A big player in the lucrative wedding-planning business is being dogged by accusations of deceptive business practices, and an investigation at the New Yorker unpacks the controversy regarding the Knot in detail. The main thrust of it involves allegations of "fake leads." Vendors such as photographers and florists pay big money to advertise at the site and to be connected with prospective clients—"leads" in industry jargon. (Yes, that might ring a bell for those who have seen Glengarry Glen Ross, the story notes.) The problem is that many vendors interviewed by the magazine's Adam Iscoe (or who have filed complaints with federal agencies) say the leads they receive are bogus. One photographer says that after he caved to pressure to upgrade his advertising plan, he did indeed start getting a slew of calls. But they sounded a little fishy.
"It felt like all the brides were reading from a script," he says. "I could hear other calls in the background, and they all had the same lilting tone. That's when I realized, they have a literal phone bank of people who are faking leads." The company adamantly denies such tactics, and the story includes the views of satisfied vendors who say it's not uncommon for brides or grooms to call lots of prospective vendors and then not follow through. Still, critics of the Knot say the allegations are too widespread to ignore. Last month, in fact, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa asked the SEC and the FTC to investigate complaints he has received from small businesses. The story suggests the problems began in earnest when a private equity firm bought the site in 2018—more than 200 FTC complaints have been logged since then. (Read the full story.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
