Better Business Beuro?

Anyone belong to the BBB? What value do you see in it?

There is very little value, IMO.

They have no power to do anything and businesses with shady practices are rarely reported anyway.

When I did report a business, I just got a generic form letter back saying they'd "keep my report on file" and that was that.

Yup, that's pretty much it. They take a report and file it. No investigation, no SWAT team breaking down the door - just a report. They don't even do anything if they get multiple repors about the samr business. Well, they file them, but that hardly counts as "doing something".

And here's the worst part: Even if they did actually do something about it, the "bad guys" could just open up under a different name and they'd have a clean record.

The purpose of the BBB isn't really to get you a resolution, it's to keep a running record of companies that refuse to resolve issues with there customers. It's not that effective anymore because too many people report all the wrong things and nobody ever checks into the BBB records before dealing with a new business.

If you've actually been ripped off by a company that won't work with you, filing a lawsuit is the proper course of action. Filing with the BBB is only good for providing a warning to others if the company simply will not come to a resolution.

For example, just today, I got a call back from my insurance agent. They've been jerking me around on a claim for months, so I sent them a letter saying that if they didn't resolve it now, I was taking them to court and filing formal complaints with the BBB, attorney general, and the PA insurance commissioner. If I'd have gone straight to the BBB, all I'd have gotten instead of a phone call would be a generic form letter.

It's not that the BBB is useless, it's that it's not used properly by consumers.

Ctb okay I agree with what you say but as a member of the BBB or BBB Online does that member see a benefit?