Hi, I’m Dr. Alan Weidner from Massage Chair Relief. Today, I want to talk with you about the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

I’ve been a paying member of the Better Business Bureau for over 20 years, ever since I started this business. Over that time, we’ve received reviews from customers who were happy and, occasionally, from customers who were not. That’s normal for any company that’s been around long enough—especially one that’s publicly visible on a platform like the BBB.

The BBB is intended to be an objective, third-party trust resource where consumers can research companies before buying, or file complaints if something goes wrong after a purchase. It can be a very valuable tool—but only if you understand how it actually works and how it can be manipulated.

Issue #1: Companies Hiding Behind Different Names

Let’s say you buy a massage chair from a company—just as an example—called Monarch Massage Chairs. You see their ads on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Google. You buy directly from them online, which is very common today.

Now imagine the chair turns out to be junk. You try contacting customer support, submit tickets, send emails—and nothing happens. Weeks turn into months. You’re getting nowhere.

So you go to the Better Business Bureau to either research the company or file a complaint. But when you search for Monarch Massage Chairs, you can’t find them.

Why?

Because they may be registered with the BBB under a different corporate or tax name, something like ABC Distributing or Warehouse Distributors. That name means nothing to you as a consumer, and there’s no clear connection to the brand name you bought from.

Meanwhile, they still advertise that they have an A+ BBB rating—because technically, they do. Customers just can’t find the company under the name they recognize, which makes filing a complaint extremely difficult.

This isn’t a flaw in the BBB itself—it’s an example of companies manipulating the system.

At Massage Chair Relief, you’ll find us listed under Massage Chair Relief. We are not hiding behind another name. If someone wants to leave a review—good or bad—they can find us easily.

Some companies aren’t listed with the BBB at all. While you may still be able to leave a review, there’s no real oversight or recourse if the business isn’t registered.

Issue #2: “All Complaints Were Resolved”

I’ve had customers tell me, “I checked the BBB and that company had a lot of complaints, but they were all resolved.”

My response is always the same:
Why did it take the Better Business Bureau to force those resolutions?

If you read the details, you’ll often see that complaints dragged on for six months or more before being marked as resolved. That means the company ignored the customer until the BBB became involved.

That’s not something to celebrate.

A company that truly values customer service should resolve issues before a customer feels the need to file a BBB complaint. If a business has a long list of complaints—even if they’re marked “resolved”—it often indicates a pattern of poor after-sale support.

Trust me: you don’t want to deal with a company like that. Eventually, the issue might get fixed—but not before months of frustration, stress, and wasted time.

After-Sale Support Matters

Many direct-to-consumer online companies:

• Don’t want to pay for replacement parts

• Don’t want to pay for technician visits

• Don’t offer a real labor warranty

Dragging issues out is often a way to avoid spending money on repairs.

Giving Credit Where It’s Due

That said, I want to be fair. Even we occasionally receive complaints. Sometimes they’re justified, and sometimes they’re not. When they are justified, we make it right.

In fact, one BBB complaint years ago helped us realize that our return policy needed improvement. At the time, we had restrictions that caused confusion. Because of that experience, we removed virtually all restrictions and created the 90-day, risk-free return policy we offer today.

That’s an example of the BBB doing exactly what it’s meant to do.

Final Advice When Using the BBB

If you’re shopping for a massage chair and see a website claiming:

• “BBB Accredited”

• “A+ Rating”

• “Member Since [Year]”

Don’t just take their word for it.

Go to the Better Business Bureau website and:

• Make sure you can actually find the company

• Confirm the name matches the brand

• Read the complaints carefully

• Pay attention to how long it took to resolve them

If you can’t find the company, they may be misrepresenting their status—or hiding behind a different name so customers can’t file complaints.

Closing Thoughts

The Better Business Bureau is a fantastic resource when used correctly. It benefits consumers, ethical businesses, and the marketplace as a whole. I believe strongly in its value—that’s why I’ve supported it for over two decades.

I hope these insights help you use the BBB more effectively when researching a company.

If you found this video helpful, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and share this—or any of our videos—with friends and family on social media.

I’m Dr. Alan Weidner from Massage Chair Relief.

Have a great day, and I’ll see you in the next video.
Bye-bye.