British Columbia’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) saw a 30 per cent increase in the number of consumer complaints and inquiries in 2020.
Health and safety concerns, significant lifestyle adjustments like cancelling all travel plans and working from home, as well as the challenges businesses faced with staying open, keeping staff employed, operating safely and meeting consumer demand, all impacted the issues and interests of B.C.’s marketplace.
Last year, the Mainland BBB closed over 5,800 complaints, with electronic equipment dealers taking the top spot ahead of parking facilities and credit repair services (which was number 1 in 2019). However, for consumer inquiries, plumbers, roofing and general contractors held the top spots.
“The numbers show us a vivid picture of how British Columbians were particularly impacted by the pandemic, when compared to the rest of Canada”, explained Karla Laird, BBB’s manager for community and public relations. “Our analysis found that most local complaints about businesses were directly connected to issues ultimately stemming from the pandemic. This included concerns like lengthy service times, delayed deliveries, poor customer service and communication, as well as issues processing refunds. At the same time, with most of the consumer inquiries falling under home improvement, it is clear that there was a growing interest in projects focused on developing the space where they would be spending more time working, studying and enjoying leisure activities.”
Top 10 complaints in B.C. for 2020
Electronic Equipment Dealers – 359
Parking Facilities – 310
Credit Repair Services – 233
Online Retailers – 159
Telephones – 152
Clothing – 148
Collections Agencies – 131
New Car Dealers – 115
Fitness Centers – 105
Auto Financing – 70
Dating Services – 67
Top 10 Inquiries in B.C. for 2020
Plumbers – 70,498
Roofing Contractors – 63,756
General Contractors – 54,700
Moving Companies – 48,552
Loans – 46,475
Home Improvement – 42,361
Home Builders – 35,723
Landscape Contractors – 30,134
Electrician – 29,715
Collections Agencies – 28,619
With almost 5M consumers visiting BBB.org to find trustworthy businesses and service providers within the province, interestingly, the individual businesses that received the most inquiries were Fresh Start Finance (26,794), Cactus Credit (18,400) and Spring Financial Inc. (17,146) – all dealing with personal finances.
Top 10 Complaints across Canada for 2020
Online Retailers
Telecommunications
Online Travel Agency
Department Stores
Collections Agencies
Travel Agency
Delivery Service
Furniture Stores
New Car Dealers
Retail Florists
Top 10 Inquiries across Canada for 2020
Roofing Contractors
General Contractors
Collections Agencies
Plumbers
Moving Companies
Home Builders
Landscape Contractors
Used Car Dealers
Heating and Air Conditioning
Home Improvement
