The Better Business Bureau's mission is promoting trust in business by setting high ethical standards for businesses. Our Code of Ethics asks businesses to:
- Build trust.
- Advertise honestly.
- Tell the truth.
- Be transparent.
- Honor promises.
- Be responsive.
- Safeguard privacy.
- Embody integrity.
BBB Accredited Businesses must agree to abide by those standards. When a business falls short, the BBB asks a business to resign its accreditation. If it fails to do so, the BBB takes action, as it did earlier this week. Today's release concerns a business that has been expelled from the BBB.
St. Louis, Mo., June 29, 2012 – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has revoked the Accreditation of Car Hop Auto Sales, 9601 St. Charles Rock Rd., St. Louis, Mo., for violating the BBB’s Accreditation Agreement.
The BBB’s Executive Committee revoked the company’s accreditation June 26, 2012, at the recommendation of its Ethics Committee. Neither company attended a hearing held before the Ethics Committee on June 26.
Car Hop Auto Sales was notified on numerous occasions between April 6 and May 30, 2012, that its headquarters rating had fallen to a “C” with the BBB in Minnesota and that it thus no longer qualified for accreditation by the St. Louis BBB. BBB standards require accredited businesses to maintain a rating of “B” or higher to qualify for accreditation. Car Hop Auto was asked to resign from the BBB but it failed to do so, prompting the BBB to revoke its accreditation.
BBB Accredited Businesses are required to respond to customer complaints, to make a good faith effort to resolve complaints and to honor arbitration decisions. Failure to do so is considered prejudicial to the best interests of the BBB and private enterprise.
Expulsion from accreditation status is unfortunate. However, the BBB takes enforcement of its standards very seriously. The standards are applied to new applicants, who can be denied accreditation if they fail to comply.
BBB Standards of Accreditation are designed to offer consumers confidence before they make purchasing decisions. Consumers are urged to contact the BBB at 314-645-3300 or www.bbb.org, for a BBB Business Review before doing business with any company or charity.
About the BBB
The BBB is a nonprofit, business-supported organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. The BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Business Reviews on more than 4 million companies, 11,000 charity reviews, dispute resolution services, alerts and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. Please visit www.bbb.org for more information.
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