BBB System Announces "Top 15" for 1999

Arlington, VA, June 1, 2000 - The Better Business Bureau system today released its annual Top 15, a listing of business categories with the most inquiries and complaints to the nation's BBBs. In total, Better Business Bureaus (BBBs) in the United States and Puerto Rico provided more than 23 million instances of service to consumers and businesses around the world in 1999.

Most requests to the nation's 132 BBBs are pre-purchase inquiries from the public seeking to check out the reliability of specific businesses before making purchases or investments, or the accountability of soliciting charitable organizations before making a giving decision. In 1999, almost 9 million consumers and businesses contacted the BBB by phone to request reliability reports on businesses or charities; another 3.6 million accessed BBB reliability reports online.

"This data reflects the fact that many consumers are shopping online and seeking helpful information from the BBB before making a purchasing or donation decision. Fifty-nine (59) BBBs presently have their report databases online, providing instant access to consumers who want to use the Internet to check on the reliability of a business or charity," said Ken Hunter, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the umbrella organization for the nation's BBBs

By year-end 1999, visitors to BBB system central Web sites (www.bbb.org and www.BBBOnLine.org) were exceeding more than one million a month. Prospective customers of businesses also obtained helpful pre-purchase information through the BBBOnLine Reliability and Privacy Seal programs. There were 3,700 businesses participating nationwide in the Reliability program in 1999, nearly double 1998's total. And, by year-end, close to 100 online businesses had qualified for the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal, which was launched in March 1999.

Other contacts to the BBB in 1999 were for counseling or general information on how to make wise purchasing, investment, or charity donation decisions. Such general information requests - both online and off-line -- totaled close to 7.9 million.

Customers of businesses across the country also rely on the BBB more than ever before for assistance in resolving disputes. In 1999 BBBs assisted with more than three million complaints - nearly a 10% increase over 1998's 2.76 million complaints. BBB AUTO LINE, a special warranty-related dispute program for the automobile industry, assisted 32,868 consumers in 1999.

Complaints that are within the BBB's purview are presented to businesses to obtain their "side of the story," and to begin the process of resolution. The BBB acts as an unbiased party to open the lines of communications when marketplace disputes arise. BBBs also provide complaint counseling, and referrals to private or government agencies, depending on the nature of the complaint.

Some 81.7% of complaints were answered when presented by BBBs to businesses in 1999. Of those answered complaints, BBBs achieved a 66% overall settlement rate, up from 61.6% the prior year.

Since its founding, the BBB has worked for "truth in advertising," asking businesses to voluntarily change or halt advertising or selling practices that appear to be false, misleading or deceptive.

In 1999, BBBs advertising review experts at the national and local levels reviewed 7,386 advertisements.

Following are rankings of the types of businesses that generated the most inquiries and complaints to Better Business Bureaus in 1999.

The CBBB 1999 Annual Inquiry and Complaint Summary offers data on 1,059 business categories, which are ranked by number of report requests and complaints to BBBs. The statistical summary is available to the news media free of charge from the CBBB Public Affairs Department. Businesses, trade associations and members of the public may order the summary by sending a check or money order for $7.00 to CBBB, Dept. 023, Washington, DC 20042-0023.

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