Apparently they not only create the website, but also claim the Google Maps listing using the website.
And then go on to extort the restaurants for $$$ to add their correct contact details on the listing.
And then go on to extort the restaurants for $$$ to add their correct contact details on the listing.
EU has been going hard on "gatekeepers" recently. Good regulation could fix this. E.g. make Google verify each address by sending the business a form in a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
But they never actually did as far as I know, unless one of my colleagues handled it without telling me.
- Post office clerk offered to fill in cheque details for me. Recipient didn't receive the payment and sued the broke 18 year-old me. The clerk likely pocketed the money. This was over a decade ago, but coincidentally a Czech post office clerk was sentenced this week for pocketing ~$140k over a 2-year period.
- The recipient's lawsuit letter didn't reach me in time and was automatically considered delivered, causing further complications.
- DVLA refused to send mail to non-royal mail PO boxes even if the address is the official business address (UK), preventing international travel with the vehicle.
- On a separate occasion, striking Royal Mail workers prevented me from travelling internationally by delaying the delivery of my driving license.
- I used to live in an apartment with an awkwardly positioned letter box. My mail would end up in random places, usually the neighbours' more easily accessible letter box.
- Every now and then my mailbox contains mail addressed to adjacent buildings.
I also help manage a small B2C family business that is on its third address at the moment. We're renting a small section of a larger shop that is within a commercial estate. We don't have access to mail delivered to the official address. It could probably done, but it may be complicated.
> What else am I missing?
Royal Mail is one of the largest employers in the UK.
It'd be much safer if Google were to just take the first plausible website for truth unless proven otherwise, and the first plausible website happens to be the one Lieferando registers.
If Google were a responsible company, this wouldn't even be possible. You'd need to enter something they send you over the physical mail to verify that you do indeed do business from a specific address. From there on you'd be able to verify the phone number as well. Google's tendency to display scraped data as facts is what empowers companies like Just Eat Takeaway/Lieferando/Thuisbezorgd in their abuse.
And they may even comply with "Delivery-only food brands" policy [0] of Google Business Profile. Although I think their strategy it is stepping on thin ice and risking ban, including search index ban of the main domain.
[0] https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177?sjid=1244...
Not removing the address from their delivery listings seems like a straight-up violation of Google's policy.