For years the complaints about Yelp’s “sales” tactics have been heard. Maybe I am just not paying attention but I thought that had gone away to some extent. Now with Yelp going public and all the positive vibes flying around about the company as an investment it may get even harder to find the reality.
Seems like a lot of big names are steering clear of the deals space. The latest news comes from Yelp. While they haven’t abandoned the space completely they are certainly rethinking their position and just how much effort along with resources they will throw at it. Is this a yelp for help? Not really but it does make one wonder about the deal space in general.
Google. Facebook. Groupon. Yelp. LivingSocial. Amazon. It’s a lineup of online juggernauts — all executing thrusts and parries to build an empire in the group buying space. In case you can’t keep up — and who could — Google is testing Google Offers in Portland, Amazon is playing around with AmazonLocal in Boise, ID, and Yelp continues to dodge cable cars in San Francisco and keep its Deals afloat.
Definition: Badge fatigue – noun. c. May 2010 About a year ago, the discussion around “badge fatigue” began. Fans and followers were starting have trouble seeing through the clutter of countless gaming programs that offered incentives. So, plans were hatched to reinvigorate the model before it became another fad.
Yelp is truly trying to leverage its history as the local business review site of choice (depending on your age and your location for the most part). It has rolled out Yelp Deals in New York City and is now giving business owners the chance to provide check-in offers as well.
The Sunday circular was once a premier destination for grandparents armed with scissors at the prospect of saving $0.15 on frozen peas. I used to roll my eyes and wonder how this habit could be a smart investment of time. Then I found FatWallet.com, a site that gives users 1%-30% cash back with a few clicks of the mouse. Suddenly, FatWallet = the Sunday ads and my mouse = scissors. It was a slow build at first; Facebook ads touting half-priced cupcakes and killer deals at pizzerias. Sign-up? Try and stop
If you were characterize the relationship between Google and Yelp these days it would have to occur on a sliding scale that runs between contentious and bearable. Let’s face it, they don’t get along well and each new event in the relationship adds some more drama.
After sampling a delicious teeny Bing cupcake, I’m here in the second session of the day and guess what? I still have my own personal Matt McGee! It’s awesomes. You know what else is awesomes?
