ComplaintsforWEB20 Ranker, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  04/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased press release distribution from this merchant. Prior to purchasing from this merchant, I purchased the same service last year from a COSTLIER merchant called *************. As stated on their website - ************* emails the ENTIRE press release to journalists - placing the ENTIRE press release in the BODY of the email so that journalists are given the GREATEST "first impression," & also so that they are not forced to click on a link to view the press release. Web20Ranker states on THEIR website that they email the news to journalists' inboxes. Based on that statement, I assumed that their submission method was the SAME as *********'s method. They told me AFTER the COMPLETION of the service that they do not email the NEWS ITSELF to journalists. Instead, what they email to journalists is a mere LINK to the news, making a LESS IMPRESSIVE "first impression," & forcing journalists to click on a link to take them to a website to see the FULL press release. So Web20Ranker really does not email the PRESS RELEASE ITSELF to journalists (as they lead consumers to believe on their website). Instead, they email a LINK to the press release itself. THAT makes a BIG difference! What if journalists prefer NOT to CLICK on a LINK to read the full press release? What if they prefer to just open the email & simply READ THE ENTIRE PRESS RELEASE IN THE EMAIL BODY? This merchant has created CONFUSION among consumers (like myself) by not specifying ON THEIR WEBSITE that only a LINK to the press release is emailed to journalists, not the PRESS RELEASE ITSELF. Had the merchant specified that on their website, THIS is what I would have done: (1) Immediately left the merchant's website WITHOUT PURCHASING, & (2) Gone BACK to ****** to RESUME my search for a CHEAPER press release distributor that emails the NEWS ITSELF to journalists. Since the merchant didn't specify that only a LINK is emailed to journalists, they should be willing to take a loss on this case - and LEARN from it!

  Customer response

  05/23/2023

  I have not heard from the business as of yet.  From my understanding, this is a BBB Accredited business.  Which means that the business is REQUIRED to respond to any and all complaints.  If they do not respond, they will lose their Accreditation.

  

  Business response

  05/25/2023

  We appreciate your perspective and understand your concerns. It seems you have formed a strong opinion about ************* based on their customer reviews and ratings, and made the assumption that our processes would be identical. While customer feedback is valuable, it's important to note that different companies may have varying approaches to press release distribution, and what works well for one may not necessarily work for another.
  
  At Web 2.0 Ranker, we continuously strive to improve our services and achieve the best possible results for our clients. Our approach involves creating a targeted pitch that appeals to journalists and providing a link to the full press release. We have found through testing and research that this method yields a higher open and response rate, encouraging journalists to engage and seek more information, ultimately leading to unique stories and media coverage. Our team constantly takes training from experts in the industry to provide better results, which is reflected in our average open rate of 25% and higher. I find it important to note that your press release has a 30.6% open rate, which is a great result!
  
  It's worth mentioning that our service is not cheaper because we exclude the complete press release text from the email. Our pricing is based on our operational costs and the effort we put into delivering your press release to relevant journalists and media outlets. We have optimized our process to ensure the embedded media is more prominent, reducing the likelihood of our emails being perceived as spammy.
  
  While we understand your desire for the entire press release to be included in the email, we stand by our service, which clearly states that we will send your press release and pitch to 1,000 relevant journalists and media outlets, which we have fulfilled. This is the first complaint the we have received about this strategy for this service and we have successfully fulfilled 192 orders since 2022 alone. 
  
  We apologize if our approach did not align with your expectations, and we appreciate your feedback. After careful consideration, we have decided to honor your request for a refund, even though we stand by the effectiveness and strategies  of our service.

  Customer response

  05/25/2023

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************
  

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