While i’ve loved almost everything about Yelp over the years I was informed today a review I posted about a local motorcycle dealership had been removed. The reason was as follows:
We wanted to let you know that we’ve removed your review of Parkway Cycle. Our Support team has determined that it falls outside our Content Guidelines because it discloses private information.
Now the only “private information” I can see is the salespersons name but how is that not allowed? I didn’t want to cut down all of the reps just the one I dealt with. I know they sell bikes a lot so maybe it was just the one I got. However Yelp not only removes my review (which I’m guessing is because the dealership disputed it) they don’t even give me a chance to respond to the accusation. Bad form and bad business.
Here is the complete review, please comment/repost as you see fit. If you have a similar story about Yelp let me know.
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Update: took about a month, but finally got my $200 deposit back.
I was in the market for a 2006 Honda CBR600 and after some online searching I came across Parkway Cycles. I headed up to the store to take a look at the inventory and immediately was faced with “sales mode” which was an immediate turn-off. Well after looking around and answering various questions I found a bike that I liked. I spoke with Chris Fischer about the final price, process and optional financing but stressed I was only looking for now. After a few minutes of “this bike will be gone tomorrow” I decided to throw down a $200 deposit to hold the bike while I checked on a few things. Mind you a week after “letting it go” its still on the lot…
Well a few days later I decided right now wasn’t the best time to buy such a new bike, especially since its my first bike. I called Chris and got the main number when I was told i’d get a call back, but of course no call back. A few days later I call and tell them I want to cancel and have them refund my $200 deposit. Again they tell me i’ll get a call back, but still nothing. Finally I got someone on the phone and instead of being helpful they informed me I had to come in to the store to process the refund which isn’t the worst, aside from the fact I lived about an hour away and being in person to process a refund is unnecessary!
The next day I drove over to the store once again, waited a bit for the manager who handled my refund who assured me the deposit would be processed in a few business days. Well today is more than a week later and still no refund. I called the store once again when the front desk told me “I personally sent that in” and gave me some corporate number to call, which has been busy.
Basically if a company can’t properly process a $200 refund then how am I to ever trust them on a big purchase? Simple, I can’t!
Oh and as an aside Parkway Cycles is owned/operated by Cycles 128 and a few other dealers so basically be aware when buying a bike in the Massachusetts area. For now I will stick with Weymouth Honda who has been low-pressure, helpful and a joy to work with, even-though they know I am not buying a bike right this minute.
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Just found this filtered list, you can see my review and another that was recently posted flagged down. Seems to me Yelp is allowing the reviewed location to cut bad reviews out. At that point Yelp is useless and one step away from “Paid Advertisement”. Sad because I once fought to become “Yelp Elite” but now i’m becoming “Yelp Abandoned”.
