Comments on: Strange goings-on with Merchant Circle http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/ Because not everyone can throw thousands of dollars at the 'How do we market ourselves online?' question... Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:57:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kelly http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-86393 Kelly Tue, 04 Nov 2008 03:13:33 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-86393 Someone has posted a rude and vulgar comment about my businesss on Merchant Circle. The only way to remove it, is if we "join" Merchant Circle. No one answers the phone there, no way to contact anyone. There must be a way to make them remove my information and the commnents. I will show up at their office if I have to.....something very wrong about it all.... Someone has posted a rude and vulgar comment about my businesss on Merchant Circle.

The only way to remove it, is if we “join” Merchant Circle. No one answers the phone there, no way to contact anyone.

There must be a way to make them remove my information and the commnents.

I will show up at their office if I have to…..something very wrong about it all….

]]> By: Lowell http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-85382 Lowell Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:09:40 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-85382 Lori, First, show this site to the 'board' in question. Have them read EACH entry. They may reconsider issuing a fine. Second, read this post: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-72953 and see if that contact information will help. Third, from another post: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-40018 "CONTACT: Kevin Leu MerchantCircle +1-858-361-4407 Kevin@MerchantCircle.com I would also call the Los Altos Chamber of commerce at (650) 948-1455 Attorney General and/or Public Utility Commission" Good Luck! Lori,

First, show this site to the ‘board’ in question. Have them read EACH entry. They may reconsider issuing a fine.

Second, read this post: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-72953 and see if that contact information will help.

Third, from another post: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-40018

“CONTACT: Kevin Leu MerchantCircle +1-858-361-4407 Kevin@MerchantCircle.com

I would also call the Los
Altos Chamber of commerce at
(650) 948-1455
Attorney General and/or Public Utility Commission”

Good Luck!

]]> By: Lori http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-85378 Lori Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:35:28 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-85378 How does your business get posted on Merchant Circle? My mom owns a business that is posted on there and she has no idea how it got on there. Well whoever posted the information put up initials next to her name that are for use by board certified professionls only and now the board is threatening to fine her if the info isn't removed and I don't know how to help her. Any info is appreciated. How does your business get posted on Merchant Circle? My mom owns a business that is posted on there and she has no idea how it got on there. Well whoever posted the information put up initials next to her name that are for use by board certified professionls only and now the board is threatening to fine her if the info isn’t removed and I don’t know how to help her. Any info is appreciated.

]]> By: Patrick http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-81278 Patrick Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:58:13 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-81278 Cheryl, You may have more recourse than those of us with business lines. You have a tool available for filing a complaint if your phone is on the national do not call registry. Go here: https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx to file a complaint. Hopefully that will give you some relief. Patrick Cheryl,
You may have more recourse than those of us with business lines. You have a tool available for filing a complaint if your phone is on the national do not call registry.

Go here: https://www.donotcall.gov/complaint/complaintcheck.aspx to file a complaint.

Hopefully that will give you some relief.

Patrick

]]> By: cheryl http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-81270 cheryl Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:32:47 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-81270 I hate Merchant Circle. I do not own a business, never have. Somehow they have my residential phone number listed for a company that does not even exist. I have no way of contacting them and this has been MY PHONE NUMBER FOR OVER 6 YEARS! I get phone calls from them regarding the above marketing ploys, I am on the DO NOT CALL list and have put in lots of complaints to DO NOT CALL. HOW DO I STOP THIS? I had my number first and really do not want to change it. These calls started coming about a year ago - I now screen all my calls. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS SERVICE! I hate Merchant Circle. I do not own a business, never have. Somehow they have my residential phone number listed for a company that does not even exist. I have no way of contacting them and this has been MY PHONE NUMBER FOR OVER 6 YEARS! I get phone calls from them regarding the above marketing ploys, I am on the DO NOT CALL list and have put in lots of complaints to DO NOT CALL. HOW DO I STOP THIS? I had my number first and really do not want to change it. These calls started coming about a year ago - I now screen all my calls. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THIS SERVICE!

]]> By: Theresa http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-80641 Theresa Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:33:37 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-80641 I am sorry it seems to disturb you that I keep posting things. I am not so sure that it is them calling. There are people complaining about more than phone calls on here such as their business is not listed right and more. Thanks for clearing up what already know. I would actually forget about all of this. I have to take my name off, I want to hear the next post. I am not sure how to do that.I am done. I am sorry it seems to disturb you that I keep posting things. I am not so sure that it is them calling. There are people complaining about more than phone calls on here such as their business is not listed right and more.
Thanks for clearing up what already know.
I would actually forget about all of this. I have to take my name off, I want to hear the next post. I am not sure how to do that.I am done.

]]> By: Matt McGee http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-80522 Matt McGee Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:27:13 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-80522 Hi Theresa -- this is your 5th comment in this discussion, and I think you've made it clear that you appreciate the MC service. I've had other small biz owners say the same thing, too. But this thread isn't about their service; it's about their marketing tactics. That's what is making people angry. Hi Theresa — this is your 5th comment in this discussion, and I think you’ve made it clear that you appreciate the MC service. I’ve had other small biz owners say the same thing, too.

But this thread isn’t about their service; it’s about their marketing tactics. That’s what is making people angry.

]]> By: Theresa http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-80515 Theresa Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:40:59 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-80515 I am on MC. I do not pay. I am connected with real businesses. People do go there as I see them there every time I have an advertisement in a journal that speaks to the group I need to see it. Did I get a call once? Yes. Did it get me a little bit mad? Yes. Mostly it has been fine http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3627720 I am on MC. I do not pay. I am connected with real businesses. People do go there as I see them there every time I have an advertisement in a journal that speaks to the group I need to see it. Did I get a call once? Yes. Did it get me a little bit mad? Yes. Mostly it has been fine
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3627720

]]> By: Joe M http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-80286 Joe M Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:39:27 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-80286 As some of you were, I was lured to the site by an automated call saying there was a review of my business on the website. There was no review, but I took them up on the free part of their advertising. I looked around enough to realize very few of the businesses they listed were actual members. About a month after, I received another automated call saying someone visiting the site wanted to "verify" that I was a business. After going back to the site, it became apparent that being a "verified" business meant that I had to start paying them something. I then realized that the only activity the advertising of my business had there was on the days I had edited the listing. I have a tutoring business. Why wouldn't somebody just call to verify I was for real? Based on some of the other comments here, I guess I better not move or change my phone number either. As some of you were, I was lured to the site by an automated call saying there was a review of my business on the website. There was no review, but I took them up on the free part of their advertising. I looked around enough to realize very few of the businesses they listed were actual members. About a month after, I received another automated call saying someone visiting the site wanted to “verify” that I was a business. After going back to the site, it became apparent that being a “verified” business meant that I had to start paying them something. I then realized that the only activity the advertising of my business had there was on the days I had edited the listing. I have a tutoring business. Why wouldn’t somebody just call to verify I was for real? Based on some of the other comments here, I guess I better not move or change my phone number either.

]]> By: Suzanne Brown http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/236/#comment-77257 Suzanne Brown Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:47:01 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/2006/09/27/strange-goings-on-with-merchant-circle/#comment-77257 And . . . now MC is gone? And . . . now MC is gone?

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