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. The store owner refused to cancel the order, explaining that the glasses were custom-made. The customer then pursued multiple avenues to void the transaction, including complaints to consumer protection authorities and lawsuits, but lost in both the Small Claims Court and on appeal to the District Court.

During the legal proceedings, the customer and her partner posted three negative reviews on Google, one of which included a one-star rating and called the owner a "fraudster and crook." She also allegedly verbally insulted the owner in the store in front of another customer, calling him a "criminal who needs to be jailed."

The business owner subsequently sued the couple for defamation. Judge Guy Hayman ruled in favor of the business, stating that the reviews were not expressions of opinion but false factual claims intended to harm the business's reputation. The judge noted that previous legal proceedings had already established that the owner had not defrauded the customer.

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