Everyone seems to be after 321 Studios these days. If its not the MPAA or the courts, its the Better Business Bureau. Due to the number of complaints they've received, the BBB has issued a report about 321 Studios.
The Better Business Bureau warned consumers Tuesday about the maker of DVD-copying software that is being challenged by Hollywood on copyright grounds.
The bureau urged consumers "to use caution" when buying DVD backup, repair and recovery software from 321 Studios Inc.
A consumer advisory from the bureau cited more than 70 complaints about the company sinc
e 2002, reporting problems getting promised rebates, poor customer service or software that did not work properly.
The agency said the company had responded that the number of gripes was a small percentage of its client pool and that "every effort is made to track and answer every case, usually with 100 percent satisfaction."
In all honesty, there are always going to be complaints. Going through the BBB website I noticed that software companies like Roxio and Ahead Software also had an "unsatisfactory record." Needless to say, this seems to be nothing more than a slander campaign being put on the MPAA.
This reminded me of my past dealings with the Better Business Bureau, which started out as a useful organization, but has not been for some time. Many organizations rated well by the BBB are ones that have paid to be on their list. It is harder to get rated poorly if you are paying them cash each year. When I worked for a small computer biz nearly a decade ago, they used to call us once a year, and when we told them we weren't interested, they'd actually have the nerve to tell us "Well, we've been receiving calls about you..." without saying whether they were good or bad. Kind of like one of Santa's elves telling a hooker "I can get you off the naughty list..."
Complaining to the BBB about an organization does very little. You first need proof that a transaction occurred (so a receipt is required) and you need to fill out a form. If you're lucky, perhaps they contact the company you had a problem with, and said company can pretty much tell them to shove off. At worst, this eventually results in a poor rating on the BBB's list. There are much better ways to deal with fraud, such as contacting your state's Attorney General, who actually has the legal teeth to investigate and deal with a fraudulent company.
