I have spoken to YELP several instances on this topic and every time I get the same response(b.s basically) that their review software is automated and they can not control it or do anything about their software unrecommending your legitimate honest customer reviews. Obviously the YELP review software is not fair to either the business nor the consumer. Customers take their time to leave feedback for other Yelp users and Yelp goes behind them and unrecommends their reviews. This is unfair in so many ways and in MY OPINION it is a way for YELP to strong arm business into buying YELP ads. I even had a YELP representative call me and talk me into trying YELP ads and that she would submit a ticket and get the review situation handled on the back end. Even though I was skeptical she talked me into it. Two weeks into paying for YELP ads still no help with the unrecommended review situation so I email the representative back and she then tells me that I could probably get better faster results if I just contacted YELP myself instead of waiting on the ticket that she had supposedly submitted on our behalf. At that point I knew it was a waste of time and that I had in fact been lied to but nonetheless I gave YELP a call..I got just what I expected and just what I'm always given when I try to address this issue, the YELP review software is automated unbiased software to make user experience better..WHAT A CROCK OF CRAP!!!!!I then immediately turned off the YELP ad that I was talked into.
Now keep in mind that I'm not talking about one or two reviews or even ten. I'm talking about having almost 70 legitimate customer reviews and YELP had unrecommended all but 10 of those reviews. This is unacceptable and ridiculous!! And most of those reviews were recommended at some point in time and then all of the sudden they're not, that makes no sense!! So whether you're a business on YELP or a consumer this in unfair and yes it is purposely taking away from a company's good reputation and then you want me to pay you money for an ad, I don't think so YELP! YELP's response to this just earlier today was that a company's business is not based off the reviews. Well excuse me YELP but that is incorrect!!! If I'm looking for a business and I have two businesses that I'm looking at and one has three 5-star reviews and the other has 60+ good customer reviews, well that's most likely the one I'm going to choose. It shows more experience with good customer service and more established business.
If you are a YELP consumer, please always scroll all the way down to see ALL the reviews when looking for a business. This is where you will find all of the unrecommended reviews. YELP, PLEASE FIX THE REVIEW SOFTWARE AS IT IS UNFAIR TO BOTH THE BUSINESS AND CONSUMER!!!!!!!