Webshops rages over Netpointers fudge

Two webshops rages over the search engine company Netpointers pricing policy and accuses the company of using so-called doorway/information pages.

This article from Computerworld in Denmark, is a translated article on Netpointers violation of shops in Denmark, see the original article here: http://www.computerworld.dk/art/39871?cid=4&q=netpointers&sm=search&a=cid&i = 4 & o = 0 & pos = 1
Published on 15th June 2007 pm. 09.09 | Number of comments (1)

A war of words.

That’s what two webshops now preparing themselves in a lawsuit against the search engine company Netpointers.

These are companies Cool Shop – www.coolshop.dk  and Outlet Guru – www.outletguru.dk , who after a whole series threats of debt collection from Netpointers of SEO keywords that have had enough of the company’s pricing policy and the use of so-called Doorway / Information  pages.

“In all my years in business I have never experienced anything like this. What company makes are ad trickery of the worst kind,” says Jacob Risgaard, marketing manager at Cool Shop.

He now await a summons from Netpointers and ready to go to court.

“This has become a matter of principles, and now I simply cannot take any more,” says Jacob Risgaard.

Increased the number of words
The case began to roll as Cool Shop for exactly a year ago ordered 20 keywords of 300 crowns per piece. month at Netpointers that would only be paid for each word, if it created a top 10 ranking on Google.

After a short time, the number of words increased to 43 without Cool Shop by Jacob Risgaard had been told to increase the number.

“I got an email while I was in the U.S. and I had three days to answer if we want the 23 extra words Netpointers had chosen for us. I did not respond to mail, and over ten day got all 43 words, at top ten rankings on Google, “he explains.

Users Doorway / Information  pages on your own server
But Netpointers According to Jacob Risgaard not used legal methods to achieve good rankings.

“They have used their own high page ranking on Google to locate a copy or Doorway / Information  side of our website on their server in order to improve search.”

“Simultaneously, they also tried to persuade us to place the Doorway / Information  pages on our own server. Because Google does not accept this, it could have disastrous consequences for us as a shop, if we completely deleted from Google,” he says.

A Doorway / Information  side, which is also called a doorway page that contains text and information that give a high ranking at Google. This information is not displayed to visitors when they click on from search engine.

This is done by creating a redirect using Javascript.

Netpointers has previously been entangled in matters relating to the use of Doorway / Information  pages. Among other disappeared a number of Radisson SAS hotels a short transition from Google, after the airline had used Netpointers search optimization.

“We are extremely aware of who goes in and manipulate these things in a way that distorts and creates an inferior user experience in our searches,” the Google country manager Peter Friis previously spoken to Computer World.

Walker is not on hand
A second appeal against Jacob Risgaard has Netpointers is the company’s pricing policy.

“We had a sudden an agreement for 43 keywords in Google, all of which went top ten. Therefore it more worthwhile for us to make a fixed price of 45,000 Danish Kroner ( 9.000 USD) for a whole year. But all of a sudden we got a bill for 94,000 Danish Kroner ( 18.000 USD) without any further explanations, and the money would be paid up front, “he says.

Jacob Risgaard explains that Netpointers also began to charge for searches in Yahoo and MSN, even though it was not mentioned in the contract. Then kept Netpointers responding to emails. Instead the company sent out reminders that ultimately resulted in threats of a lawsuit.

“We do not shake your hand, though Netpointers say they are accustomed to lawsuits. Just that the company has extensive experience in litigation, says little is known about their reputation,” he says.

Acted in good faith
Netpointers Sales Manager Bo Sander Odgaard cannot quite see justice in the accusations.

“First and foremost, they of course knew that they were given 43 words. They could just contact us and we would of course remove the 23 extra words at once. We acted in good faith when we proposed the 23 new words to Cool Shop, “he explains.

At the same time he stresses that Netpointers operating no downsides. However, doing it purely information sites, located on the customer’s own servers.

Bo Sander Odgaard is also baffled by the accusation of a price increase since Coolshop wanted to go on a fixed price agreement.

“It is true that the company could save money to go on a fixed price contract, because all of the keywords went top ten in Google. But I do not remember that we bill Coolshop for twice out of thin air,” says Bo Sander Odgaard.

Better than expected
He also explains that it usually takes much longer time before a company gets so many top 10 rankings in Google.

According to an email from Netpointers, then the normal process that takes up to three months before the maximum of ten percent of the words are in the top 10 on Google. And it will take another three months until 50 to 80 percent will have an effect on Google’s top rankings.

“We’ve simply done it better than expected and we cannot guarantee such a success every time,” explains Bo Sander Odgaard.

No compromise on road
The two sides with Cool Shop and Outlet Guru on one side and Netpointers on the other ends therefore in all probability right.

Neither party would budge, and Bo Sander Odgaard says he tried to reach a settlement if Coolshop paid the outstanding bills.

“But it would not firm, so there was simply closed to further dialogue,” he explains.

Already at this stage trying director Heine Østergaard from Outlet Guru to recruit more companies to the forthcoming trial in the launch site amino.dk.