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General Information
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Websitemerchantcircle.com
Blogmerchantcircle.co...
CategoryNetwork/Hosting
Employees17
Founded2005

Offices
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Los Altos, USA
201 Main St., Suite 100
Los Altos, ND, 94022
USA

People
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Scott Hilleboe
Board
Mark Menell
Board

Funding
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Total$14.1M
Series A
Rustic Canyon Partners
Scale Venture Partners
Steamboat Ventures
$4.1M
Series B, 9/07
IAC
Rustic Canyon Partners
Scale Venture Partners
Square 1 Bank
Steamboat Ventures
$10M

Competitors
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ReachLocal, Ingenio, Weblistit, TriValleyBook, CitySquares , LocalPrice

Tags
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local, businesses, network, telemarketing

MerchantCircle
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MerchantCircle is trying to provide mom and pop businesses a way to reach local customers through the internet. The service provides small businesses with a web page listing, blogging and email newsletter application, and a local business network that focuses on connecting local businesses. Additionally, businesses can create coupons to send to customers. “Circle” in the company’s name comes from a viral marketing strategy that encourages members to sign new members in their community. The service’s basic account is free, but they also offer two premium accounts ($30/month and $100/month) which offer additional features and publicity.

As of 11/07 the site has more than $14 million in series B funding. Starting with 14+ million database listings in 2005, they now have over 680,000 CLAIMED business listings across the country, seeing as many as 1000+ new claimed listings per day, which the company says are all easily accessed on major search engines.

MerchantCircle’s CEO, Ben Smith, previously was Co-Founder and CEO of Spoke Software. He also once served as a White House Senior Advisor for strategy and planning to the Secretary of Transportation

Milestones
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  • 1/13/09 — The company announces it has passed 10,000 paying customers and 675,000 members.
  • 8/6/08 — MerchantCircle ANnounces "Instant Website" Service
  • 7/2/08 — MerchantCircle announces a partnership with Yahoo that gives MerchantCircle members access to Yahoo Local online marketing services.
  • 6/19/08 — The company announces it has surpassed 500,000 members and 5,000 paying customers.

Videos

Above:

Hyve Up interview with Ben T. Smith and Kevin Leu

Added: 2/26/08

Products
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MerchantCircle
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Websitemerchantcircle.com
StageLive
Launch DateJune 5, 2006
Tags ad-supported-software
MerchantCircle screenshot
MerchantCircle MerchantCircle MerchantCircle

