Where Customers Go to Praise (or Bash) You

If you run a consumer business, chances are pretty good a few of your customers are posting their opinions about it on the dozen or so Web sites that review local businesses across the country.

[Bill Kellinger]

Here is another great article from the "UK Register" on Yelp's hypocrisy and extortion business model . The "UK Register" has a readership of 5 million people ( non shills):

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/13/yelp_...

Also , check out the comments on this article from yelp.com/topic in Chicago. Looks like Yelpers are strating to realize they are part of the "Jeremy Stoppleman Goat Rodeo" :

http://www.yelp.com/topic/chicago-yelp-pay-to...

My favorite from Mike D ( who has written over 100 reviews):
I actually worked at a business and took one of these sales calls and they were definitely interested in promoting us for $$$. I actually think I'm going to cancel my membership to this site in the next few days. I've become extremely disillusioned with the site and articles like this only add to the feeling that Yelp is full of shit.