In a world full of options, BBB connects consumers with businesses committed to working honestly and ethically. It's why independent research confirms that BBB Accreditation matters and guides buying decisions.
Trust serves a critical role in positive, productive relationships. Around the world, trust in institutions has suffered, especially since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020. A bright spot for most countries -- including the United States -- is trust in businesses. Americans' trust in businesses is 10 points higher than their trust in government.* In fact, Americans trust businesses more than non-governmental organizations and media too.
Starting more than 100 years ago, BBB began fighting to make relationships between businesses and consumers more transparent, honest and ethical. That fight inspired institutions such as the Federal Trade Commission to develop regulations that seek to protect consumers from deceptive and unfair business practices. Millions of consumers rely on BBB to help inform their buying decisions. Research conducted by Ironmonk, an independent organization, surveyed consumers and found that seeing an A+ rating from BBB means more than other information often found on company websites.
*Source: Edelman 2022 Trust Barometer
Where consumers turn for information they can trust
BBB Accreditation lends credibility to businesses, and it helps consumers feel confident that they're dealing with an ethical, vetted business.
BBB Accredited Businesses take pride in their status, and using the BBB Seal on their website helps separate them from the competition. Consumers surveyed by Ironmonk said seeing the Seal on a website made the best first impression.
BBB appreciates that the Seal boosts consumers' confidence, but we believe in the adage "trust-but-verify." When you see a BBB Seal online, click on it. For a BBB Accredited Business, the Seal links to a BBB Business Profile. When you see a BBB Seal on a vehicle, in a window or other non-digital place, take a moment to look for the business on BBB.org to confirm that the business truly is a BBB Accredited Business.
Identifying better businesses
Not all businesses qualify for BBB Accreditation. Those that qualify commit to honoring BBB Standards for Trust, which serve as a blueprint for treating the public in a fair and honest manner. BBB sees these standards as attributes found in better businesses.
Learn more about BBB Standards for Trust.
Using BBB Business Profiles
The best time to refer to a BBB Business Profile is before you make a purchase. Reviewing a company's profile doesn't guarantee total satisfaction, but it can provide some peace of mind. You can see if -- and for how long -- a business has been accredited. Profiles reflect a company's responsiveness to consumer complaints and how consumers rate the business. Plus, you can connect directly with many BBB Accredited Businesses using our Get-a-Quote tool.
Understanding BBB ratings
BBB ratings represent BBB's opinion, based on company history, of how a business is likely to interact with its customers. When evaluating how a company's complaints contribute to its BBB rating, BBB considers factors such as the number of complaints relative to company size, timeliness of responses, whether there are good faith efforts to resolve complaints, etc. Other rating factors include business operation transparency, advertising practices, proper licensing, government actions and more.
Check out our Overview of Ratings page to learn more.
Vetting reviews increases confidence
Did you know that in the United States, it is illegal for companies to offer consumers an incentive to post a positive review of the company? No system can guarantee that each and every review is valid and complies with the law. However, research conducted by BrightLocal shows that consumers trust reviews on BBB.org more than those found on any other review site. According to BrightLocal, how BBB handles customer reviews translates to higher trust in those reviews.
Learn more about BBB reviews and consider submitting one to help other consumers choose wisely.
More on how BBB protects consumers
In 2021, BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust and the International Association of Better Business Bureaus worked together to outline the many ways BBB works to foster marketplace trust and "enables people to connect with businesses, brands and charities they can trust."
BBB programs help build trust, celebrate role models in the marketplace, and shine a light on substandard behavior and bad actors. These programs include BBB Accreditation, Torch Awards for Ethics, BBB Scam Tracker and BBB AdTruth.
Through both direct and indirect influence, BBB helped prevent marketplace losses estimated at $3.51 billion in 2020. To learn more, check out the following BBB reports:
2021 BBB Mission and Impact Report
2020 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report
Exposed to Scams: What Separates Victims from Non-Victims
Military Consumers and Marketplace Trust
Find these reports and more in our BBB Institute for Marketplace Trustsm
