WHO'S CHANGING MY BUSINESS NAME EDITS?

[Zeds]

Hi Everybody,

I submit a lot of edits and most of them get published almost immediately.However just lately I experienced an editing jolt when one of my business name change edits was changed back to it's previous incorrect name by someone else.The store in question is Carter's babies and kids in the Carlsbad Outlets,CA.We visited this store in December last year when my wife was shopping for clothes for our little grand daughter and at the time I took photos and wrote a review.I then also noticed

that the business name on Google maps ...Carter's...was incorrect so I submitted a business name change edit to Carter's babies and kids and it was approved and published almost immediately.Another good edit and I was happy I thought.Fast forward to a few days ago and my wife made a quick shopping trip here again.After checking that one of my photos was the headline photo on Google maps..which it was....I noticed that the business name was still just Carter's.I couldn't believe it. After having a whinge about it right here on Local Guides Connect I got a response from a Level 5 Local Guide named PhilipF that the business owner or someone else changed the business name back to Carter's the very same day I successfully submitted a name change edit from Carter's to Carter's babies and kids.The business is known everywhere on review sites such as Yelp and with the general public as Carter's babies and kids so what's going on here?If PhilipF can tell me when the name change edit was made by the business owner or someone just trying to make trouble why can't he tell me who made the name change edit back to the incorrect business name Carter's.These edits consume a lot of my valuable time and I don't like my published edits being reversed or tampered with.So I need to know...what is going on?Am I being stalked or what?Can someone shed some light on this irritating edit conspiracy? 

Cheers,

Zed star.

Current incorrect and misleading business name.Recent name change edit rejected.My submitted published name change edit in December.

[Flash]

Hi @Zeds,

The rule for naming on Maps is that the name is to be the name only, with no descriptors, store codes, bylines, etc.  In the case of Carter's, "Babies and Kids" is a byline on their signage that is not part of their name in normal usage.

A good way to recognize a byline on signage is, since they are not part of the name, they are usually in a different size, colour or font; often a combination of two or three of these differences.

Another way to consider it is how you'd use the name in everyday conversation.  Would you say to your wife "I'm going to Carter's?"   Would you expect the clerk to say "Thank you for shopping Carter's?"  Or for both would you expect the long form?

Another thing to check is their website, but in doing so be aware that a lot of webmasters are under the mistaken impression that keyword stuffing on webpages still works.  So if every sentence on their website that mentioned their name used the long form, such as "Here at Carter's Babies and Kids we strive to have the best customer experience" that does not necessarily show it to be the name as it may be an attempt at keywords stuffing to raise their search results for "babies" and/or "kids", but the lack of referring to it that way every time definitely would show that it is not the proper name.  And in this case, the website just refers to "Carter's" many different times; I only see "Babies and Kids" on their website in the logo.

Don't be discouraged by this, mapping is quite complex and it takes multiple years to learn all the nuances.  I encourage you to continue on and use this new knowledge to correct other places.  Please do feel free to post any mapping questions and we'll be glad to answer them for you.  Thanks for your contributions to the map!

[Zeds]

@Flash,

That is very insightful analytics mate.I totally understand what you are implyng about sub descriptions on business name banners or signs.I only just edited a bunch of Ralphs grocery stores that were named Ralphs Fresh Fare on Google maps.They are called Ralphs everywhere but it does display Fresh Fare below the Ralphs banner.We would all say we are going to Ralphs because Ralphs stores all sell pretty much the same products.In the case of Carter's ...they have 2 completely different models....Carter's which sells women's clothing including maternity wear whereas Carter's babies and kids sells only clothes for babies and little kids.I agree with you that most of us would use the easy term Carter's even if we were going to a Carter's babies and kids but to the uninitiated a business name such as Carter's would imply a women's clothing store when they are looking for a Carter's babies and kids.I am sick of answering Google maps questions asking if this store sells women's big and tall clothing or women's maternity wear.If the store sells babies and kids clothes and the sign on top of the store clearly says Carter's babies and kids then that is the name which should be the business name on Google maps so as not to be misleading.I am an Australian mate and we are known for abreviating every word that we come across in our daily grind but we still expect a business name to be correct on Google maps.It's either right or it's wrong...and in this case it is wrong.

