
GrubHub is buying up thousands of restaurant web addresses - smacktoward
https://newfoodeconomy.org/grubhub-domain-purchases-thousands-shadow-sites/
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gumby
This is a variant on the scam of making a local locksmith or tow link, SEOing
it to the top of of Google's results, and then charging a fee and outsourcing
the work. The web was supposed to be a disintermediating force but it's just
as much been an opportunity for gratuitous toll-collectors.

Google appears to profit from this so apparently makes no effort to prevent
this. It's been going on for years:
[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/business/fake-online-
lock...](https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/business/fake-online-locksmiths-
may-be-out-to-pick-your-pocket-too.html)

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snlnspc
Real site:
[https://www.1000degreespizza.com/](https://www.1000degreespizza.com/)

Grubhub scam:
[http://www.1000degreesneapolitanpizzeriamiami.com/](http://www.1000degreesneapolitanpizzeriamiami.com/)
Check the order link. They have over 23000 of these domains.

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duxup
>Additionally, it appears GrubHub has set up several generic, templated pages
that look like real restaurant websites but in fact link only to GrubHub.
These pages also display phone numbers that GrubHub controls.

That reads a bit like some of the Google Maps type hijacking that takes place
where someone takes control of a google maps business listing who doesn't
actually own that business in order to intercept the business.

>GrubHub’s fee structure is based on its marketing services. If a customer
finds out about a restaurant in the platform’s app or through a GrubHub-run
promotion, the platform can charge the restaurant a higher commission, because
it’s bringing in new business. Likewise, if a customer navigates from a
restaurant’s real web page to GrubHub’s ordering system to place their order,
GrubHub’s commission is smaller than it would be if the customer “discovered”
the restaurant on the platform, because the customer clearly already knew
about the restaurant and is simply using GrubHub’s services to place an order.
The shadow pages complicate this equation: If a customer Googles a
restaurant’s name and lands on a GrubHub-owned site that looks like a real
restaurant’s site, who should get the commission? And is it fair if GrubHub
can outrank its own restaurants on search engines?

It would seem GrubHub has created a system where they incentivize themselves
to take over people's web presence.... heck maybe even places that DON"T use
GrubHub...

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justaguyhere
The internet is supposed to give the little guys at least a fighting chance -
over and over, we see these shitty big companies (yelp, airbnb, etc, now
grubhub) screwing those who can't fight back. Makes me so mad, isn't there
anything that we can do?

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nojvek
The internet is free, mostly unregulated west world. That’s what happens when
they aren’t enforceable rules. The big guys with VC money eat up the small
guys lunch. It’s part of the system.

The internet was designed for everyone but nothing was there in place not to
be exploited by the guys. Hell, just look at how much money Verizon makes from
.com registrations.

It’s crazy.

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yellowapple
I had already switched to Uber Eats because GrubHub's deliveries were
horrendously unreliable. Now I have another reason to never do business with
them ever again.

