Bear Cave Accuses Yelp of Fraudulent Billing Practices
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 02 2026
0mins
Should l Buy YELP?
While Yelp claims to "help businesses of all sizes reach a large audience, advertise their products and drive conversion of their services," The Bear Cave says it has obtained hundreds of consumer complaints "alleging a pattern of misleading and fraudulent billing by Yelp, deceptive free trials and cancellation notices, and excessive, harassing, or misleading telemarketing by the platform." The Bear Cave says that many of the complaints allege that Yelp's remote sales reps push small businesses into "free" ad campaign trials, and after merchants believe they have successfully cancelled trial campaigns, they are surprised months later with hundreds or thousands of dollars in unexpected charges from Yelp or a collection agency representing Yelp.
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Analyst Views on YELP
Wall Street analysts forecast YELP stock price to rise
7 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
3 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 28.160
Low
30.00
Averages
33.29
High
40.00
Current: 28.160
Low
30.00
Averages
33.29
High
40.00
About YELP
Yelp Inc. connects consumers with local businesses. The Company's advertising products enable businesses of all sizes to reach a large audience, advertise their products and drive conversion of their services. It offers a range of free and paid advertising products to businesses of all sizes, which include CPC Advertising (Yelp Ads), RepairPal Network and Multi-location Ad Products. Its business page products include Free Business Account, Upgrade Package, Branded Profile, Enhanced Profile, Verified License, Business Highlights, Yelp Connect, Logo and Nearby Jobs. In addition to its advertising products, it also offers features and consumer-interactive tools to facilitate transactions between consumers and the local businesses they find on Yelp. It offers subscription services, licensing payments for access to Yelp data and other non-advertising arrangements. It sells its advertising products online through its Website and Yelp for Business app, and indirectly through partners.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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See More
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- Stock Price Surge: Yelp's stock rose over 3% on Tuesday following the announcement of its spring product update, demonstrating investor enthusiasm despite a 0.6% dip in the S&P 500 index.
- Launch of AI Assistant: The newly introduced Yelp Assistant, an AI-powered chatbot, assists users in finding goods and services, making restaurant reservations, and obtaining quotes, marking a significant evolution in Yelp's product offerings.
- Strategic Shift Potential: According to Chief Product Officer Craig Saldanha, Yelp Assistant represents the company's most significant AI product evolution, aiming to reconceive Yelp around instant answers and seamless actions, which could facilitate a shift away from its advertising-dependent business model.
- Cautious Future Outlook: While the new offering has the potential to attract users and drive business transformation, analysts suggest that Yelp's effectiveness in executing this strategic shift remains to be seen, with future success hinging on user acceptance and market feedback.
See More
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- Service Launch: Yelp has introduced Yelp Assistant, an AI chatbot that helps users find suitable businesses and directly book products and services, marking a significant update to its product lineup.
- Stock Performance: On a day when the overall market dipped by 0.6%, Yelp's stock rose over 3% on Tuesday, indicating positive investor sentiment towards the new product.
- Strategic Shift: According to Chief Product Officer Craig Saldanha, Yelp Assistant represents a major evolution in the company's AI offerings, aiming to reconceive Yelp around instant answers and seamless actions.
- Future Outlook: While Yelp's business model remains heavily reliant on advertising, the introduction of this new service could drive the company towards a more attractive business model, making its future performance worth watching.
See More
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- Stock Price Surge: Yelp's stock rose over 3% on Tuesday following the announcement of its spring product update, standing out in a trading session where the S&P 500 index fell by 0.6%, indicating strong market interest in the new offerings.
- Launch of AI Assistant: The newly introduced Yelp Assistant, an AI-powered chatbot, assists users in finding goods and services while enabling actions like booking restaurant reservations and obtaining quotes, marking a significant evolution in Yelp's product strategy.
- Strategic Shift Potential: According to Chief Product Officer Craig Saldanha, this product launch represents a pivotal moment for Yelp as it aims to transition towards instant answers and seamless actions, potentially reducing reliance on advertising revenue and transforming its business model.
- Market Outlook Caution: Despite the attractiveness of the new offering, analysts recommend a wait-and-see approach for investors to assess Yelp's effectiveness in executing its strategic transition, especially in a highly competitive market landscape.
See More
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- Appointment Accessibility: The partnership between Yelp and Zocdoc enables users to transition from searching for doctors to booking appointments directly, which is expected to significantly increase user conversion rates for healthcare services.
- Technology Integration: Through Yelp's iOS app and the AI-powered Yelp Assistant, users can view real-time availability of in-network providers and securely schedule appointments, which is anticipated to enhance user experience and reduce friction in the booking process.
- Market Expansion: Zocdoc plans to expand the booking feature to Android and desktop later this year, further broadening its user base and increasing market penetration, thereby strengthening its competitive position in the healthcare appointment sector.
- Connecting Patients and Providers: This collaboration not only facilitates easier access to healthcare for patients but also improves appointment efficiency for providers through existing EHR systems, which is expected to promote more effective utilization of healthcare resources.
See More
Investors Should Exercise Caution with Low-Priced Stocks
- Yelp Sales Growth Weakness: Yelp (NYSE:YELP) has shown a lackluster annual growth rate of only 7.1% over the past three years, which is below the average for consumer internet companies, and projected flat sales for the next 12 months indicate a slowdown in demand that could undermine investor confidence.
- FNF Profitability Challenges: Fidelity National Financial (NYSE:FNF) has experienced a 1.6% annual contraction in net premiums over the last five years, and despite revenue growth, its earnings per share have declined by 1.3% annually, highlighting profitability pressures that may affect shareholder returns.
- Novavax Demand Plummeting: Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) has only achieved a 6.9% annual revenue growth over the past two years, with projected sales expected to plummet by 66.2% in the next 12 months, indicating a significant drop in vaccine demand that could lead to cash flow issues.
- Low-Priced Stock Risk Warning: While these stocks priced under $50 may seem affordable, their underlying business models and profitability are fraught with uncertainty, necessitating careful risk assessment by investors to avoid potential losses.
See More
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- Strong Financial Growth: Yelp's revenue reached $1.41 billion in 2024, reflecting a 19% year-over-year increase, driven by robust performance in advertising and services, particularly through AI features that attract high-intent users.
- Enhanced User Engagement: With the introduction of AI functionalities like Yelp Assistant, which handles over 190,000 calls, user interaction and satisfaction have significantly improved, likely boosting its competitive edge in the market.
- Market Expansion Opportunities: Yelp plans to expand into high-growth areas such as home and local services, leveraging AI for personalized recommendations and video integration, which is expected to diversify revenue streams and increase market share.
- Acquisition and Investment: Yelp's acquisition of Hatch for $270 million aims to enhance its SaaS product offerings and improve customer communication efficiency, positioning Yelp to maintain its leadership in a highly competitive landscape.
See More
