YelpReviews 1,585

My clients cannot add their reviews.
After paid advertising, my business still lists at over 120. Even if I do a search from my own computer. I was disappointed with Yelp for years; any time I tried to find a relevant business, their search results were horrible. I found a simple Google search way more helpful.
After seeing their latest advertisements, I thought I would try them out, with my own business. Absolutely a total waste of time and money.

Yelp Advertising is a Bad Choice

I created a Yelp for Business page and was immediately contacted by an Account Executive offering "free" advertising for a month. I made a bad decision and took him up on the offer. Making the claim repeatedly in our call that I could cancel any time without charge, the services would equal the $100 of "free" advertising he was offering, which turned out the be less than true.

After putting my page at the top Advertised spot I started receiving increased calls, web traffic and emails. The traffic was almost 100% scams. Calls telling my SSN card had be "suspended" were a daily occurrence. Emails with links to Craigslist voicemails, which while ironic were only phishing for control of my computer. Web contacts offering increased web traffic for only $49... were the majority of what Advertising on Yelp got me.

Then nearing the end of the billing cycle, I contacted my Account Executive asking for everything to be turned off before things billed, per his statement that I could do this. This email was never replied to. Phone calls and subsequent emails all apparently went to the same black hole because no one turned off services, returned a call, left a message, or replied to an email.

So I turned off the services... and was billed over $100 for my "free" advertising.

Searching the Internet I found a Yelp Customer Service number. Called and was informed my Customer Success Team could be reached at another number. I called them and learned that this was my mistake, because obviously I had misunderstood the Account Executive. They would do nothing to correct the issue.

Don't make the mistake of advertising on Yelp.

My clients take time out of their busy schedules to review Bon Jour Matchmaking Service. THEY are certainly not happy about their reviews being "hidden" on a regular basis. THIS time yelp accused ME of writing the most recent review which was actually written by a client I've been working with for a while. The nerve of this company accusing me of writing it and pulling both that review and another that a brand new client wrote! Then they have the nerve to call me to advertise with them! Fat chance!

After seeing up-close factual photographic evidence that certain pest control company had performed an illegal and badly timed bat exclusion during maternity season, I posted a negative review about the company, as had many others. All those reviews (and the pest control company's responses) were later removed by Yelp, claiming that the reviews were based on media attention and not a real interaction with the company. I believe potential customers of a company should be able to read reviews about the company's actions and make their own choice about whether the reviews are valid. Further, those companies who do bad work get to skate and the bad reviews are swept under the rug. Yelp reviews are biased and untrustworthy.

Yelp left all the negative reviews with its lies about my business for over five years and removed all the positive five-star reviews on my business. I just set up my own Yelp page, got seven 7 five-star reviews and Yelp removed six of the seven. When I created my Yelp site, Yelp advertisers called me several times per week trying to get me to advertise with them. When I ignored them, my positive reviews got deleted. What a great way for Yelp to run their business. I hate Yelp. I think it's pernicious.

After hours and hours of dealing with errors trying to create locations on Yelp, and dealing with the error (attached in the picture below), I decided I'd call yelp and let them know what I was struggling with, they told me they couldn't transfer me to technical support, and suggested I retry the same thing I've been doing.

The rep then told me he understood what I was going through because sometimes iPhone apps log him out, and he's "Sure he has the right password." No man, you're missing the picture. We need the SEO to make a living, I didn't get logged out of angry-birds.

You all missed the mark, can't wait til your product is replaced by a competitor, and I will NEVER EVER spend money with Yelp.

I was so screwed by Yelp. Do not fall for their $#*!. They will tell u what u want to hear and then you will be charged for more money than they ever told you you would be charged for. Such a load of crap. This company stinks. I got suckered for 300.00 that they will not tell me how I got charged or for what I got charged. I just hope I actually closed my account. Someone wrote a review that they could not get their account closed.

I HATE YELP AND THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED! Do not advertise on Yelp because they will remove your 5 star reviews and leave your negative reviews! Research Yelp before you make the biggest mistake of your life! Homeowners are being deceived by company reviews because the majority of company 5 star reviews are hidden and filtered. Companies Nationwide are filing lawsuits against Yelp and hopefully they get what they deserve and put out of business!

I got sucked into opening a business account with Yelp. They told me how great it would be for my business. I'm a new restaurant and our reviews are critical for a new business especially the good ones. So far YELP has taken away 5 - 5 Star reviews and left us with just 1-5 Star. We checked on the ones that were removed and the customers were all legit and REAL CUSTOMERS. Who gives YELP the right to do this? Well, we do as the dumb customers who bought into their lies. YELP will take you out as a business. Now I'm reading about all the crap they pull on other customers. The only way a company stays in business screwing its customers is by us paying them money. STOP GIVING YELP YOUR MONEY because they are just going to screw you with your own money. Businesses RUN FOR YOUR LIFE from this crooked money sucking business destroying outfit. The FEDS need to get involved and lawsuits need to pour into the courts to stop these con artist. I'm paying them $400 a month to take away my best reviews. I'm a dumb___. Never again!

Yelp is horrible for small business owners. I tried two months in a row to cancel my membership through the online portal because every time I call support it was a 30-40 min wait. We got zero result from using this company and 8/10 of our clients never had even heard of yelp. I was a sucker for even thinking they could help expand our business and now I am out a couple thousand. DO NOT waste the money that you work so hard for on this company. Customer Service is very low and they continue to give you the run around.

As a new Yelper I am frustrated by the fact that Yelp continues to allow others to create multiple listings for one business or create bogus listings altogether. Many reviews that should be sent to the not recommended section that read as fake are not while others that seem genuine and detailed are automatically sent to the not recommended section and not posted. Several of my reviews have been successfully posted and then a few days later sent to the not recommended section. Yelp's algorithms are wack and easily manipulated as warranted by those who pay for Yelp's advertising services. If you email Yelp, the reps basically copy and paste from a script. They are probably bots and not human. Seriously thinking of deleting my account altogether. I can't wait to see this review in the not recommended section.

**Update: all of my reviews have been transferred to the not recommended section courtesy of Yelp. Also, my emails to their customer service department go unanswered. Nice.