List of Paid Directories that Screw Customers!

I have been submitting to paid directories for the past 4+ years and I have seen many fly by night directories that just close down within a year, and also have seen many directories change hands and screw customers that have existing listing in the directories. Granted, I agree if a listing in a directory is NOT quality the new owner has a right to remove it from the directory, but I guarantee my sites listed in the directory are all HIGH quality sites and should have never been removed from the directory. I even asked the new owner's about it and some just say I would have to pay a small fee again to get it re-listed. This is the reason I started this thread because there needs to some sort of responsibility taken from directory owner's to ensure that listings don't get removed after the site owner has already payed the fee.

So I'll start this post with two sites which switched hands and screwed it's current customers who had listings in the directory:

Directory Sensei - dirsensei[dot]com
Directory Critic - directorycritic[dot]com

I will add to this list as I find other directories which screw their exisiting customer listings and do shady stuff. Feel free to add to the list if you know of any others that do this kind of stuff.

 

Thanks for giving this wonderful information. Some time i submit to paid directories but again then never notice they remove my sites or not. Now i should check them and if removed , i will contact them. thanks for it. I am also looking forward for directories those doing it. thanks for sharing.

 

Another thing paid directory owners should think about. Your losing repeat customers when you do this. Some customers submit a large number of sites to directories and when you take over an existing directory as the new owner and remove their listings they will NEVER submit another site of theirs to your directory ever again. So by removing a listing of an existing customer you potentially lost additional future sales. Like myself, I own 1,000+ domains which I have been building out and submitting to paid directories.

Do you think I will ever submit my other sites again to Directory Sensei and other directory owners that do this? NO WAY! They lost a large number of income from existing customers I bet when they did this.

 

I totally agree, as a directory owner myself i really see the common sense in what you're saying, fortunately were not all like that, ive held onto my own directories regardless.

Even though i own directories theres always been many things im against owners doing like not giving refunds, refusing to cooperate with submitters so that submitters can be satisfied by seeing the directory as a service and not some sort of challenge to get listed in.

Ive been screwed in the past by some directories, i would say most submitters have, by more than i even care to keep record of.

I hope that it doesn't turn you against directories though because theres plenty that wont get sold onto someone else or randomly delete your listings.

 

Those who are not loyal to their customers are not loyal to themselves.. this is really not according to business ethics.

 

Hello...

Well cant argue with the whatever facts you have but feel it shouldnt happen though you will find many owners
here that take pride in there directories and wont remove listings unless the domains expired or malware or something serious.

No directory owner wants to lose quality sites and gains nothing except a bad name when they do
shady stuff like you mentioned above.

regards
malcolm

 

Leprekon you are right few fellows did that and the only one i remember is directorycritic, they deleted my listings Premium one and few regular listings. But i got lucky they re-included my sites after providing them proof's of emails, paypal screenshots but that did take some time (Early days of when directorycritic was sold).

Send them some proof, i have few conversation with new directorycritic owner (Kunal) He helped me alot, in adding and fixing my directories at directorycritic.
I am sure he will add your listings again

I am sure you will not find any huge list of directories deleting sites, in this huge market you may add only 5 or 6 maximum to your list.

Thanks

 

I have never heard of this being a problem but maybe it is something worth tracking. Anyone who buys a directory should buy it with the knowledge that lifetime listings should not be removed.

 

Thank you for starting this thread.

I've submitted to so many directories that it seems quite a daunting task to check my links one by one. Any tips on how to do this (verification of link placement) quickly?

 

As my personal experience i would say 99% of directories will not delete your listings at all so no need to track them.
But if you want to, save list with yourself make excel doc and check them regularly but i think its time wasting as if u submit to 1000 directories only 1 or 2 may delete them not the rest.

 

No surprise there. They did that to me a couple years back. They've since changed owners I believe, but I guess even thought a change of ownership the stench still remains.

Mind If i ask what your sites are? You can PM if you want.

Rob

 

cross checking your existence in the directories you paid for is a good idea.. at least ppl will find the frauds in the directory business

 

Managing a directory since 2005, none of my clients have any issue with us.

 

I would check the ToS for reference to "removal of sites" and also what the term "Lifetime" constitutes in the directories.

 

Things happen, and it's one of the reasons I don't do paid directory submissions. All the same, thanks for the warning, pal...

 

I will never submit to a directory that is sold more than once.. I think directorycritic is one of those..

 

A lot of novices start a directory, but are only able to sell a few links, so they get discouraged and abandon the project. Then when the hosting expires and the directory disappears, the paid listings vanish with it.

So if you want to buy links, you should stick to established directories that have a proven record.

 

Dirsensei only has 50 total links in the directory? I assume they had alot more and dumped them all?

 

if you paid for the directory, you might one to keep a list to check up on them once in a while, especially if you paid a lot or for featured listing. but for free directories, i don't think it's worth it to follow up on your links, unless the directory is super important to your site for whatever reason (highly targeted, or sends traffic or whatever).

 

I always make a research about the directory i would purchase from before i pay anything.

You have always to check the reputation of the directory and the quality of it, etc.