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Better Business Bureau

Hi,

I applied for my business (www.coopermedicalsupplies.com, www.pulseoxstore.com) to become part of the Better Business Bureau recently. Literally the day after I signed up and paid my membership fee there was a story on Dateline or 20/20 about the fraudulent business practices of the BBB. I go to the BBB to check out businesses before making major purchases unless I know they have a good track record.

So, Did I make a mistake by paying to be an Accredited Member or is it still a worthwhile endeavor? Hopefully after all of the negative press, they will start practicing the business ethics that they preach.

Do any members here put much faith (or even search) in the BBB?

Thanks for your input.

Kevin Cooper

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mike on January 13, 2011 at 9:42pm

I'd like to see Dateline NBC and 20/20 investigated themselves for fraudulent business practices and see how they fare . . . kind of off topic, but those shows purport to be serious journalism while falling far short of that standard.

as to your question, i think seeing a badge from the BBB does somehow put a customer's mind at ease that you're a decent merchant. it shouldn't, but i think it does. do i know anyone who checks out businesses with the BBB or who would? nope. i think my grandma did. but she was of a bygone generation. i like to rely on merchant ratings on sites like ebay, or the power or an iron-clad return policy like Zappos.com or LL Bean offers, or just confidence that i get from the size and prestige of a merchant, like Amazon.com.

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Permalink Reply by gordon on January 13, 2011 at 11:11pm

We do. In fact I checked out a plumber yesterday. He wasn't a San Diego County BBB member, but his ad said he was, I found him in Hemet, out in the desert . Now, he's in Fallbrook. So, I don't trust the guy, cross him off. We had a contractor as a member, he was good, expensive. I heard it's $400/yr to join. So I guess I look them up to see if they're lying about it. There's no work out in Hemet, so he's advertising down here, but I don't want to pay a guy to drive from Fallbrook, which is like 1/2 way between, he'll build that cost in. So, the BBB is an investigative tool, use their phone # search, then you find where they've been.

Mike said:

I'd like to see Dateline NBC and 20/20 investigated themselves for fraudulent business practices and see how they fare . . . kind of off topic, but those shows purport to be serious journalism while falling far short of that standard.

as to your question, i think seeing a badge from the BBB does somehow put a customer's mind at ease that you're a decent merchant. it shouldn't, but i think it does. do i know anyone who checks out businesses with the BBB or who would? nope. i think my grandma did. but she was of a bygone generation. i like to rely on merchant ratings on sites like ebay, or the power or an iron-clad return policy like Zappos.com or LL Bean offers, or just confidence that i get from the size and prestige of a merchant, like Amazon.com.