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

#1

Post by vaksel » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 7:34 AM UTC

Yelp Walks Away From Google Deal, And Half A Billion Dollars
techcrunch.com

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

#2

Post by aresant » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 8:25 AM UTC

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 march to monopoly.

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

#3

Post by pegobry » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 8:30 AM UTC

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

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

#4

Post by dzlobin » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 8:44 AM UTC

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 money and ran.

Edit: If you don't agree, feel free to browse the reviews of NYC restaurants for some great advice by hundreds of thousands of self-proclaimed culinary experts and trendy hipsters who's idea of a good bar is one with big game hunter in the back and a 95% mustache rate.

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

#5

Post by sunny_s » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 8:51 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.

I think, what a victory for a startup is really depends on what it's founders' think.. for some it may be acquisition

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

#6

Post by zackattack » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 9:11 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…

What would you recommend in NYC instead of Yelp?

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

#7

Post by axod » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 9:17 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 very much doubt they want to own 100% of the web. Only the profitable bits that fit with their ongoing strategies. Yelp obviously ties into a lot of the good stuff they're doing, OTOH yelp is pretty unheard of outside the US afaik.

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

#8

Post by dcurtis » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 9:18 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…

Did you really have to be that angry and extremist in your comment? Seriously, that was painful to read.

I've used Yelp in NYC countless times. It's not that bad; you just have to filter through the reviews. It's like any social site.

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

#9

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 9:20 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…

[deleted]

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

#10

Post by pyre » Mon, Dec 21, 2009, 9:30 AM UTC

[deleted] wrote: post #9

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…

[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."