Business Internet Directory Ltd

Trading From Selby, North Yorkshire

Posted September 23d 2005 ~ Last Updated 30th Oct 2007 (dead links removed)

1st March 2006, ASA Rules against Business Internet Directory Ltd.
On 1st March 2006 The Advertising Standards Authority reported that it had upheld some complaints against Business Internet Directory Ltd. and had dismissed others. The full Adjudication can be seen here

StopECG hopes this will be the end of the problems surrounding this company.

Value For Money?

Read StopECG's tips on getting good directory listings!



DISCLAIMER This website is in no way affiliated or assoaciated with The Business Internet Directory Ltd. This is a non-commercial website and this page is merely our appraisal of the selling tactics used by Business Internet Directory Ltd.

CONTENTS
  1. Company Info
  2. Sample letter
  3. Our anaylisis of the sample letter
  4. Checking Them Out
  5. General advice on directory listings
  6. Press coverage
Company Info

Business Internet Directory Ltd Trade within the UK

Contact details:
Business Internet Directory Ltd
Micklegate House,
Micklegate,
Selby,
North Yorkshire
Y08 4EA

www.businessinternetdirectory.com
mail@businessinternetdirectory.com

Company No 4225065
VAT No: 772 2051 50

Sample letter Click images to enlarge

Unopened letter, Sep 2005
Front, 2005 Letter


Our anaylisis of the sample letter
We have transcribed the text of the letter into the box below and have added comments about each paragraph in Blue


Important Dated material
MISLEADING: This phrase is also visible through the window of the unopened letter and the outside of the envelope has no company name on it. This means the recipient is very likely to open it thinking that it is an official communication that they should read.

12 September 2005

Ref:OSD/548746


Dear sir Or Madam

YOUR NEW BUSINESS TELEPHONE LINE
MISLEADING: Gives the impression that the message has come from the line installer, certainly does not make it clear that this is an advertisement!

It is important that your new business details are present and correct on the national directory for UK businesses.
MISLEADING: "the national directory" rather than "our national directory" could easily lead the reader to think that this is the only national directory, furthermore use of the phrase "It is important" could lead the reader to believe this is a letter they are required to act on, rather than advert for a directory many people have never heard of

Business Internet Directory is responsible for listing over 2 million businesses on the internet. This ensures that the details listed below can be found online.
CORRECT: (we trust them to tell the truth regarding the number of entries on their database) a listing does ensure that your details can be found online, so would the act of posting to a message board or uploading a blog, the fact that they can be found online does not mean that anyone will find them!

As you can see you need to inform you of your business category so we can activate your listing. Please call new registrations on 0870 010 7692 so that we can complete your listing
MISLEADING: "you need to inform you of your business category so we can activate your listing" gives the impression that this is a required process, related to the installation of a new phone, when in fact all they are trying to do is get you to call so they can sell you something The Phrase "new registrations" is particularly misleading.. Why not say "Our Sales team". It is also by no means clear that a basic listing will not be inserted even if you do not call... have all 2 million businesses listed in the directory called up to activate their listings?

Below this are the company details, filled out with the 'Category Of Business' blank




Checking Them Out
OK, Lets Call them up....

Kept on hold for less than a minute before the call was answered.

"Would you like my reference number?" Reply: "Yes" ref was used to bring up my business, I was then asked to confirm my address and an error was corrected.
I was then asked if I had a website, I gave the address, she was on the website almost immediately, "We will Set up a hyperlink"
At his point she was into her patter, "we are the national online database for business listings and we..."
I was offered keywords, she suggested words she could see on the website and was very helpful, I was also offered a map link

Only after all these details had been sorted out did she offer me a prioritized listing for the "administration Fee" of £89.50 + VAT
When I declined a prioritized listing she sounded genuinely disappointed and began a hard sell. "Why did I not want the priority listing?" I explained I spent my money with Google. I also asked her about traffic to the directory website.
She claimed that the website had received 1.5 million hits* in the last 6 months and that 85% of businesses who had a prioritized listing renewed the next year

If I did not have a prioritized listing I would only get a name, address, and phone number; No hyperlink, keywords or map... I settled for the free listing


While businessinternetdirectory's selling tactics appear somewhat misleading I could not have got through the telephone conversation without being aware that there was a fee. That said I could have made the call and wasted a considerable amount of time under the misapprehension that I was making a required update to a free entry. Only to be let told of the cost at the end.

Note: This company prosecuted in 2003 by Brent Trading Standards. However the current mailing does not repeat any of the mistakes made in 2003

General advice on directory listings
This section has now moved and is covered in our tips on getting good directory listings

(bad) Press

Shoddy Site, Shoddy Operation Tony Hertherington, ThisIsMoney 5 March 2006
Yoo Had A Kid at 73 Mirror Investigates 9 March 2006. (Relates to justyoo.co.uk, run by Matthew Adamson of Business Internet Directory Ltd.)
Capital Letters Guardian Note: bit on Business Internet Directory starts at bottom of page and continues on page 2
Web listings team casts net wider York Evening Press Oct 1st 2002 (Local paper with positive view of the company)















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