Better Business Bureau

BBB called repeatedly until I finally called back. They wanted over $ 500 from my business. I did not go for it and now my business has an F rating. The rating they claim is due to repeated attempts to clarify our warranty. They NEVER contacted me about warranty and my warranty is clearly stated on each and every proposal. It’s the Mafia.

Put in a complaint with the BBB against the BBB and this is what I get. BBB is USELESS!
Dear Irvin Last :
Thank you for contacting Better Business Bureau (BBB) regarding your complaint.
This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 2÷3÷2016 against Test Charity Accredited. Your complaint was assigned ID 11 119 805.
BBB regrets to inform you that, after a thorough review of your correspondence, we are unable to process your complaint. Please refer to the information below to determine the reasoning for the complaint closure.
() Duplicate complaint
(X) No marketplace interaction to warrant filing a complaint.
() Consumer did not provide sufficient information.
() Complaint contained inappropriate language.
() Complaint was illegible.
() Consumer failed to provide necessary clarification.
Should you need to provide additional information to BBB, please do so in writing making sure to include your above referenced complaint number. If you choose to file a new complaint because your original was illegible or contained profanity, please do so via our website at
Sincerely,
Brittany Ural
BBB Resolutions Consultant

The BBB does nothing for a valid complaint. Do not waste your time filing a complaint with them. Use social media you will get faster and better results. They will just close your complaint saying the business (Treadmill World) «addressed the issues within the complaint». The only addressing they did was acknowledge the complaint, they did nothing about it. Then the BBB did nothing about it. The BBB is a dinosaur from the past and has no valid existence in today’s world.

what a waste of time. this organization SUCKS in every state; has no power, run by idiots. dont waste time complaining. call atty gen office instead for crooked businesses

i also own a business and I can assure you that the bbb does not extort its membership money. I was an unaccredited business for years and I had an
F rating. The better business sent my business a complaint and the previous owner decided that since he wasn’t a member then they had no right to ask him to respond to a customer complaint to them. He resolve the complaint with the customer but felt the BBB was out of line insisting he respond to them.
Once I took over, it became our philosophy to always respond to BBB complaints both to the customer and to the agency. Additionally after three years the BBB finally moved us up to an A+. It did not matter whether or not we were members or accredited in either event we were always notified of the complaint and always given the opportunity to respond with our side of the story. The gentleman that says he was not notified because he did not pay them is not being truthful. He sounds like my predecessor and decided not to respond most likely taking offence that they would ask. If he cares about his rating he should change that practice and way of thinking and start responding. It took me a full three years to move the needle but it was worth the effort.
I have found the BBB to be fair in its assessments and think they do a great service to the public and to business, and their involvement help keep unscrupulous business from existing.
On a personal note, I had a major dispute with a major cell phone provider and it seemed to me obvious that they owed me money (about $ 700) but months and months of debating with them was getting me no where and I asked for BBB help, and sure enough I was credited with the entire amount I was requesting. So from a consumer point of view and a business angle. I would recommend this agency.
Lastly one of the reviews I read said the BBB is government supported or subsidized and I could not verify if this is true or not, so I would take that statement with a grain of salt until you can verify for yourself.
I am trying to edit, to see if this helps the Nazi’s at headquarters let this review through. How in god earth can they decided to filter a BBB review. Wow are you guys really that paranoid?

From what I have read in the above, I need say no more. After trying to get some resolution with Rich’s Car Corner who sold me a car with «stop leak» that blew up a week later it has become clear to me that they are business, not consumer-​oriented. They put my complaint down as resolved despite the fact that there was no substantive attempt by RCC to resolve the complaint for a clearly unethical practice. I gave them the name of the mechanic who found the stop leak slopped all over the car. BBB never checked that avenue. Check out RCC… surprise, they still have an A+ rating and no details concerning any complaints that have been «closed». I dare anyone to buy a car from those f’ers. Very disappointed. Looking for a legal basis to file in small claims court.
Bottom line THE BBB REPRESENTS THE BUSINESS NOT THE CONSUMER!
I love Unilocal for the real story and appreciate so much people’s contributions.

They called me again recently. Same old tired and worn out pitch. They make it sound as if your business may possibly win the Malcom Baldridge award if you drop a wad of money in the mail to them. Give it up BBB or you’re going to be a news headline you don’t want to be.

