BBB Reviews: How They Work and What You Can Do About Them

What BBB Says About Reviews

BBB validates the reviewer's email or phone number and verifies that a marketplace interaction took place before it publishes. It removes inappropriate language and personal information. It states there are no anonymous reviews, and none where the consumer was compensated, either directly or indirectly. The business has an opportunity to confirm the interaction and respond before publication, and BBB does not allow third-party comments.

BBB also says it cannot guarantee the accuracy or truthfulness of any single review. A review can feel unfair and still follow its rules. A published review is generally retracted only by the reviewer, or removed by BBB when it fails BBB's own standards.

Reviews and your grade

Customer reviews do not affect the rating, per BBB. They still shape how buyers see you. Complaints are different, since they go through a response process and do move the grade. If you are unsure which one you have, read can a BBB review be removed.

What to do about a review you dislike

1. Check whether the reviewer is in your customer records.
2. If not, dispute the interaction in writing with evidence.
3. If so, try to resolve the problem and respond professionally.
4. Fix any process failure the review points to.

What you cannot do is pay for removal, pressure a reviewer or post fake reviews. The FTC's 2024 rule bans fake reviews, compensation tied to review sentiment and suppression through baseless legal threats or intimidation. For a specialist to build a dispute, see our BBB review disputes service. We pursue removals that BBB's published rules support, and we cannot promise one.

Two cautions apply to every review decision. First, do not treat a review you dislike as a rule violation. The grounds BBB publishes are specific, such as no marketplace interaction, personal information or compensation. Second, do not let a removal attempt replace a good reply. Whether or not a review stays, future buyers read how you answered, and a calm, specific response is often the most persuasive thing on the page.