The Billion Dollar Class Action No One Has Filed

My dog training business was going well.

With slow but steady growth over several years I had reached the point where the new client pipeline was refreshing the revenue that left with current clients as they completed their training programs. It had been a struggle, but for a couple of years I didn’t have to worry about pushing my brand through social media and unpaid appearances at pet product expos and seminars.

I could concentrate on my mission: training dogs and their families, while folks searching for trainers in my area would find me via Google. When they typed in a query like “dog training near me” Google served up a list that included Grapevine K9 right below the last paid ad.

On that search result appeared an overall five star rating and a link to numerous five star reviews from my current and past clients with their happy descriptions of how I had helped their dog to become a balanced and joyful family member.

That’s how the majority of my new clients found me.

Three weeks ago my new client bookings stopped. They didn’t gradually fade away. One day there we new client bookings, and the next there were none.

And there were none the day after,

or the next,

or the next…

I assumed my online booking system must be broken at first. But it was working fine. I still had in-flight clients booking sessions. So I started checking other possibilities.

When I did a google search for dog training my site was multiple pages down the list. What was worse, my Google business listing was gone completely. That meant no rating, and no reviews could be seen by users searching for dog trainers in my area.

I searched Google maps, only to find my business was no longer showing up on it, either. After a frantic afternoon of wild goose chasing, I finally found the cause when I logged into the management portal for my Google Business Profile.

Google had deactivated it. No notification, no warning. They simply deactivated it.

On my business profile page was a thin red bordered box containing the following text:

“Disabled

This location is disabled because it contains errors or doesn’t comply with formatting guidelines. Contact support to get this location back on Google Maps.

Learn more”

I clicked on the “Learn more” link. This took me to another page with yet another red bordered box containing this text:

“Access to your business profile for tim@grapevinek9.com has been suspended because it doesn’t follow the guidelines. Edit your business info, and learn how to regain access.

Take action”

I checked my profile business info, verified that it was the same as it had been for years, and that all the information was accurate. So I clicked on “Take action” which took me through a series of questions and finally to a link to request reinstatement. I completed that process, and was dismayed to get a notice along with the acknowledgement that my reinstatement request was received stating that IF Google decided to reinstate my business profile it would take between three days and two weeks or more.

There was no indication of whether I would be notified if my request was rejected or approved.

I was in a panic. I run a one-man business. It is my family’s only source of income. I was losing anywhere from $150 to $600 per day in new client revenue every day my Google Business Profile was offline. With no indication from Google as to what formatting or guidelines I had not complied with, I spent several hours over the next two days meticulously researching the Google guidelines and format requirements trying to find any noncompliant portions in my profile or on my web site. I couldn’t find any.

On day three I got an automated email from Google with a reinstatement request case number. That email said I could reply to it for further information.

So I replied, requesting a time frame and specifics on why my site was disabled so I could be certain I fixed it.

Two days later I got a response. The response advised me to open a reinstatement request. This on the email thread with my original reinstatement request case number.

But I figured I’d just follow instructions explicitly, so I attempted to open another reinstatement request. That one was rejected because Google doesn’t like you following their advice and opening a reinstatement request after you’ve already opened one.

I’m three weeks in, have lost thousands in potential revenue, and the hemorrhage continues.

I’ve chatted with multiple other small business owners who have encountered the same problem. Some were reinstated days or weeks later, some have never been reinstated. Every one of them tells me Google has never given them the specific reason for suspension or reinstatement.

Google enjoys a massive dominance in the internet search realm. Their “shoot first and wait to see if the victim notices” operating procedure is a death sentence for small businesses that can’t afford advertising. Is it an intentional tactic to destroy small businesses?

Whether it is intentional or not, that’s the end result. I speculate that a massive number of small businesses have suffered combined losses measured in billions due to Googles unfair practices, and I’m surprised a multi-billion doller class action suit hasn’t been filed over it to date.