Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars • Hacker News Board

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#11

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 9:41 AM UTC

pyre wrote: post #10

[deleted] wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

I see that you retracted your original statement, but I'll comment on it nonetheless. Before trying to counter someone's views with "troubling links to Marxist ideology," I think that you should try Googling "McCarthyism" instead of "Capitalism."

[deleted]

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#12

Post by defen » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 10:02 AM UTC

zackattack wrote: post #6

dzlobin wrote: post #4

While I agree with the other comments, I'm going to call this a dick move of the week. I understand that google wasn't buying yelp just for the sake of owning yelp, but Jesus Christ, yelp is a terrible terrible website for reviews of anything(I can only vouch for the NYC yelp). It's a pretty widely regarded fact here that yelp reviews do not count for shit, thus making the website a joke. They should have taken the m…

What would you recommend in NYC instead of Yelp?

nymag.com is pretty good.

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#13

Post by axod » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 10:10 AM UTC

pegobry wrote: post #3

Good for them! Getting acquired is not victory for a startup, building a sustainable business for the long term is.

How long would it take for yelp to make half a bn in revenue. idk sounds like a pretty generous offer to me.

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#14

Post by axod » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 10:12 AM UTC

zackattack wrote: post #6

dzlobin wrote: post #4

While I agree with the other comments, I'm going to call this a dick move of the week. I understand that google wasn't buying yelp just for the sake of owning yelp, but Jesus Christ, yelp is a terrible terrible website for reviews of anything(I can only vouch for the NYC yelp). It's a pretty widely regarded fact here that yelp reviews do not count for shit, thus making the website a joke. They should have taken the m…

What would you recommend in NYC instead of Yelp?

Call me carazzzy, but word of mouth??

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#15

Post by sree_nair » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 10:26 AM UTC

Never know how this will play out. Would they Become another Google (who refused yahoo's offer and became better for it) Or Friendster (refusing googles offer but lost out to Myspace & facebook) . Only time will tell.

And I Do not understand this views of "Getting aquired is bad" for start up. I think it is up to the founders to decide what is good/bad for them.

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#16

Post by alexro » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 11:00 AM UTC

sree_nair wrote: post #15

Never know how this will play out. Would they Become another Google (who refused yahoo's offer and became better for it) Or Friendster (refusing googles offer but lost out to Myspace & facebook) . Only time will tell. And I Do not understand this views of "Getting aquired is bad" for start up. I think it is up to the founders to decide what is good/bad for them.

If they have funding (presumably they do) then it isn't that simple for the founders I think.

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#17

Post by leej » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 11:04 AM UTC

yelp may be onto something but i think they dont realize that goog can kill them by applying a "mapquest".

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#18

Post by caffogene » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 11:08 AM UTC

dzlobin wrote: post #4

While I agree with the other comments, I'm going to call this a dick move of the week. I understand that google wasn't buying yelp just for the sake of owning yelp, but Jesus Christ, yelp is a terrible terrible website for reviews of anything(I can only vouch for the NYC yelp). It's a pretty widely regarded fact here that yelp reviews do not count for shit, thus making the website a joke. They should have taken the m…

You're thinking like a movie critic more than a business owner. The quality of the reviews counts for squat if the cash flows are positive. In the end, Google thinks it's a financially sound acquisition aligned with the company's vision. That is what matters.

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#19

Post by neohacks » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 11:23 AM UTC

aresant wrote: post #2

Google is executing their business plan of trying to 100% own the web. Recent aquisitions are positioned to own the underlying top 10 search results in every category they can get their hands on. I'm glad that yelp, top of the list for many local searches, is holding out. And yes, I know they've got a pile of cash and they should use it to improve margins in underlying biz, but still this just seems like a continued…

I like the quality of acquistions Google makes or tries to make. I guess their success rate is much better than others.

Re: Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars

#20

Post by dagw » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 11:32 AM UTC

axod wrote: post #14

zackattack wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would you recommend in NYC instead of Yelp?

Call me carazzzy, but word of mouth??

Word of mouth really only works if you live there, not so much if you're just passing through. And the time you really need a site like yelp is for all those times you're just passing through place and want to know who will do you a good pizza.