YELP SUCKS!?

DOES YELP SUCK ????

I really do not know how to play their game. As a consumer and small business worker, Does Yelp suck?

The Napa Register, our local small newspaper suggested on their front page to support our local businesses by shopping locally. I made a commitment to write a Yelp review at least once a week, or at least once a month on one of my favorite local businesses that I patronize to support them further especially during these difficult times.

I wrote about my mechanic of 20 years, my tire store of the same amount of years, my favorite, small time and old fashion office supply store; known as Neff's Office Supply, my acupuncturist and a couple of others so far. But in a months time, all my reviews were deleted. I came to find out that since I was not frequent YELP-er, I was not taken seriously, and my reviews were erased.

Do you know how much time I spent on these reviews to sound at least adult and thorough! Not to mention all the time I spent in researching these people and businesses in the first place. I researched them the old fashion way by asking for referrals from people in my community and checking their credentials before I first went to or shopped at their establishments. Then Yelp comes along with this game plan and makes these rules that I did not fit in.

Can you believe that a serious Yelper I read about claims that a host at a restaurant was RUDE merely because the host answered too quickly. This Yelper reviews the restaurant as being bad. That is a judgement, that is in his view only. That is cruel. But he is a regular Yelper and his review is posted forever?

I was pleased to find out that many of my clients took the time and energy to Yelp about me and my company. I was thrilled and touched by their kindness. Yet low and behold a couple of client's actually slandered me, out right lied about what had happened. So who do you think gets deleted from my Yelp column, yes the positive Yelps because my clients are not to be taken seriously. The Yelp review that was totally fictitious of course gets to stay because this Yelper Yelps a lot. This Yelper client that lied is unemployed, and why he called me in the first place is beyond me. He did not even pay his balance. Is this fair??? And - we have no recourse.

I took a look at My Competitors that PAY YELP for Advertisement. Yes, they have lots of Yelps and they have only been in business for 3 or 4 years. The credentials they state are not theirs, it belongs to another company in LA. So they are not legally licensed. How do they only get clients that YelP? Is it because only Yelpers read Yelp and only use Yelp advertised businesses??? Is this Competitor paying for them???

It does not make sense...
I am still very upset that all my Yelps got deleted. I am sad that I cannot support my local, small businesses and stores more. I will have to find another way...