Local Guide submissions should override info from third parties containing no information.

[Jonesnco]

I am trying to add a store to maps.  There is a point on the map for the store on Maps but is appears to come from third-party and contains no relevant information about the store nor is it even clickable to look at the information.  Basically, it is meaningless for Maps.  I want to add an actual pin with a photo, contact information, hours, etc.  I can do this but Maps >immediately< rejects the edit.  If Google doesn't want information added or edited to make Maps a more correct product, why does Local Guides even exist?  I seem to routinely run into this issue and every piece of feedback (dozens) I've ever sent about it generated zero responses.  At this point I believe all feedback being sent to Google through Maps as being ignored.  

To be honest I am a bit tired of spending time and energy to be kneecapped by some automated system that seems to randomly reject 5-10% of my submissions and edits when having no recourse to escalate the issue to a human to fix it.  Map Maker limitedly allowed this but it is now pretty much dead.

[sputnikjim]

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@Jonesnco wrote:

I am trying to add a store to maps.  There is a point on the map for the store on Maps but is appears to come from third-party and contains no relevant information about the store nor is it even clickable to look at the information.  Basically, it is meaningless for Maps.  I want to add an actual pin with a photo, contact information, hours, etc.  I can do this but Maps >immediately< rejects the edit.  

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Perhaps Google rejects your attempts to create a place for this store because it sees a place there already, so your new place is a just a duplicate.

What is the name and approximate address [or lat-lon coordinates] of the store that is already on GMaps? 

[Jonesnco]

29-2 Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

https://goo.gl/maps/GCGYAGSWRU92

The map shows a CU but it isn't a selectable or editable item on Maps.  I suspect it was scraped from the CU corporate site or another map provider.  I wanted to add a selectable/editable/correct listing for the location with photo, hours, etc.  Multiple attempts were rejected within seconds of submission.

To be honest, about half my edits in this area have been 'pending' for days.  It wasn't until today any began to be approved (and only about half of them).  Not sure who is (or isn't) reviewing in Insadong Seoul but they seem to be slacking a bit.

[GaborBi]

Hi @Jonesnco,

I can feel your pain, this happens to me as well.

There are some things that helped me though.

- When adding a place that I see a chance of being rejeted automatically, I give even more detailed information.

- Attaching a photo with GPS data where the place is clearly visible and understandable for AI could also help. By that I mean the front of the place along with the sign that clearly states the name, and close-up of the opening hours

- Google seems to accept my photos faster if they are taken with my mobile with GPS enabled, even if their quality is mediocre. Higher resolution, more balanced pictures taken with my SLR need more time to get accepted.

- When there are more ways to properly name the listing, I give preference to the name that matches exactly the one written on the sign, even if that makes it a bit less unique. (Eg the name of the business is 'Smiths and co. Pastry Ltd.' but the sign says 'Bakery and Café' I name the listing after the latter.

-Also, I feel that Google gives more and more credit to my edits/additions when the latest dozens if edits proved to be accepted. I often get to the point, where my addition of a new listing is accepted within seconds. When my 'reputation' is higher, I think I might have less chance of being rejected with a riskier addition. 

- if the place with the missing/wrong info is clickable (I understand this is nit your case), I edit the location and add all the missing details, attaching photos that are taken at that time with my mobile with GPS data embedded.

- Even with all the above, there are some places that I keep adding and get denied. That's just the way things are. At Google scale this happens, I send a feedback from the app, and look at the matter some months later

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@Jonesnco wrote:

I am trying to add a store to maps.  There is a point on the map for the store on Maps but is appears to come from third-party and contains no relevant information about the store nor is it even clickable to look at the information.  Basically, it is meaningless for Maps.  I want to add an actual pin with a photo, contact information, hours, etc.  I can do this but Maps >immediately< rejects the edit.  If Google doesn't want information added or edited to make Maps a more correct product, why does Local Guides even exist?  I seem to routinely run into this issue and every piece of feedback (dozens) I've ever sent about it generated zero responses.  At this point I believe all feedback being sent to Google through Maps as being ignored.  

To be honest I am a bit tired of spending time and energy to be kneecapped by some automated system that seems to randomly reject 5-10% of my submissions and edits when having no recourse to escalate the issue to a human to fix it.  Map Maker limitedly allowed this but it is now pretty much dead.

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[Shasi]

@Jonesnco can you please share the details of the store that you want to add so that I can try?

[Jonesnco]

It is a chain called CU.  They are incredibly common in South Korea so there are often several within a few hundred meters of each other.  It is open 24 hour.  The photo I took of this location is here:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/46fSbsKtSSE5eSBj2

They tend not to have phone numbers.  The corporate site is https://cu.bgfretail.com/en/index.do

[Jonesnco]

I generally try to be very throrough with submissions.  One frustrating and similar situation to this one was a butcher near my house. I attempted to add the URL for his website and Google kept rejecting it despite the fact two of the photos for his store showed the same URL in the photos.  

I feel if they want local guides to be some free army of updaters to make their product better, our submissions should be given a little more consideration than "submit feedback in the app no one will ever respond to while leaving the information in Maps in a substandard state".  I'm not saying we should be able to email the CEO but we should be able to email/message somebody about issues.

This laxidasical attitude toward errors and misinformation on the site is precisely why I quit submitting to GasBuddy after almost 12 years. After they were spun off from Opis, their support became so bad they now refuse to even respond and they clearly just ceased caring.  Even their automated responses don't work anymore.  I'd hate to feel the need to quit local guides because of the same situation.

I know this is a minor blip in the scheme of things but it is still very frustrating.  I think there are fixes to deal with these issues, it's just a matter of getting someone to care.

[Shasi]

@Jonesnco Please provide m

1. Name

2. Address

3. Lat-long

4. Category

[Jonesnco]

CU

50 Ikseon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

37.574661,126.989715

Convenience Store

[Jonesnco]

Somewhat OT...now that it has been over a week since most of my Seoul submissions and about half are still 'pending' I have to assume nobody there is actually vetting map edits - even the one I submitted that is a simple and obvious change in category.

This is unfortunate because Seoul lacks a >great< deal of detail compared to most other cities I've been in when it comes to businesses, etc being listed in Google Maps. Deagu was bad in 2016 so I assume this is probably systemic across South Korea. I'm trying to help Google but it seems like they don't want my help or they can't get the local 'reviewer' to pay attention.

This is something that might have been handled through mapmaker but, oh yeah, mapmaker is dead.  Which means you might need someone local to add places to Maps, verify info on Maps, etc.  I wonder if there is a group - even just hapless volunteers - who could do...oh wait. </sarcasm>