The rumors are true, the BBB does make companies pay for a better rating and a better listing on their site. They are really just another online directory these days. But since you can not leave actual reviews it is pretty much useless and the listings have been manipulated based on their own agenda. They are now calling the business I work for and threatening to cancel our «membership» because we have an old logo on our work vehicles. It costs quite a bit of money to change logos on our fully wrapped vehicles and we never used an incorrect logo in the first place, it is simply that they have since updated their logo… not our fault. I thought the BBB was about helping consumers pick legitimate and ethical businesses to work with, but they have gone very far off course.

As a business owner I can assure you that the BBB of Spokane gives preferential treatment to those that pay for their service enhancements. My shop was falsely accused of installing the wrong cylinder head and timing belt on an engine (like that is possible or worth the extra hours and hours on any car built in the past two decades) We went to arbitration and the dim-​bulb mediator with no automotive background ruled against us based on an opinion not based in fact. We now carry a F rating with BBB because we refused to pay for this injustice. Meanwhile the complaining party continues to rack up thousands of trouble free miles as a result of our repairs.

I really don’t understand the point of the BBB. I filed a complaint with them on Jimmy Z Appliances and I saw that thisbusiness had well over 20 complaints filed against them and were not properly licensed. I submitted my complaint which they forwarded to the business so that they could respond. The owner, Nikki responded with her usual «charm» and then nothing really happened. I emailed the BBB about the fact that this business had so many complaints filed against them on everything ranging from credit card fraud to non delivery of services. I asked them what they do about an obviously unreputable business and if they contact the attorney general’s office. Someone replied and said that it was a good idea and that I should do it myself. Their website is useful for looking up potentially bad businesses to avoid and I wish I had done that before I hired Jimmy Z, but other than that, I don’t see the point of whatever this entity is.

The BBB has survied for decades soley on their misleading name. They are neither Better nor a Bureau — not a government bureau as most consumers mistakenly believe. The BBB is an unusual not-​for-​profit franchise.
Local offices buy a franchise and the financial benefits go to the local President who is usually paid well over $ 250,000 and gets huge bonuses based on how many businesses he can make fall victim to his telemarketing scheme.
The scam is easy, when anyone asks them about a business they call the business implying that consumers wants the business to be evaluated. Then the business is offered an approval by paying a huge membershp fee. Or they can pay more to become Accredited Member.
The trouble with the BBB is that it ONLY allows complaints, so no alternate views can be considered. In 2009 the BBB switches to a grading system but they won’t tell anyone how it is determined and businesses can’t earn an A+ without being members. That’s kind of like a teacher who won’t give a kid a A+ unless he is of the same race.
The BBB has been dropping in value for years because other online complaint websites are offering an open system of compliments along with complaints. Plus they have a variety of ratings from zero to 5. The BBB takes only complaints. Its new grading system is a futile attempt to resurrect a system that is self serving and was never of value to business or consumers; at least not consumers who take a minute to figure out that the BBB is the least honest business in the world.
The BBB scam is biased and designed ONLY to create membership income. Last year the BBB extracted $ 250 million dollars in fees for naieve business owners. No smart consumer or business person cares a wit about what the BBB thinks.
There are many investigative website reviews out there that reveal the dispicable tactics of the BBB. Search and you’ll be amazed — if you dare.

The BBB is a good service that will advocate for your consumer needs. As long as you have made a purchase with an offending business, the BBB is there to help you work things out.
The BBB also has a database where you can look up the history of a business you are concerned about. This is helpful as well!

I love Unilocal reviews. I really do. But you gotta realize — and I’m sure most people do – that some of those 1 stars are from reviewers with an axe to grind. So where do you go for more free reviews? Google, check. Unilocal competitors, (*GGUUHK*), check. Angie’s list? Maybe, but why the hell would you pay for her collected reviews? And why pay to contribute to her short pile of reviews? Who do you trust?
Enter old school: the not-​for-​profit BBB.
This is a great place to look for another source of ratings for repair business, car dealers, contractors, plumbers, repairs, stuff like that. They also track complaints, track outcomes of those complaints, and — best of all — serve as mediators if you have that axe to grind.
Forget bars /​restaurants, though. I don’t think the BBB covers that and they don’t have to. Unilocal has that covered just fine, thanks.