As the number of retailer web sites and the volume of business transacted online surges, disputes about online marketplace transactions would also be expected to increase. At year-end 1998, more than 20,000 consumers a month were accessing the BBB's complaint process through this central site. While not every complaint filed online concerns an online merchant, a significant number do. Once the consumer completes the form, it is automatically forwarded to the appropriate BBB based on the zip code of the company involved for handling.
Consumers receive an email receipt for their records.
The BBB does not take either side in a dispute. Instead, BBB staff work to facilitate communication between the company and the consumer. Our goal is to help both sides come to a satisfactory resolution to the complaint. There are 150 Better Business Bureaus in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico with information on more than a million companies. If the web site you're interested in doesn't display a BBB OnLine seal, you can obtain information from the BBB web site on how to contact the Better Business Bureau in the city in which the company is located.