DISQUS

Mike Chace · 7 months ago

As a small business owner I can honestly say that reviews on sites are a double edged sword. I have had plenty of customers say that they hired us because of our positive user reviews.

On the other hand, I have also been burned by someone who decided to place a rogue negative review. It was placed on Yahoo and I was well aware of when it appeared, because I think it's important to monitor what people say about your brand on the Internet.

I researched the negative review thoroughly, and the person had never been a customer of mine. However, after numerous attempts to get Yahoo to remove this unsubstantiated negative review, I was told that it wouldn't be removed. Basically, Yahoo puts the users ahead of the small business owners.

IMO I like the City Squares approach better. Particularly because of the fact that it helps to prevent a one angry customer (out of hundreds or thousands of happy ones) from damaging a brand. If you have one of these sour grapes customers, you opt out of the reviews. If you don't have someone with a personal vendetta against your company, then it only make sense to have reviews enabled.

Ben Harper · 7 months ago

I like the way that Yelp.com has addressed this issue by giving small business owners the ability to respond to negative reviews.

I think disabling reviews all together will ultimately hurt the small business more than it will help it.

Being able to respond to a negative review allows for equality between both parties.

But, I do think it's great that citysquares actually cares about small business owners. I find many of the other review sites to be extremely consumer oriented and they almost hold the small businesses ransom (because they control the consumer voice).

tanomsak · 7 months ago

This is interesting idea. But it could lead to a conclusion that the small business is not good, as the obvious reason, but of course not the only one, the small business opt-out of review is to prevent showing negative review.

Ben Saren · 7 months ago

Hi Tanomsak,

Indeed, the small business may very well create an undesired perception for themselves, but they do so at their own risk and they're hands are on the steering wheel, if you will. For example, there may be a marriage counselor who wants to advertise, or even a private detective - both types of service providers may want more confidentiality in their online advertising, but may still want to promote their offerings.

No doubt it's, as Mike described above, a double edged sword.

Meanwhile, the review cat is out of the box, and I think it has some maturing to do. This is one step towards that, I hope.