It might not ultimately resolve the problem, but consumer-complaint websites give people the satisfaction of trumpeting their bad experience to the Internet universe, according to a report released Monday by an advocacy group.
The report by the Consumer Federation of America noted that while consumers fed up with a business are likely to turn to one of six popular websites to vent their anger, the experience does little more than alert others about their issue.
Nevertheless, the websites remain a useful tool for consumers looking for information about a business or service, and for law enforcement tracking trends.
“We’d not encourage shoppers who consult these websites that any one complaint is completely valid about a business’ practices,” CFA executive director Stephen Brobeck said in a telephone news conference from Washington, D.C. “But when one sees a large number of the same kinds of complaints, that can be a red flag.”
RipoffReport, one of the longest-running, says it gets 150,000 unique reports a year and more than 2 million unique hits monthly.
“RipoffReport provides consumers with tools to share their experiences, educate each other, and to thereby make it harder for scammers to operate,” website owner Ed Magedson said. “It used to be caveat emptor, but sites like Rip offReport have altered this paradigm. The new reality is that the seller should beware.”
That has put businesses on the defensive, and more of them are fighting back, suing people who post spurious information about them.
In Texas, for instance, a veterinarian sued a woman for $1.5 million last month for creating a website that sought to expose him for not saving her pet cat. The website was created after the woman’s complaint to the state’s veterinarian-licensing board got little reaction.
Some complaint websites are happy to allow affected businesses to have their say — for a fee. One of the websites, for instance, charges businesses $5,000 a year for the privilege. At another, it’s free.
“We understand the need for consumers to vent their feelings if they had a bad experience with a retailer or provider of some service,” said Tony Gagliardi, director of the Colorado branch of the National Federation of Independent Businesses. “But we feel strongly it should be addressed first with the business owner.”
David Migoya: 303-954-1506 or dmigoya@denverpost.com
Who you gonna call?
Five of the most-used consumer-complaint websites, all of which allow consumers to post their experiences but don’t resolve complaints. Just one — — offers contacts for resolution resources.
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Source: Consumer Federation of America
