Remove multi-level marketers listed on Google Maps?

[josuereynoza1]

I was browsing Google when I noticed "independent consultants" on Google Maps. These "independent consultants" tend to be part of multi-level marketing such as Scentsy, Amway or It Works. When looking for them, they tend to be private homes in which the "independent consultants" live. Would it be OK to remove these from Maps, or leave them be?

Here is an example of Scentsy "independent consultants":
 

[DshottDennis]

Hi @josuereynoza1

I have found a few like that

For me personally i have marked them down as private.

My understanding is if you find a business and it dosent have any signage out side their premises indicating they are a business and they dont have hours of opening and

closing website contact number..they are not a business .. hopefully someone can confirm this.

[Flash · Accepted solution]

Hello,

You are focussing on their business model here, but what you really should be focused on is whether they meet the requirements to be on the map.

To have a marker on the map a business must have a storefront.  A storefront can be defined as a place that is accessible, identifiable and is staffed to help unannounced walk in customers during regular business hours.

Google also accepts what are called Service Area Businesses (SABs) that don't have storefronts via Google My Business (GMB).  Like all places being claimed in GMB, SABs must be doing face-to-face business with their customers.  When they set up their GMB claim they must indicate the lack of a storefront; the result being that they will show in local searches (including those on Maps), but will not have a street address or marker on the map.

For each one, click on it and see if it provides a precise location.  If not, then they are set up correctly.  If they do, but they don't have signage and the ability to walk it to get help then you can delete them as "Does Not Exist" as they are then breaking the rule of being on the map without a storefront.

[Sandra1961]

Hi @Flash. Does it mean that eg. a licensed therapist who's working from a studio at the house without signage and staff (by appointment only) isn't legal to be on the map? 

[Flash]

That is correct.

[Sandra1961]

Auwww..... @Flash. They're legally allowed by the government, but can't be on Google Maps? So how does a Google user find them? Isn't that the main purpose of Google Maps? To assist the people finding addresses they're looking for? And other businesses which may not legally licensed is allowed to be on Google Maps coz they have a sign board or an elderly parents to serve the walk in clients or customers which is possible in Indonesia?

[josuereynoza1]

Hi Flash,

Thank you! Most that I've seen don't have a signage, storefront or ability to walk in (mostly them being private homes and their precise location is shown). Thanks again for the clarification!

[Flash]

Please ignore my previous response which I deleted, I was commenting on two similar threads at once and got them mixed up.

Auwww..... @Flash. They're legally allowed by the government, but can't be on Google Maps? 

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Legality is not the determiner to be on the map.  The map is not useful if just anything is mapped.  If they have no storefront, why would we want them on the map?

The map is a tool to help you find a place.  People will look up the type of business they want and navigate to it.  To find no business there is not helpful at all and defeats the purpose of a map.  Google does not want that bad user experience, and really neither should the business itself.

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So how does a Google user find them? Isn't that the main purpose of Google Maps? To assist the people finding addresses they're looking for?

I assume that you mean how does someone find a place once they are invited to visit it, even though there is no staffed storefront?

The business can supply its address for the visit.  If someone lives at 123 Cedar Avenue and runs a business selling greeting cards, should they want a customer to drop by to pick up an order they can tell them to come to 123 Cedar Avenue.

Alternatively the business can send a private marker.

 an elderly parents to serve the walk in clients 

That would meet the definition of a staffed storefront; no one said you cannot hire your family as staff.  But the business still needs to be easy to find; including signage.  If the business is legally allowed to operate from the location and have customer visit then signage should not be an issue.