Yelp Gives in to Small Business Flagging
Review site to allow businesses to respond to complaints
By SAJID FAROOQ
Updated 8:20 PM PST, Thu, Apr 9, 2009
Yelp is finally admitting to its roid use. The review Web site, Yelp, will soon let businesses respond publicly to customers' critiques and seek help for its roid rage.
The new feature comes amid various complaints from businesses reviewed on the site who alleged they were strong armed by the company to advertise on the site or face the threat of bad reviews.
Yelp had gone on a media blitz denying the allegations and even questioning credibility of the reporter who first broke the story.
In an e-mail to some of its most active users Thursday, Yelp solicits feedback about an upcoming feature that will let businesses post replies to user reviews.
Businesses must first register for a free business owner's account. After a business posts a reply on the site, Yelp will alert the reviewer by e-mail.
Currently, businesses that want to challenge a review or correct errors must contact the reviewer via Yelp. Businesses have not been able to post direct replies on the site.
San Francisco-based Yelp plans to activate the reply feature in a week or two.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Bay Area
First Published: Apr 9, 2009 4:06 PM PST
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