Even if consumers have a say in choosing an arbitrator from a list, they may not know a lot about the candidates. But the company they're fighting, if it retains the arbitration service, could learn more information, perhaps even an arbitrator's track record on similar cases. Consumers Union believes that arbitration should always be at the consumer's discretion, not mandatory. Small-claims court, where you represent yourself, is often a better, cheaper choice for cases of up to a few thousand dollars. If you're faced with a mandatory-arbitration clause, read it carefully.
Court is an important bargaining chip.
Walk away from a deal if you don't like what you hear.