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Yahoo Directory troubles

sundraw
Posts: 15
Joined: 26 Feb 12
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Yahoo Directory troubles

I decided to try and submit a website to the Yahoo Directory. I did that on the 11th of March 2012. They took my $299 and send me an email promising that someone will come back within 7 business days, and giving me the order number.

It is now the 17th of April. I've never heard from Yahoo Directory. My website still isn't in the directory, and the order is still pending, although the next $299 payment is scheduled for the 11th of March 2013.

Numerous times I tried to find a way to contact Yahoo. I managed to find an email address that is supposed to go to their customer support, and I tried to send a message there many times. Invariably, the message bounces back with the Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently message.

I tried to ring Yahoo support but they are useless.

Could anybody suggest any solution for this crazy situation?

Thanks,

Alexander
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PremiumMember
cterao
Posts: 647
Joined: 18 Aug 09
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Keep in mind that 7 business days is different from 7 calendar days. 7 business days from the 11th would be the 20th, so they still might be reviewing your site.

If it really comes to it, you can always dispute the charge to get your money back...
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Clayton
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sundraw
Posts: 15
Joined: 26 Feb 12
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Well, it was submitted on the 11th of March, and now is April. I am trying to get my money back but I couldn't find an easy way to do that either. I found some interface to submit a problem to Yahoo Wallet, and tried to submit a message, but I have no idea whether it got anywhere at all.

Yahoo seems to be unique, in the 21st century they don't care offering any live support contacts, and they don't care sending request submission confirmations.
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PremiumMember
peter.h.coscolluela
Posts: 15
Joined: 03 Apr 12
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Hi Alex,

Yahoo's Phone Support can be reached at: 1- 866-562-7219 opt 2, only from 6am to 6pm PT.

They also have a User Comment portion in this link: http://contacthelp.com/directory/Intern ... tingID=148

You can vent out in their User Comments portion.

I hope this helped.
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sundraw
Posts: 15
Joined: 26 Feb 12
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Hi Peter,

I tried to phone them, from the UK, and first they were telling me they're too busy to answer, then they cut the phone call. If this is the only way for the whole world to contact Yahoo, I might not have many chances.

I also tried to contact them on Twitter: @YahooDirectory, @YahooInc and @YahooCare. No reaction so far.

Venting out doesn't look like a reasonable option. Before, I was looking for a way to remind them about my order. Now I only want to get my money back and forget about Yahoo as a nightmare.

I think companies that treat their customers like this should not stay in business. Should I report Yahoo Directory as a fraud? A person or thing intended to deceive others, typically by unjustifiably claiming or being credited with accomplishments or qualities.
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PremiumMember
peter.h.coscolluela
Posts: 15
Joined: 03 Apr 12
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Hi Alex,

You hit it on the spot. Any entity who intends to deceive others by claiming credit and accomplishments is a fraud in my book.

In the Yahoo Customer Service page there is a Help Owl link. Click on it and it will open a new page whre you can post a query. You might wan to try that route to get your refund.

I hope that helps
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Site Admin
maryt
Posts: 3225
Joined: 16 Apr 12
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Maybe there is no customer support for Yahoo Directory at all. I find this weird, Yahoo being a big company and yet, their customer service sucks. A lot of discussion is going on about this kind of issue with Yahoo. And they are all complaining that Yahoo does not answer back. I am afraid, a refund is also impossible after reading old issues that are left unresolved . :(
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sundraw
Posts: 15
Joined: 26 Feb 12
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After a while, I did receive a response from Yahoo Billing. They requested my details. I sent them. After a few more days, just now, I received the following response:


Good Afternoon,

Thank you for contacting Yahoo! Billing.

I understand you've contacted us for a refund of your Directory Listings
order. I'll be happy to address this today.

I've closed your Directory Listings order, however, I regret that we
would be unable to provide you with a refund for your Yahoo! Directory
Submit account. When signing up for a Yahoo! Directory Submit, you
agreed to the Yahoo! Directory Submit Terms of Service which states
clearly our refund policy and how the service operates:

2.0 DESCRIPTION OF YAHOO! EXPRESS SERVICE

2.2 In order for Yahoo! to consider your site for inclusion in the
Directory, you must submit a valid credit card number as part of the
registration form. You agree that your credit card will be charged the
then current, applicable NON-REFUNDABLE fee for initial consideration
for Yahoo! Directory Submit. If your site is included, you agree that
after one year, your credit card will be charged the Recurring Annual
Fee for further review and continued inclusion in the Yahoo! Directory.

In order to view the full Yahoo! Directory Submit Service Agreement, you
may visit:

https://ecom.yahoo.com/dir/reference/express

I hope this addresses your request and I apologize for any inconvenience
this has caused.

Thank you again for contacting Yahoo! Billing. If we can provide you
with any further information, please reply to this email.

Regards,

Scott

Yahoo! Billing

Directory Submit Billing E2Y



WAIT! What Terms of Service we are speaking about? Shouldn't Terms of Service be applicable only in the case when the service DID take place? What happened in reality is that Yahoo DID take money but HASN'T DONE anything. Specifically, it hasn't contacted me within the "guaranteed" seven business days with a conclusion whether my website can be included in Yahoo Directory or not. They also haven't provided any way to contact them.

How do you think? Can Terms of Service be applicable if a service hasn't take place? You paid for a service but the serviceman has ignored you. In any case:

WEBMASTERS, BEWARE OF YAHOO DIRECTORY! IT'S A SCAM!
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mark schaaf
Posts: 365
Joined: 04 Oct 10
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I would contact your credit card company and have them get your money back. Yahoo has no signed receipt and as long as you didn't give them the 3 digit number on the back of the card there is nothing they can do. On another note I am surprised you were able to get a response. However someone said something about yahoo customer service being bad at least they have some. Try and get in touch with anyone about anything at google and see how far you get, the only thing I have ever found are there forums and anyone can answer questions on a forum. Who knows if any google employes are even looking at the forums to give valid answers from the company. Last thing never pay anyone to be in there directory, there are way to many free ones out there and to me having a listing in yahoo isn't any better then anywhere else.
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Mark
 
sundraw
Posts: 15
Joined: 26 Feb 12
Trust:
Thanks, Mark, will try with the credit card company, I was actually thinking about this.

You are completely right about Google. Those are real clowns. I remember having problems with time zones when starting to work with their App Engine. They simply didn't work, returning GMT for most timezone IDs. It took many months to convince Google to fix this, and the only way was through their groups - the most inconvenient way possible.
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Site Admin
maryt
Posts: 3225
Joined: 16 Apr 12
Trust:
WAIT! What Terms of Service we are speaking about? Shouldn't Terms of Service be applicable only in the case when the service DID take place? What happened in reality is that Yahoo DID take money but HASN'T DONE anything. Specifically, it hasn't contacted me within the "guaranteed" seven business days with a conclusion whether my website can be included in Yahoo Directory or not. They also haven't provided any way to contact them.

How do you think? Can Terms of Service be applicable if a service hasn't take place? You paid for a service but the serviceman has ignored you. In any case:

WEBMASTERS, BEWARE OF YAHOO DIRECTORY! IT'S A SCAM!


You are lucky that you did get an answer from Yahoo, but nonetheless still pointless as their response was nothing but an inconvenience and frustration on your part.

I also agree with Mark that you can get better listed with free directories and classified sites. This way, you do not have to bother paying for recurring or hidden fees.
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This topic was started on Apr 17, 2012 and has been closed due to inactivity. If you want to discuss this topic further, please create a new forum topic.