Whether a product didn’t arrive, a service didn’t meet expectations, or a business stopped responding, our complaint process is designed to help you be heard and get results.
BBB gives you a clear, trusted way to share your experience and seek a solution. It’s free, easy to use, and focused on helping both sides move forward with transparency and accountability.
The complaint process
To help your complaint move forward quickly, be sure to include key information:
Describe what happened, including dates, product or service details, and any steps you’ve already taken to resolve the issue.
Attach any relevant documentation, such as receipts, contracts, emails or photos.
Include what you’re hoping the business will do to make things right.
The more complete and factual your complaint is, the easier it is for BBB and the business to understand the issue and work toward a resolution.
What to include in your complaint
You can file a complaint online at BBB.org. Tell us what happened and what you want the business to do to make it right. Keep in mind, BBB can help with complaints that meet BBB's Complaint Acceptance Guidelines. Once submitted, we forward your complaint to the business and ask them to respond, usually within one or two weeks. Most complaints are resolved within 30 days, though timelines can vary depending on the situation and how responsive both parties are.
As a consumer, you’ll be expected to stay involved by answering any follow-up questions and reviewing the business’s responses. BBB acts as a neutral third party, encouraging open communication while keeping the process fair and respectful for everyone involved.
The steps to resolution: A typical timeline
Most complaints are resolved within 30 days, but timelines can vary depending on the details of the issue.
Frequently asked questions
When you choose to "accept" or "reject" a business’s response, you’re helping move the complaint forward. It doesn’t mean you agree with every detail. It simply tells us what you think about how the business responded.
What happens when you “Accept”?
Choosing Accept Business Response means you're satisfied with how the business addressed your concerns. The case will be marked “Resolved,” and your acceptance will be shared with the business. Your complaint will remain publicly visible on their BBB profile for three years.
What happens when you “Reject”?
Selecting Reject Business Response means you’re not satisfied. You’ll be asked to provide a short written update explaining why.
After that, a BBB case manager will review your complaint and may:
Request more information from you or the business
Ask the business to respond again
Offer mediation or arbitration (Alternative Dispute Resolution)
Close the complaint as “Answered” if the business addressed all issues
Please note: Rejected complaints are reviewed in the order they’re received, and there’s no set timeline. We’ll keep you updated as we move forward.
If you feel like neither option fits your situation — especially if the business is still working on a solution — we recommend choosing Reject Business Response. This ensures your complaint stays open and active while the issue is still being resolved.
If the business doesn’t follow through after you've accepted their resolution — or if related issues come up — please let us know.
Email [email protected] with your case ID, and we’ll review the situation to determine if the complaint needs to be reopened.
You have seven days to respond. If we don’t hear from you, the complaint will close automatically as Assumed Answered. You can still submit a response afterward to reopen the case if needed.
If you need to respond after the deadline, you can still send your reply to your Case Manager or email it to [email protected] with your complaint ID number.
Sometimes resolutions take time, like a future delivery or scheduled repair. While BBB can’t hold a case open during that time, here’s what you can do:
Accept Business Response if you're confident the business will follow through. If they don’t, contact us to request reopening the case.
Reject Business Response if you want to wait until the solution is completed. We’ll close the case as Answered. Once the business delivers on their promise, contact us to update the case to Resolved. If they don’t, you can also request to reopen the complaint.
BBB’s role is to ensure transparency. If your complaint meets our standards, it can’t be removed when a business requests it.
If the business told you they won’t help unless you delete your complaint, please forward that message to your BBB case manager at [email protected], and include your case ID. We’ll follow up directly with the business.
No problem — mistakes happen! Just email [email protected] with your correct business information and your case ID. We’ll make sure it gets updated.
When you choose a BBB Accredited business, you're selecting a company that has committed to high standards of honesty, transparency and responsiveness. BBB Accreditation means the business has been vetted and meets our strict criteria for trustworthiness, including addressing customer complaints, honoring promises and maintaining a positive track record with BBB.
In contrast, a non-accredited business hasn’t undergone this process and may not be held to the same level of accountability.
While many businesses operate ethically, BBB Accreditation provides added peace of mind, knowing that the business is committed to addressing issues fairly.
Visit our full guide to explore the process in more detail.
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