Traffic Analytics

Quantcast

Livegraph

Compete

Merchantcircle

YouNoodle Score

Comments

Evergreen Roofing, Inc. - June 25, 2009 at 1:28pm
Merchant Circle has our website information listed incorrectly and we are supposed to join to get it corrected? I don't think so. It's their mistake, not ours.
Phil - May 2, 2009 at 4:34pm
Merchantcircle is a bunch of dirt bags. They put up listings of companies that they got from some data base, or that they find themselves on the net and they deliberately put up false information, wrong phone numbers, wrong addresses to try and force you to pay to fix them.
Marina Raimondo - April 28, 2009 at 7:25am
I never experienced such a unprofessional way to do a business, We are trying to remove this listing for SUBURBAN CHEM-DRY WITHOUT ANY LUCK,Chem-dry is a patented name and we have no right to use that name anymore I went on their site and did removed the listing, twice, but they still showing this name,now we have law suits against us, you just wait we will see you in court as well for all the damages
Jennifer - April 2, 2009 at 5:38pm
As a fast-growing startup with just 17 employees, we are working hard to support our 720,000 members while keeping most of our services free. For best customer support, we ask merchants to contact us via this page: http://www.merchantcircle.com/corporate/contact.html. On this page we offer free live chat, free self-service options and a “frequently asked questions” section. These free resources typically address 95% of all support questions, including all of the concerns raised in these comments. For merchants who use our free services but want priority customer support, we offer paid support options (they can also be found on the link provided) including monthly paid support and a priority support line (1-900-622-2555). Customers who purchase services from MerchantCircle receive priority support as part of their paid service. Thanks for your patience.
Treasure Islands Of Santa Cruz - February 25, 2009 at 4:43am
I guess I don't see where MerchantCircle is somehow doing negative damage to a business reputation or name. If you are not paying a penny for top search result page placement, where is the damage being done? I have had reviews written all over the internet by past customers, most do not give me the option to delete an attack or negative review. Do I agree with all of MerchantCircles tactics? Absolutely not (I have some not so great stories of my own). But because of the traffic that it is bringing me (and increased page placement on Google and Yahoo), I am in fact getting more business from a much larger area (it may be my savior through this tough economy). My main website is also being pulled up organically because of my MerchantCircle listing. Am I an employee of MC? No I am definitely not... I am just a business owner that is trying to make the best of this economy, using as many free tools to advertise my business that the internet has to offer (I can also determine when good can outweigh bad). Look at my MC page http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Treasure.Islands.Of.Santa.Cruz.831-465-8509 I am getting an average of 8000 page vews a month, and 300-400 Yahoo and Google Crawlers. Where is the negative in those statistics?
This is a working phone number for MC - February 3, 2009 at 3:54pm
Jenifer Roberts MerchantCircle, Inc. 201 Main Street, Suite 100 Los Altos, CA 94022 p: 650-352-1336 f: 650-917-9972 www.merchantcircle.com
Mike - January 13, 2009 at 10:32am
We went through the hassle of getting our company removed from MCs site , that took 3 weeks of phone calls and threats of suit only to find they had put the site back up 6 months later . They will be going to court in New Mexico before the end of the year we will see to that .
Randy - January 12, 2009 at 9:27am
Scam Scam Scam . requested payment to REMOVE a site for our company that we never asked for and were shocked to find it on line . Their crap site is effecting our real site on google and MSN searches .
To MerchantCircle - November 12, 2008 at 11:17am
I despise MerchantCircle like I have rarely despised any company. You have my PERSONAL, NON-PUBLISHED, HOME address and telephone number published in your online directory. I have sent COUNTLESS requests over the past 10 months to have my information REMOVED. I have filled out the online form, I have emailed remove@merchantcircle.com, I have sent a physical letter, all to no avail. I am now taking legal action to sue your company. You are the most non-responsive, careless company I have ever encountered. One gets the impression that the whole company is one man playing with imperfect software. Perhaps before going live with millions of individuals' information (and livelihoods), you should have done better research into your database model. Because frankly, it sucks. I wish you only the worst, and to those thousands of other frustrated, turned-off, unwilling members of The Circle, please know that I will do my best to put these idiots out of business. Suing them for all they're worth, though I suspect it's not much.
Sandy - November 7, 2008 at 4:03pm
You have us listed as 7TH RV Camp in Crow Agency, MT 59022. We are 7TH Ranch RV Camp at Garryowen, MT 59031. Please correct.
Lucy - October 10, 2008 at 9:12pm
I was contacted by MerchantCircle automated call- so I also went to their site to check it out. After about an hour, I was able to find the following link to place your phone number on their do not call list:http://www.merchantcircle.com/optout/remove?reason=optout And if you want your information removed : http://www.merchantcircle.com/optout/remove/ Just an FYI for others in the same position- so you can save some time by going directly to MerchantCircle to have your information removed.
Alan Gatrell - October 1, 2008 at 8:20am
Someone changed my business page information while I was on vacation and now I am blocked by MC from changing it back to the correct information. It is most important that I show the correct information, the information now being shown violates my licenses agreement. I have been unable to contact MC by telephone and my U.S. mail has never been answered.
Shashi Bellamkonda - September 24, 2008 at 8:22am
Hi I am Shashi Bellamkonda from Network Solutions. Network Solutions does not own Merchant Circle and the phone numbers posted by Dave above are not Merchant circle numbers. Thanks, Shashi
Dave - June 10, 2008 at 9:41am
I also agree with linda they contact you though this automated phone call and then they can not be reached. They also have a feature on their site that says contact the listing??? How do they do this if you never even knew you were listed? Where are these questions sent or who answers them??
Tuan Hoang - May 24, 2008 at 9:32pm
i really dont know much about the scams that have been written, but all my experiences with MC, have been so positive, Mc has help my company grow in many ways, give them a try, they are not a scam in anyway, i will continue to use MC. Thank you
Dave - May 24, 2008 at 1:04pm
I get this call ALL THE TIME at home (church parsonage) and at church...Both numbers are on the DNC list. It is from Merchan Circle. I called back the number and they have an opt out on the message. Wonder if it will really work or not. Anyway, Merchant Circle is...Administrative Contact : WYBS, Inc. v86d43fv4t2@networksolutionsprivateregis tration.com ATTN: MERCHANTCIRCLE.COM c/o Network Solutions P.O. Box 447 Herndon, VA 20172-0447 Phone: 570-708-8780 I Just did more research. Network Solutions is the company that owns Merchant Circle.com. The domain name is based out of Herndon Va. I googled the company, and guess what...REAL PHONE NUMBERS!!! Give them a call..here they are (703) 668-5505, (703) 668-4600, (703) 925-6999
Maria - May 23, 2008 at 2:13pm
I disagree, MerchantCircle has real value. I found it very convenient that my business's website was already set up. Everything is laid out nicely and easy to use. I didn't have to pay a dime.
Dan - May 22, 2008 at 3:03pm
I agree with Linda. These guys are liars and scam artists. Anyone to cowardly to put their name and phone number on a web-site is beneath contempt.
Linda - January 18, 2008 at 12:20pm
Merchantcircle.com is a scam. They call you with automated voice with so called information about your business and there is nothing to be seen -- good or bad. Total scam. Try to reach "them" at their web site. Non-existent access. You can delete your business, but nothing for contacting their business. Any one who hides that deep is not up to anything good.

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Sources

  1. techconfidential.com [edit]
  2. Citation Needed [add]
  3. Screenwerk (gesterling.wordpress.com) [edit]
  4. MerchantCircle Launches the Web's Easiest-To-Use Instant Website Service (reuters.com) [edit]
  5. Yahoo! Partnership Will Help You Get More Local Customers (merchantcircle.com) [edit]
  6. Citation Needed [add]
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Last Edited 6/29/09

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