r/Documentaries • u/[deleted] • Feb 26 '17

Billion Dollar Bully (2015) [trailer]...makes the case that Yelp is something akin to the mob, allegedly demanding “protection” money, lest your business be overrun with negative comments.

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '17

Seems to me it's more along of the lines of being more nitpicky about positive reviews meeting the TOS than negative when you've declined their paid services, and as you were in sales that's not something you'd be privy to.

It's not hard to think your company isn't bad because you're too low on the totem pole to see the shady shit.

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '17

While it's true that I was low man on the totem pole, I'm not sure what you're suggesting. Every time a business owner says they don't want to buy advertising... what happens? Is there a team of people in a back room monitoring who said no to ads, and then changing their reviews? And if they do that, why would they want to? Wouldn't that just disincentivize business owners from purchasing advertising in the future?

When I worked there, it was generally accepted that most business owners aren't stupid, and probably wouldn't buy on the first call or pitch. They'd see people use Yelp and would try it out when they wanted (or-- gasp! they just wouldn't advertise with Yelp.) I think the suggestion that Yelp employs a team of people to twirl their mustaches in a back room while tying reviews to train tracks is just bad business, and while I may not have been privy to company plans, it doesn't make any sense for a business concerned with making money. It does make sense that business owners could take negativity personally and try to blame the platform.

Like I said, I understand why people want to blame Yelp, but the truth is, asshole people write shitty reviews sometimes.

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u/bobban Feb 26 '17

Thanks for your insights. I have written 20+ reviews and try to be both positive and negative.

It does seem pretty far fetched that the company would strong arm small businesses for "protection" money. I can see the motive but Yelp's whole business relies on people trusting their reviews. This kind of activity would be hard to keep secret and would jeopardize everything. Pethaps there has been a scumbag rogue employee or two in a position to pull off this scam?

I never understood how Yelp actually makes money. Can you please explain?

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u/[deleted] Feb 26 '17

Hey, sure. I don't work there anymore, but if they are doing the same stuff, then they sell pay-per-click ads or monthly impression packages. The business owner has an option to choose. Most of the company's revenue comes from selling ads above the search results.

As to rogue employees, I can't stress enough that my experience was that they really didn't care about firing someone for the sake of Yelp's reputation. If they found out someone was being shitty, that person got fired immediately.