Transparency and continual learning are the foundation of digital marketing success—and they’re values I have always championed for my clients, readers, and the broader business community. In The Covert Code, I recommended Yotpo as a reviews platform based on years of positive experience. Today, as the industry and my own journey have evolved, it’s not only fair but also necessary to update you on my changed stance. This is a note on protecting what matters, standing up for fairness, and putting small businesses first.

Fairness in Software: More Than a Buzzword

Anyone who’s spent time in the trenches of small business knows how quickly software subscriptions become a minefield of auto-renewals, shifting terms, and surprise invoices. As I wrote in my Forbes Books articles and throughout The Covert Code, business owners deserve clear, fair, and customer-first relationships with their vendors—especially as margins thin and tech stacks grow ever more complex. Fairness isn’t a luxury; it’s a survival requirement.

My Yotpo Experience: When Fairness Breaks Down

For years, I recommended Yotpo and wove it into our client solutions. My endorsement in The Covert Code was built on what, at the time, felt like a fair, transparent partnership. That’s what makes what happened in 2025 all the more disappointing—and, frankly, unacceptable.

Here’s what changed: In April 2025, Yotpo’s contract automatically renewed for a full year—with absolutely no mid-term cancellation or pro-ration allowed—billed in hefty six-month increments of $4,911.50. No reminders. No up-front notice or explicit consent. When we formally notified Yotpo of our intent to cancel in June, removed every client from the platform, and stopped all usage by July 18, their answer was still the same: the fine print required a year-long financial commitment, no matter what. They refused any refund for the unused months, holding us to a contract that, by then, delivered no value. And to be clear, they attempted to bill another $4,911.50 for the following six months, even after the account was canceled and all clients were off-platform.

To make matters worse, Yotpo knew the full situation in real time. Our two largest retail clients—Hilo Hattie and Diamond Bakery—left the agency, and we proactively tried to assist their direct transition to Yotpo, simply to preserve their reviews and SEO value. Yotpo was informed every step of the way that these accounts were gone, that our entire retail portfolio had evaporated; they understood the sudden business impact. Yet even knowing this, and despite a nearly decade-long relationship, they invoked rigid terms, offered zero partner protection, and left us stranded with a $10,000 annual obligation for software that, literally, no one was using.

This Isn’t Just About Yotpo—It’s About a Broken SaaS Status Quo

This is bigger than one vendor. It’s a reflection of the broader, broken state of SaaS contracts—where fine print trumps fairness, and loyalty is a one-way street. Inflexible contracts, annual auto-renewals, and “all-sales-final” policies are death by a thousand cuts for small businesses and agencies that routinely ride the waves of client wins and losses.

Small businesses cannot—and should not—be forced to shoulder thousands in software fees for tools they’re not using, especially after openly communicating business hardship. And when a partner stands by passively, refusing to offer exits or protections, it is a signal to everyone else in the industry: it’s time to move on. According to Section 5 of the FTC Act (§ 45), billing for unrendered services is an unfair or deceptive practice (FTC.gov).

No small business owner should have to lawyer up just to defend what is plainly right: fairness, pro-rating, and the basic decency of honoring usage, not contractual technicalities.

My Solution: Transitioning to TrustIndex.io

The solution was clear. As of July 18, 2025, I migrated all client accounts to TrustIndex.io. For just $125 a year—rather than $4,911.50 per six months—my clients receive the same essential review and reputation features, with a transparent, flexible subscription and no cryptic, iron-clad clauses. The contrast is unmistakable: nearly $10,000 a year for unused Yotpo access versus $125 for full peace of mind.

How You Can Protect Your Business

This experience reinforced the core advocacy I share in The Covert Code and across my Forbes columns:

• Reject automatic, annual renewals without full, explicit consent.
  Track your renewal dates; require written reminders and negotiation before any commitment.
• Read every clause on cancellation and refunds.
  Don’t hesitate to walk away from vendors who hide behind inflexible policies.
• Document all transitions and communications.
  Especially when usage drops or clients churn—these make your case undeniable.
• Expect your partners to act like partners.
  True SaaS and technology partners stand by you in lean times, not just in growth.

My Ongoing Commitment to You

I owe my readers and clients the truth—even when it means reversing a once-confident endorsement. That’s what fair guidance demands, and it’s what drives lasting, trust-based relationships. When a vendor’s practices no longer align with my standards for fairness, advocacy, and partnership, I speak up and set a new course.

If you’re wrestling with unfair SaaS billing, stuck in a predatory contract, or have a story to share about your own software journey, reach out. Let’s push for better, together.

For more on clean vendor transitions, practical digital strategy, and building resilient businesses, connect with me on LinkedIn

Sources:

• Federal Trade Commission Act, Section 5 (15 U.S.C. § 45), FTC.gov
• TrustIndex.io Pricing
• Buy The Book