Jeweler Tries To Get Revenge For A Low Yelp Review
Anyone who’s out to sell a product for the common man would do well to remember one simple rule: constructive criticism is important. Satisfying customers should be a top priority, and learning from past mistakes is a big part of that. One would think, then, that trying to sue a person over a bad review is the last and worst thing someone could do. Apparently, one jeweler jumped to that option first.
George Pelz, the jeweler of Boston-based Pageo, was the subject of a scathing one-star review on Yelp. The reviewer in question — who went by Linda G. — claimed that Pelz bought back the jewelry she had bought for a fraction of the price, and as a result “lacked ethics”. Pelz argued that the review wasn’t just a lie, but also a means to slander and defame him, given that Linda G. said he likely scammed other vulnerable women. In retaliation, Pelz decided to sue; incidentally, that legal action opened up a can of worms.
In order for Pelz to succeed, it would mean that Yelp itself would come under fire, and the anonymous Linda G. would have her identity revealed. That calls into question the right to anonymity, and First Amendment rights along with it. Still, the courts swung in favor of Linda G.; Pelz couldn’t conclusively prove that her statements hurt his business as he had claimed, which meant that revealing Linda G.’s identity was largely pointless. The case isn’t quite closed yet, but as it stands, Pelz will have to deal with the low review for a good while.
