Overstock was coming in at the top of Google searches due to the artificial rankings and when Google caught on, the company’s ranking dropped to the 5^th or 6^th page.

Overstock.com was caught giving discounts to students and faculty members at Universities in exchange for links to overstock pages on college websites. According to internet experts, when links are added to sites with .edu in the website address, Google often ranks these higher than other commercial sites.

“Google has made clear they believe these links should not factor into their search algorithm,” said Patrick Byrne, Overstock’s chief executive, in a statement. “We understand Google’s position and have made the appropriate changes to remain within Google’s guidelines.”

Google did not comment on the incident and said the company has a policy in place against talking about specific websites. A spokesperson for the company did say its goal, “is to deliver the most relevant information possible.” He added that “attempts to game Google’s ranking go on 24 hours a day, every single day.”

Companies are always trying to get high Google rankings, and for good reason. When your site appears higher on a Google ranking page, you get more visitors to your website. SEO or Search Engine Optimization is how a site ranks and many companies hire SEO experts to help them receive a higher ranking on Google.

Overstock is not the first company to be targeted for faulty tactics to get their site ranked higher. Earlier just this month JC Penny was also caught artificially boosting their ranking though faulty SEO tactics. An SEO consultant was fired after the incident and the company has stated that they were unaware of the tactics and will work hard to regain their rankings.

Overstock.com was founded in 1999 and is mostly known for selling merchandise at a discount. The company is based out of Salt Lake City, UT and last month was reported as having 10 million visitors.

Resource:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704520504576162753779521700.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_News_BlogsModule

Overstock Penalized By Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) For Artificially Boosting Rankings was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

Initially, it was all about the thrill of finding a bargain but has now become a necessity since a tankful of gas, a gallon of milk, and a box of cereal can just about destroy a family’s weekly budget. Today’s dollar stores are much different than when I began frequenting the isles. In the past, discount and dollar stores seemed a bit disorganized and perhaps not as clean as one might hope.

There is also a misnomer about the word “dollar” included in many of the stores names. While there are some stores who sell all merchandise for a dollar or less, many price brand-named merchandise at up to 70% off the regular price you would find in another popular store. You may not actually be paying a buck for your stuff, but you are still saving a lot of money. Dollar may also translate as low-quality to some consumers.

Merchandise sold at discount stores are typically the same items you would find at any other retailer. The products sold through a dollar store are often overstock items or products purchased from other retailers, who have gone out of business. The dollar store is able to purchase the merchandise at a discount and, in turn, passes the savings along to the consumer. The biggest difference between a dollar store and other retailers is the selection available. Shopping at a grocery store, you are more likely to find the same products consistently. At a dollar store, what is there one day may not be on the shelves the next.

In addition to the already-discounted prices, dollar stores are stepping up their game and often host even more sales and deals through a weekly circular or special coupon. The most popular dollar stores in the country are currently Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Fred’s Super Dollar and 99 Cents Only. Each store will feature different stock which changes frequently.

If you have never taken the opportunity to check out your local dollar store, give it a try. You may be surprised at what you save on your regular brand-named products like toilet paper, laundry soap, shampoo, craft items, gift wrapping supplies, kid’s books, snacks, and more.

DON’T DIS THE DOLLAR STORE was created by and is property of American Consumer News.