When Consumers Complain [Hardcover]

Arthur Best is professor of law at New York Law School.This book analyzes the legal challenges of consumer protection and product liability, focusing on the methods by which consumers can express dissatisfaction with products and their shortcomings. While consumer complaints are widespread and varied, often neither individual buyers are compensated nor is the whole class of consumers informed of defective products. Best calls for improvements that can make businesses more accountable, including mediation, arbitration, legal services, and small claims court, emphasizing how better behavior by businesses can also be good business.This will come to be known as the best book on consumer complaint handling... it is suitable for the classroom and for consumer and interest groups; it should stimulate further research and provide direction for policymaking in the area.Part I. Introduction
1. The Universe of Consumer Troubles
Part II. Obstacles in the Consumer Complaint Process
2. Perceiving Problems
3. Voicing Complaints
4. How Business Says No
5. Shortcomings of Third-Party Complaint Handlers
6. Surveying Consumer Troubles and Obstacles to Redress
Part III. Prospects for Improvement
7. Consumer Initiatives for Improving Treatment of Complaints: At the Buyer-Seller Stage and Beyond
8. Mediation
9. Arbitration
10. Courts for Consumer Cases
11. Lower Cost Legal Service
Part IV. Conclusion
12. Product and Service Reliability: A Goal for Consumer Protection
Appendix
Notes
Index