Turns out that this can hold in the real economy too, under certain conditions. We'll often rely on reputation to solve problems in one-shot dealings. But if reputation is a high place on the front page of a Google search, it's counted, not signed. And so optimal strategy can be to have spectacularly bad customer service - service so bad that everyone wants to write posts complaining about you and linking to your homepage. It's a heck of a lot easier to draw angry reviews than happy ones. From the New York Times:
Today, when reading the dozens of comments about DecorMyEyes, it is hard to decide which one conveys the most outrage. It is easy, though, to choose the most outrageous. It was written by Mr. Russo/Bolds/Borker himself.Do read the whole thing - strongest recommendation possible.
“Hello, My name is Stanley with DecorMyEyes.com,” the post began. “I just wanted to let you guys know that the more replies you people post, the more business and the more hits and sales I get. My goal is NEGATIVE advertisement.”
It’s all part of a sales strategy, he said. Online chatter about DecorMyEyes, even furious online chatter, pushed the site higher in Google search results, which led to greater sales. He closed with a sardonic expression of gratitude: “I never had the amount of traffic I have now since my 1st complaint. I am in heaven.”
That would sound like schoolyard taunting but for this fact: The post is two years old. Between then and now, hundreds of additional tirades have been tacked to Get Satisfaction, ComplaintsBoard.com, ConsumerAffairs.com and sites like them.
Not only has this heap of grievances failed to deter DecorMyEyes, but as Ms. Rodriguez’s all-too-cursory Google search demonstrated, the company can show up in the most coveted place on the Internet’s most powerful site.
Which means the owner of DecorMyEyes might be more than just a combustible bully with a mean streak and a potty mouth. He might also be a pioneer of a new brand of anti-salesmanship — utterly noxious retail — that is facilitated by the quirks and shortcomings of Internet commerce and that tramples long-cherished traditions of customer service, like deference and charm.
Nice? No.
Profitable?
“Very,” says Vitaly Borker, the founder and owner of DecorMyEyes, during the first of several surprisingly unguarded conversations.
“I’ve exploited this opportunity because it works. No matter where they post their negative comments, it helps my return on investment. So I decided, why not use that negativity to my advantage?”
Caveat Emptor folks. A high place in a Google search isn't an endorsement.
HT: @heathermg , via @normative
People need to file complaint's against him with the attorney general of New York. His corporate filings are a tissue of lies, with false names like Tony Russo and Jessica Apple. And he has specifically stated in messages that he intends for his corporation to end up bankrupt to prevent creditors from collecting in lawsuits.
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