Is joining the Better Business Bureau worth it?

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Is joining the Better Business Bureau worth it?

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gsamad

posts: 24

Jun 19, 2008 5:48 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Mine is a web-only business and I`m considering joining the Better Business Bureau in order to display their logo on my website. This is purely a marketing move, so I`d like to hear from you about whether you think it is worth the approximately $400 per year.

Have any of you measured your sales before and after joining the BBB and seen a direct boost? Do you survey your customers and they say "Yes, being a BBB member matters?"

Remember, this is not a local business, so a listing in their local Yellow Pages won`t do me any good. I`m purely interested in whether their "BBB Online" logo will help my online sales.

Thanks!
Gary
ContinuingEdCourses.Net

sddreamweavers

posts: 260

Jun 19, 2008 6:34 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I`ve seen mixed results. Sure having that BBB logo on your front page will give your users that warm fuzzy feeling when approaching your site. However, so will a properly written privacy policy.

The BBB used to give direct links to a site but that has since changed as of late.

What I would do is look up similar businesses to your own in different cities BBB sites and ask them personally if it`s helped them. I think that would definitely help in your decision making.

-------------------------

Aaron Wood
CEO
San Diego Dream Weavers
http://www.sddreamweavers.com
awood@sddreamweavers.com

New and improved! Now with blogging goodness!
http://www.sddreamweavers.com/san-diego-seo-marketing-blog/

DaleKing

posts: 1061

Jun 19, 2008 7:27 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Save your money. Having the BBB logo on your website isn`t going to affect your sales one way or the other.

Dale King

-------------------------

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hype, lies and scams...read this!
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gsamad

posts: 24

Jun 19, 2008 9:18 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Save your money. Having the BBB logo on your website isn`t going to affect your sales one way or the other.

Dale King

Do you have any specific information to share about this? Are you a member? Did you measure your sales results before and after?

Thanks,
Gary

DaleKing

posts: 1061

Jun 20, 2008 8:25 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Do you have any specific information to share about this? Are you a member? Did you measure your sales results before and after?

I used to be a member of the BBB many years ago. And yes, I measured my results. I measure everything. Heck, I can even tell you what color postcard pulled the best for me when I did a series of mailings 20 years ago. I also have a 20 year background working with hundreds of small business owners, many of whom were or are members of the BBB.

The point I`m trying to make is, I don`t just arbitrarily dispense business advice. When I say something, I know what I`m talking about. I`m telling you from first-hand experience. Being a member of the BBB will not necessarily increase your sales either online or off.

That being said, you just can`t take someone else`s results with the BBB or lack thereof and transfer them over to your particular situation. Therefore, if you want to join the BBB, you shouldn`t listen to me or anyone else. You should just go ahead and join.

Dale King

-------------------------

If you`re tired of all the money-making
hype, lies and scams...read this!
Click here for more details!

gsamad

posts: 24

Jun 20, 2008 6:25 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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Does anyone have experience with whether being a BBB member helps with a web based business? Do people make decisions based on whether they see the "BBB Online" logo on a site versus a competitor who doesn`t?

I wonder if I should post this topic in a forum other than Marketing? Even though it`s really a marketing issue from the business owner`s perspective, customers probably think of it a different way. What do you think?

Thanks,
Gary

Dougster

posts: 70

Jun 21, 2008 10:03 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I think the BBB is nothing more then a SCAM!

They called me many years ago to offer selling me a "membership".

After hearing what they offered I politely said no thank you.

Many months later I had one of my many happy customers call me and tell me that the BBB was "bad mouthing" my business...

They offer a service where you could imput the business phone number & the BBB would offer a recorded voice of their status of that business.

Well, for mine they said they would NOT do business with my business because I had unsubstanciated advertising claims...

I called them up & asked what they meant by that, they offered some examples & I proved them to be true...

They NEVER changed how they reviewed my business.

Only saying they would "review" it if I became a member (Pay them off)

They are just offering a "Payoff" way of doing business.

I strongly ask that no one ever "payoff" that corrupt scam of a service.

What they offer is worth NOTHING...Everything they do is bought & sold in a corrupt worthless way...

-------------------------

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Loren

posts: 242

Jun 22, 2008 6:49 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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They NEVER changed how they reviewed my business.

Only saying they would "review" it if I became a member (Pay them off)

They are just offering a "Payoff" way of doing business.

I strongly ask that no one ever "payoff" that corrupt scam of a service.

What they offer is worth NOTHING...Everything they do is bought & sold in a corrupt worthless way...

may

I concur. The BBB was reputredly started by Al Capone - a "protecion"

racket. Local BBBs are for-profit businesses that sell their endorsement

for about a dollar a day.

The sales reps may paint it in different colors but from where I stand it`s a

racket. I wouldn`t call it a scam... just not a fair deal for many business

consumers.

-------------------------

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USAMerchantAccounts

posts: 4

Jun 28, 2008 1:38 PM ET Quote Report Abuse

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I have to agree with dale, I ran a side internet business for about 2 year (still going) mostly its for fun. However, we did end up joining the BB and it did not improve our sales one bit. (actually our sales were down about 5-6% the 3 months after signing up)

My personal problem with the BBB is they have the same amount of power as you or me, but the try to represent themselves as a federal or government ran organization, They are not.

-------------------------

Credit Card Merchant Accounts

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