Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe HAYS, Kan., Sept. 6 (UPI) -- A Kansas coffee shop owner said he was shocked to learn his business was listed as "permanently closed" on Google Places, the online giant's Yellow Pages. Jason Rule, owner of the Coffee Rules Lounge in Hays, said he was baffled when he learned the shop was listed as "permanently closed" on Google despite operating the same hours as usual, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Advertisement Rule said the erroneous listing remained for several days. Google said its system allows users to "report a problem," and one of the options it gives is "this place is permanently closed." If enough users label a business closed, it is listed as "reportedly closed" until a review process, which Google did not disclose, declares it "permanently closed." "We're not far from Interstate 70," Rule said, "and I have no doubt that a lot of people running up and down that highway just skipped us." Experts said "closing" a business on Google has become a common tactic for competitors. "I'd say that it was in June that we started to see a big uptick in complaints about this in online forums," said Linda Buquet of Catalyst eMarketing in San Marcos, Calif. "It might be that a number of consultants are now offering services like 'nuke your competitor' in Google Places. But it could just be a competitor, acting alone." Advertisement Google said it is aware of the problem and is working on changes to its system to prevent future incidents.
