wanted to create a place for like-minded, health-conscious individuals to get together. This was AFTER I have found groups that charge people a fee to join AND after I attempted to join an existing Meetup, but was told by the organizer that I had to meet with her individually first, and would need to pay a fee for that initial visit. I referred her group to Meetup and was ignored. To date, her group is still in existence.

I have nothing but very negative experiences with Meetup.com. I agree that Meetup.com is for losers who can't make friends in real life. The people who attend events are some of the most insane, emotionally disturbed, sycophants I've ever met!

As a female, attending the singles events are horrible! The men are socially $#*!ed and won't take "I'm not interested" "No I don't want to exchange numbers" and walking away from them as a sign to please leave me alone. They will follow you around the event and even send frightening stalker e-mails after the event.

I've deleted my profile and am trying to find other ways to meet people, because there is ZERO quality on Meetup.com.

As an organizer for many years, unfortunately I can only say that the experience has been a bitter one... forget about the occasional weirdo that might join the group you're paying for as an organizer, it's the complete and utter lack of touch and empathy from Meetup HQ towards us their paying customers. Over and over they don't get tired of making the point that they don't care a bit about and understand what you have to say and what truly works to run a succesful group for adult people. The feeling you get is that Meetup HQ is run by a psycopath together with a bunch of teenagers. All they care about is that their website looks good, hiding and many times disappearing the many complaints organizers have posted. For instance, organizers used to have a forum to post questions, concerns, etc. but due to the fact that lots and lots of organizers were posting complaints about their platform, website, constant changes, etc etc etc, Meetup HQ had the brilliant idea to silence everyone and got rid of that forum... instead of perhaps listening for a change to its paying customers.

As an organizer of a 8,000 member + group I absolutely HATE Meetup.com They make unwanted changes and do not listen to customer feedback-- If you are staring a new group PLEASE consider other options. It may be too late for me, but you can save yourself!

With this last change they took away ALL font options, color, font size, ability to copy and paste pictures, highlight or underline, and MUCH more.
No all of my postings have to be b; ack and with at size 11 font.

It was soo good in the past, but with change after change they continue to screw the paying organizers

I was an organizer for a large group for professionals in New York City for a few years and WILL NEVER attend another Meetup anywhere again. Professional events resulted in such cruel and psychotic behavior that we even had to call the police at several events. Restraining orders, having to court, etc.

I completely regret all of the time that I spent trying to put on quality events. The stand up comedians here in NYC have it right - Meetup is for LOSERS who cannot meet friends in real life.

Meetup is one of the scummiest sites going. By this I mean meetup.com, not all the fabulous members and organizers who are unfortunately using it. I have had very little good dealing with meetup in the last while (since they cut out most of their editing options and pissed many organizers off) I have been blocked from commenting on their boards after posting the letter they sent me after I registered a complaint with them. They refuse to consult with or acknowledge the organizers who are paying them! All you get is a copy and paste generic letter and a shove under the carpet. From what I can tell they place no value the people who use the service.
That being said, the groups, organizers and members are fabulous! I have made many friends who I adore! I hope in the future these group can move elsewhere.

Love the meetups, and have made many real friends.

The website has a big problem with scammers, however. Whenever I join a new meetup group, I get several messages from men who are using meetup as a pool of new targets for their scam. The language/phrasing is often the same, as if they cut/paste the bait message.

Beware if you get a message from a man whose profile shows messages from several other women saying "Thank you for the compliment but I don't remember you, where'd we meet again?"

Beware if you get a message from a man whose english is poor, using phrases like:

Hello dear
If you don't mind
I will like to know more about
Hope to read from you soon
Looking for a serious minded woman for a serious relationship
I am new here
Please no games
I will like to meet a serious minded woman for a serious relationship
God bless and please to hear from you soon
Thank you for the information's

If you do get a message like this, click Report - and also send an email to *******@meetup.com include links to the message you got and to his profile.

If they get enough complaints, maybe they'll be able to adjust the software to filter out certain phrases.

This site is a huge scam. Once you sign up you'll be harassed with endless e-mails, and changing your e-mail preferences is a major pain if you sign up to any of the groups. If you complain about the e-mail volume on their suggestion forum your account will be banned. If you say ANYTHING even slightly criticizing them on that forum your ENTIRE account will be banned. And if you paid money? Too bad, so sad, you voicing your opinions apparently means you're no longer entitled to the money you spent.

Not to mention the fact that if you don't give in at first and don't pay them to create a group, a few days later they'll send you a 50% off coupon. You have to be a pretty disgusting company to run your business like that. Trick people into paying full price but offer the reluctant ones HALF OFF. I mean, wow.

Aside from the unethical business practices the membership base itself if FULL of fake profiles. 90% of your members won't attend a meetup, won't respond to messages, aren't active in any way, and have stock photos on their profiles. Digging a it deeper you'll be hard pressed to find any of them are real.

AVOID THIS SCAM SITE AT ALL COSTS!

I was an organizer and member this place is crazy. I started a womens drum healing circle had about 30 women 20 rsvp to me for the eve we were having the circle. NO ONE SHOWED UP seems a bit strange I paid for the space and of course paid for the meet up organization. I then closed out my account and my credit card was being used on line. Do not play into this company they will not help you if you have issues like this. They send people to your meet up who do not want to come to a meet up or are 25 miles away from the place you intend to have the meeting. As for the new set ups it sucks. It use to be free but charging you for something is crazy. Meet ups are only good if you have a public place to meet and our area was very scare in those places. I would not allow anyone to come to my home, as you don't know who you are dealing with and most are a bit weird and crazy. They don't like groups and don't want to even meet. They just like to join on line. Don't waste your time or money, as you will get caught in a loop like I did, yes meet up is a scam!

This site is just horrible and disappointing. I signed up for several spiritual meetup groups hoping that I would connect with like minded people. First of all the organizers, who claim to be shamans, healers or whatever else are full of crap and just want to manipulate others and get your money. Second of all, even when I reported inapporpriate members, I unfortunately attracted really sick people who would stalk me by sending me so many messages or make me feel threatened. When approaching the organizer, nothing was done. I had always had this issue with meetup, not connecting with the right type of people, and I just think the people on there do not have good intentions, see weak lonely people and try to manipulate them. The site is a great site for predators and disgusting men to try to get women.

It's ok for finding interest groups but the individual customers receive little support if an organiser turns against them for any reason and there's no appeal process allowed. I have had contact with the membership team in NYC over being unfairly banned from but group I'd helped create but meet up are only interested in urging you to set up new groups instead in that area! I appreciate that organisers are busy people but without the individual members, there's no meet up!

Some groups are okay, have weekly regulars, and no ulterior motives.
On the other hand I am disappointed in those that are clearly for businesses. Well actually they are not clear about that until the first meetup you go to and then tell you about classes they have and how much it cost. Over 300 dollars for the last one I went to. Had I know this I would never have attended. It's basically advertising their classes without really letting you know that until you're already at the meetup. So then it's a disappointment and a big waste of my time.
I do think there are some good honest meetups. I found some meditation groups that are free or they ask for a minimal donation if you care to make one. I paid the suggested fee of a dollar at one, To help them with the cost of the meetup site.
I've also attended a book group and a general meetup for coffee, and a gamers group. There were plenty of others there. And all of the groups have been running a long time.

To some people that are saying it is for losers and the people are weird. Maybe some of them are odd (to you. Whose to say what's odd. Maybe you are), but to say they all are is wrong.
I've met a lot of intelligent likable and fun people. These people are not losers, they are people that want to get together and share their knowledge and interests with like minded people. In this way meetup is a great idea.