DecorMyEyes
Encyclopedia
DecorMyEyes is an online retailer specializing in designer
eyeglasses
. The site is owned by Vitaly Borker, a Russian-born resident of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
, who used the pseudonyms "Tony Russo" and "Stanley Bolds". Borker's sales strategy was that there is 'no such thing as bad publicity
': he welcomed online complaints about DecorMyEyes because they caused the site to appear higher in Google
search results, improving sales Borker was arrested in December 2010 and charged with mail fraud, wire fraud
and making interstate threats.
, where DecorMyEyes has, as of 29 October 2010, a lifetime rating of 1.39/10 from 79 reviews. According to Borker, each bad review boosts his site's PageRank
, meaning that the site comes top of Google's ratings for many of the products he sells. While a direct Google search for 'DecorMyEyes' elicits the site and its many negative reviews, searching for individual products and brands does not. The reason, cited by an anonymous Google publicist, is that the large number of links to DecorMyEyes from consumer complaint sites such as Ripoff Report
cause DecorMyEyes to rank high in Google search results. Google responded to a New York Times story by writing an algorithm that "detects the merchant from the Times article along with hundreds of other merchants that, in our opinion, provide an extremely poor user experience" and significantly reduces their search visibility on product searches.
According to Danny Sullivan
, formerly of Search Engine Watch
, the solution to the problem of bad publicity being as good as good publicity for search engine optimization
is to include consumer reviews alongside links to e-commerce websites in search results.
on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud
, making interstate threats and cyberstalking
, and arraigned
in the United States District Court
in Manhattan
. Bail
was denied on the basis that he was a threat to the community. A search of the defendant's premises resulted in confiscation of a stock of counterfeit
eyeglasses and a few guns. State charges, under investigation, are pending. After months of confinement in the Metropolitan Detention Center
in Brooklyn, Borker was freed on bail April 6, 2011 after posting a bond of $1 million and accepting onerous restrictions which included accepting surveillance by a security guard in his home. On May 12, 2011 Borker pleaded guilty in Federal District Court in Manhattan to two counts of interstate communication of threats, one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud
. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2011.
Fashion design
Fashion design is the art of the application of design and aesthetics or natural beauty to clothing and accessories. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social latitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories....
eyeglasses
Glasses
Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...
. The site is owned by Vitaly Borker, a Russian-born resident of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
Sheepshead Bay is a bay separating the mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter originally a barrier island but now effectively an extension of the mainland with peninsulas both east and west...
, who used the pseudonyms "Tony Russo" and "Stanley Bolds". Borker's sales strategy was that there is 'no such thing as bad publicity
Succès de scandale
Succès de scandale is French for "success from scandal", i.e. when a success derives from a scandal.It might seem contradictory that any kind of success might follow from scandal: but scandal attracts attention, and this attention is sometimes the beginning of notoriety and/or other successes...
': he welcomed online complaints about DecorMyEyes because they caused the site to appear higher in Google
Google
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products, and generates profit primarily from advertising through its AdWords program...
search results, improving sales Borker was arrested in December 2010 and charged with mail fraud, wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
and making interstate threats.
Gaming Google
Customers of DecorMyEyes posted numerous reports of receiving threats, abuse, poor service and overcharges on websites such as ResellerRatingsResellerRatings
ResellerRatings is a web-based business that solicits consumer reviews of online retailers and sells "Merchant Memberships" to those stores. Rated stores are given two scores - a lifetime score and a six-months score...
, where DecorMyEyes has, as of 29 October 2010, a lifetime rating of 1.39/10 from 79 reviews. According to Borker, each bad review boosts his site's PageRank
PageRank
PageRank is a link analysis algorithm, named after Larry Page and used by the Google Internet search engine, that assigns a numerical weighting to each element of a hyperlinked set of documents, such as the World Wide Web, with the purpose of "measuring" its relative importance within the set...
, meaning that the site comes top of Google's ratings for many of the products he sells. While a direct Google search for 'DecorMyEyes' elicits the site and its many negative reviews, searching for individual products and brands does not. The reason, cited by an anonymous Google publicist, is that the large number of links to DecorMyEyes from consumer complaint sites such as Ripoff Report
Ripoff Report
Ripoff Report is a privately owned and operated for-profit website founded by Ed Magedson. The Ripoff Report has been online since December 1998 and is operated by Xcentric Ventures, LLC which is based in Arizona...
cause DecorMyEyes to rank high in Google search results. Google responded to a New York Times story by writing an algorithm that "detects the merchant from the Times article along with hundreds of other merchants that, in our opinion, provide an extremely poor user experience" and significantly reduces their search visibility on product searches.
According to Danny Sullivan
Danny Sullivan (technologist)
Danny Sullivan is the editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land, a blog that covers news and information about search engines, and search marketing.Search Engine Land is owned by Third Door Media, of which Danny Sullivan is partner and chief content officer...
, formerly of Search Engine Watch
Search Engine Watch
Search Engine Watch is a website that provides news and information about search engines and search engine marketing. Search Engine Watch was started by Danny Sullivan in 1996. In 1997, Sullivan sold it for an undisclosed amount to MecklerMedia...
, the solution to the problem of bad publicity being as good as good publicity for search engine optimization
Search engine optimization
Search engine optimization is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the "natural" or un-paid search results...
is to include consumer reviews alongside links to e-commerce websites in search results.
Federal charges
On December 6, 2010 Vitaly Borker, born 1976, the owner of the firm was arrested by agents of the United States Postal Inspection ServiceUnited States Postal Inspection Service
The United States Postal Inspection Service is the law enforcement arm of the United States Postal Service. Its jurisdiction is defined as "crimes that may adversely affect or fraudulently use the U.S...
on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
, making interstate threats and cyberstalking
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. It may include false accusations, monitoring, making threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sex, or...
, and arraigned
Arraignment
Arraignment is a formal reading of a criminal complaint in the presence of the defendant to inform the defendant of the charges against him or her. In response to arraignment, the accused is expected to enter a plea...
in the United States District Court
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York is a federal district court. Appeals from the Southern District of New York are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
was denied on the basis that he was a threat to the community. A search of the defendant's premises resulted in confiscation of a stock of counterfeit
Counterfeit consumer goods
Counterfeit consumer goods, commonly called knock-offs, are counterfeit or imitation products offered for sale. The spread of counterfeit goods has become global in recent years and the range of goods subject to infringement has increased significantly...
eyeglasses and a few guns. State charges, under investigation, are pending. After months of confinement in the Metropolitan Detention Center
Metropolitan Detention Center
"Metropolitan Detention Centers" are federal detention facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and located throughout the United States...
in Brooklyn, Borker was freed on bail April 6, 2011 after posting a bond of $1 million and accepting onerous restrictions which included accepting surveillance by a security guard in his home. On May 12, 2011 Borker pleaded guilty in Federal District Court in Manhattan to two counts of interstate communication of threats, one count of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud
Wire fraud
Mail and wire fraud is a federal crime in the United States. Together, 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343, and 1346 reach any fraudulent scheme or artifice to intentionally deprive another of property or honest services with a nexus to mail or wire communication....
. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2011.
See also
- Criticism of GoogleCriticism of GoogleCriticism of Google includes possible misuse and manipulation of search results, its use of others' intellectual property, concerns that its compilation of data may violate people's privacy, possible censorship of search results and content, and the energy consumption of its servers as well as...
- Google Search Optimization