Customer Loses $8,700 Lawsuit After Posting Negative Reviews

A customer who purchased custom-made eyeglasses for 9,000 shekels (approximately $2,400) and attempted to cancel the order the following day has been ordered to pay the business 32,600 shekels (approximately $8,700) in damages for defamation. The woman and her partner bought the multifocal glasses about six years ago, but she claimed the owner convinced her to buy them against her will, even though she had intended to use the money for her partner's medical treatment.

After the store owner refused to cancel the order, citing the custom nature of the glasses, the customer pursued several avenues to reverse the transaction. Her complaint to the Consumer Protection Authority was dismissed, as the sale was deemed legal and non-cancellable due to its custom manufacturing. She subsequently lost a lawsuit at the Small Claims Court and an appeal at the District Court, with both courts upholding the business owner's claims.

During the legal proceedings, the customer and her partner posted three negative reviews on Google, with one review also including a verbal accusation of being a "criminal" in front of another customer. The reviews, which included a one-star rating, labeled the business owner a "fraudster and crook" and warned others to stay away, alleging customers received nothing but "lies and threats."

The business owner then sued the couple for defamation. Judge Guy Hayman ruled in favor of the business, stating that the reviews were not expressions of subjective opinion but false factual claims intended to harm the business's reputation. The judge noted that terms like "fraudster" and "criminal" were presented as facts, not feelings.

Considering the couple's personal circumstances, the judge ordered them jointly and severally to pay 32,600 shekels to the business, covering compensation and legal expenses.