Proving to be a year of consumer caution, 2009 statistics show that more consumers are checking with Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington before they do business.
BBB has documented a 214 percent increase in online traffic to www.bbb.org, when comparing the first 3 quarters of 2008 to the same time period in 2009. The number of BBB Reliability Reports provided has gone up 32.9 percent.
As a service to consumers, free BBB Reliability Reports are available on thousands of local businesses. To date, there are 11,000 BBB Accredited Businesses in the Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington service area; all of which meet BBB's Code of Business Practices and are dedicated to enhancing trust and confidence in our business marketplace.
Specific types of businesses receive more consumer inquiries and complaints than others. The following lists represent the industries in Alaska that received the highest number of inquiries and complaints from July through September 2009:
Top Inquiries
1. Games & Supplies
2. Roofing Contractors
3. Heating & Air Conditioning
4. Contractors - General
5. Auto Dealers – New Cars
Top Complaints
1. Cellular Telephone Service & Supplies
2. Internet Services
3. Computers Software & Service
4. Internet Shopping
5. Auto Dealers – New Cars
Please note: * Indicates when multiple types of businesses share the same number of inquiries or complaints.
To see the full Top 20 list, visit us online.
About your BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington:
Your Better Business Bureau is a not-for-profit organization funded by Better Business Bureau Accredited Businesses. The BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. For more information about the services and products provided by your BBB, call 206-431-2222 or 253-830-2924 in Washington, 503-212-3022 in Oregon, 907-562-0704 in Alaska, or visit our Web site at www.bbb.org.