Building an Ethical Marketplace

The increase in scams and fraudulent activities can make navigating the marketplace a discouraging task for consumers. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has long been a beacon of trust, setting high standards for ethical business behavior and helping prevent consumers from falling victim to scams through resources like the BBB Scam Tracker™

Better Business Bureau (BBB): Advancing Marketplace Trust

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been advancing marketplace trust across North America for over 110 years. In southern Alberta, BBB has been a beacon of trust and integrity in the community for over 70 years by:

• Providing a platform where consumers can find trustworthy businesses
• Supporting businesses to get accredited through a comprehensive business evaluation
• Fostering a community of reliable businesses and informed consumers
• Educating and guiding businesses and consumers on the best ways to interact in the marketplace

BBB The Sign of a Better Business. Look for it because it’s looking out for you!

The sign of a Better Business connects our community and recognizes the commitment and efforts required to become an Accredited Business.

BBB provides exclusive business accreditation for businesses that qualify for accreditation. This eligibility is based on several factors including verifying licensing, competency licensing, online presence, and demonstrating trust in the marketplace. Once eligibility requirements are met, businesses commit to continue to meet eligibility requirements, and BBB’s 8 standards of trust, including advertising honestly, embodying integrity and safeguarding privacy.

BBB Accreditation cannot be bought, rather, accreditation is earned; and not all businesses qualify for accreditation. BBB rejects nearly 20% of businesses that do not meet or maintain BBB’s eight standards of trust.

As the sign of a better business, the BBB accreditation helps businesses stand out from the crowd and gain access to BBB’s vast resources and programs, including online learning and development.    When you see The Sign of a Better Business, you know that BBB is building a community of better businesses for everyone. The Sign of a Better Business is a sign of a business you can trust.

BBB Scam Tracker

BBB Scam Tracker is a critical tool that offers consumers real-time insights into current scams, categorized by type, location, and severity. By reporting scams or searching the database, consumers can stay informed about the latest scam trends and learn practical tips to avoid them. The Scam Tracker not only helps protect individuals by increasing awareness but also aids in preventing others in the community from becoming scam victims.

Scam Tracker Canada Risk Report

To combat the rising wave of fraudulent activities and ensure a safe marketplace, the BBB annually compiles the Scam Tracker Canada Risk Report. This detailed analysis offers insights into the most prevalent scams, identifies trends, and provides actionable advice to prevent consumers and businesses from falling victim to scams. BBB aims to enhance community awareness and helps stop scams before they happen.

The Role of BBB

BBB aims to foster an ethical marketplace where buyers and sellers can trust each other. By setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, and celebrating role models while calling out substandard behavior, BBB works diligently to cultivate a community of trustworthy businesses and charities. Trust is viewed through the lenses of integrity—including respect, ethics, and intent—and performance, which is measured by how well and how quickly a business meets and solves customer needs and problems.

Understanding BBB Accreditation Standards

BBB Accreditation Standards represent standards for business accreditation by BBBs in North America. These standards are based on BBB’s determination of the attributes of a better business. They include not only lawful business practices, but also BBB’s experience with ethical advertising, selling and customer experiences. For a business to qualify for BBB Accreditation, it must continually meet these standards. Not all businesses will qualify for BBB Accreditation.

To be accredited by BBB, a business or organization affirms that it meets and will abide by the following standards:

1. Build Trust – Establish and maintain a positive track record in the marketplace.
2. Advertise Honestly – Adhere to established standards of advertising and selling.
3. Tell the Truth – Honestly represent products and services, including clear and adequate disclosures of all material terms.
4. Be Transparent – Openly identify the nature, location, and ownership of the business, and clearly disclose all policies, guarantees and procedures that bear on a customer’s decision to buy.
5. Honor Promises – Abide by all written agreements and verbal representations.
6. Be Responsive – Address marketplace disputes quickly, professionally, and in good faith.
7. Safeguard Privacy – Protect any data collected, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the preferences of customers regarding the use of their information.
8. Embody Integrity – Approach all business dealings, marketplace transactions, and commitments with integrity

Accredited Business vs. Non-Accredited Business

Understanding the Key Differences

When evaluating businesses, it is essential to understand the difference between accredited and non-accredited businesses, especially concerning their presence on BBB’s platform (BBB.org)

Business Profiles and Accreditation Status

• BBB Business Profiles: Available for both accredited and non-accredited businesses.
• Accreditation status: Clearly indicates the accreditation status of each business.
• Information Provided: Includes publicly available information and details provided by the business.

Verification and Standards

• Accredited Businesses:
• Checked by BBB: Ensured to meet BBB’s stringent standards of trust.
• License Verification: Checked for necessary licenses and permits.
• Updated Contact Information: Regularly maintained.
• Non-Accredited Businesses:
• No Review: Not subject to BBB’s thorough vetting process.
• License Status Not Verified: BBB may not verify their licenses.
• Contact Information: May not be updated.

Customer Complaint Resolution

• Accredited Businesses:
• They commit themselves to resolving customer complaints.
• Impact on Rating: Positive complaint resolution impacts BBB rating.
• Non-Accredited Businesses:
• No Obligation to Respond: Not required to resolve complaints.
• Rating Impact: Ignoring complaints can negatively affect their rating.

Use of the BBB Seal

• Exclusive to Accredited Businesses:
• Only BBB accredited businesses can use the BBB seal
• The BBB seal is a Symbol of Trust, and it represents a business’s commitment to high ethical standards.
• Non-accredited businesses are not allowed to use the BBB seal, if they do so, it is a violation.

Understanding BBB Ratings

BBB ratings, which range from A+ (highest) to F (lowest), provide a valuable snapshot of a business’s reliability and performance based on information available to BBB. These ratings are influenced by factors such as complaint history, business type, time in business, transparency, and adherence to BBB commitments. Notably, customer reviews are not used in calculating these ratings, ensuring that they remain an unbiased indicator of a business’s adherence to BBB standards.

How Businesses and Consumers Benefit

For Businesses:

• Being accredited by BBB enhances credibility.
• Access to BBB Business resources helps companies with tools for running different aspects of their business.
• Recognition through awards like the Torch Awards can elevate a business’s reputation and consumer trust.
• BBB Learning is a business educational platform with hundreds of on-demand courses on a variety of business topics.

 

For Consumers:

• BBB’s Consumer resources, including detailed business profiles and the Scam Tracker, empower consumers to make informed decisions.
• Learning about common scams through the Scam Tracker can help consumers avoid potential losses.
• Access to a community of BBB-accredited businesses gives consumers a more trustworthy pool of companies from which to choose.
• BBB Scam Prevention Guide helps consumers make smart buying decisions and identify the warning signs of online scams and fraud.

Visit BBB Scam Tracker to report a scam.

For more information on how to use BBB’s resources, visit the links below

 

Useful links

BBB Scam Tracker™

BBB Scam Tracker Report

BBB Standards

BBB Accreditation

BBB Business Resources

BBB Consumer Resources

BBB Scam Prevention Guide

Contact BBB Serving Southern Alberta and East Kootenay

#5, 1709 8 Avenue N.E. Calgary, AB T2E 0S9

Email: info@calgary.bbb.org

Phone :(403) 531-8784

Fax: 4152-046 (304)