Cheers,

Zed star.

[Pea]

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@Zeds wrote:

Can someone shed some light on this irritating edit conspiracy?

Hi Zeds, I'd hoped I'd given you a fairly full explanation of this edit on another thread, not sure why you'd think it is a conspiracy. Generally things happen on maps for a known reason even if it's not immediately clear especially to a relatively new mapper.

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@Zeds wrote:

I only just edited a bunch of Ralphs grocery stores that were named Ralphs Fresh Fare on Google maps.They are called Ralphs everywhere but it does display Fresh Fare below the Ralphs banner.

Zeds, on the other thread one of the things I mentioned was naming consistency. It's not necessarily a good idea to start changing a load of chain stores, it would be better to ask here first, Google may well consider that "Ralphs" and "Ralphs Fresh Fare" are acceptably distinct, I see a lot of both version on the map. Conversely I don't see any "Carter's babies and kids". You can read more about name consistency here https://support.google.com/business/answer/3038177 but a clip of the guidance says:

Acceptable name variations: "Walmart Supercenter" and "Walmart Express"; "Nordstrom" and "Nordstrom Rack"; "Gap" and "babyGap"

You're probably now going to say: "A ha! Look Gap and babyGap are allowed. Therefore Carter's babies and kids must be allowed too". Well perhaps, but that's a decision for Google and Carters to make, it's not for us.

[Pea]

For any LGs reading this thread in future you may also want to read https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/Mapping-Your-World/Contribution-NOT-APPLIED/m-p/177446#M5294 to get further Google clarification why "Carters" not "Carters babies and kids" is the correct way to represent this company

[Zeds]

@Pea,

There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Cheers,

Zed star.

Viola!

[Flash]

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In the case of Carter's ...they have 2 completely different models....Carter's which sells women's clothing including maternity wear whereas Carter's babies and kids sells only clothes for babies and little kids.

The rules of the map do allow for different models when the business creates different names for them.  For example, McDonalds and McDonalds Express or Walmart and Walmart Express.  In both these examples the "Express" versions are mini-stores with a smaller location and smaller inventory.  In both cases the business has created a completely separate branding for them; in other words the stores are actually named differently and the company carefully refers to them always with "Express" in the name to ensure it is clear that they are a separate sub-chain.  These instances are allowed on the map.

But this is not the case here.  The company only brands their store one way, and thus they are to be placed on the map in only one way.

I also cannot find any instances of Carter's selling women's clothing instead of baby clothing.  Are you perhaps thinking of a different company?  Can you provide some examples of such locations?

[Zeds]

@Flash,

After looking up the Carter's babies and kids store a few days ago when my wife and I were there shopping I was asked by Google Maps does Carter's sell women's big and tall clothing? and a 2nd question ....does Carter's sell women's maternity wear?I have only ever been to one Carter's babies and kids store but I figure if Google Maps of all people are asking me that question then somewhere Carter's must sell women's clothing.I don't shop at women's clothing stores.We seem to be getting off the subject matter here......the proper and correct name for Carter's babies and kids.I think it is more a matter of opinion than who is right or wrong.I could find many people who would agree with my point of view.  

Cheers,

Zed star.

[Zeds]

@Pea,

Yes I do tend to lay on the drama for effect sometimes .....and I can get a bit overzealous about things I am passionate about...not unlike you PhilipF at times.These name change edits and what is the popular & correct business name are really a matter of opinion...there is no right or wrong.I could find many people who would agree with my point of view.The USA general business model so far as business name clarity operates in a vastly more vague manner than the Australian business model.What you may argue is correct here could very well be totally inappropriate in the rest of the world.We all know that a USA gallon of gas is substantially less than an Imperial gallon used in most other countries.I have a world view.

Cheers,

Zed star.

  

[Zeds]

@Flash,

So it would appear that even though I looked up Carter's babies and kids on the web and Carter's website came up....and as you stated all their stores are called Carter's on that site.I assumed they maintained a separate site for Carter's..the ones that Google Maps believe sell women's clothing.Of course if that is the case which it definitely appears to be then there is even more justification for calling the Carter's babies and kids by their full name.It identifies that they don't sell women's clothing at any of their locations.That is my honest point of view and you are entitled to yours.

Cheers,

Zed star.