[eremite06]

Anyone ever use this referral site? They want you to buy before you try.

[redwitch]

I had considered listing with them until I figured out that a background check really wasn't done other than a very basic check -- you pay, they recommend. Not fair to anyone.

[donkobes]

I am told Angie's List doesn't have a lot of coverage in the Villages.

[Larryandlinda]

Originally Posted by eremite06

Anyone ever use this referral site? They want you to buy before you try.

We just ordered some sliding doors from a company one of us pulled off Angie's List, to which she subscribed.

I put no more faith or credibility in that list that I do for yelp, BBB, Consumer Reports, and many others.

The sales guy that visited was professional and managed to separate us for what might have been 20-30% more than we could have found with a little looking.
Yes, there was an 'incentive' for deciding and making a deposit then.
Yes, I wanted outward-opening French doors and he made sure we knew they were not secure, and we needed sliding doors.

We gave of several thousand, they did a fast professional job, and got forms for tax rebates

Still wanted the other type of doors, but it's done


here's what comes up on google/angie's list:

http://knaddison.com/technology/why-angies-list-sucks

L and L

[Soon2B]

About 15 years ago we began a paper subscripton to something called Angie's List. She collected neighbors' experiences with various service providers. Within a few years Angie's List was on the internet and was the first place you would check if you wanted to hire anyone to do anything.

They developed a very structured sort of feedback on your experience with a contractor/service provider etc. So, when you looked up others' reports you could see the scope of the job, how much they paid, how the person doing the work performed, etc. You rated the company in various categories.

The rating was weighted by whether or not you actually hired someone. Placing a call to someone who didn't return the call didn't count much. Unless, of course, you had paid them to do the work, then it was a very big deal. They would go after a company if you complained to see if they could get you some kind of equitable resolution.

From the service provider/company's side, they could explain what their view of the situation was. You would sometimes see that the person who contracted with them expected more than any reasonable person would. So, Angie's list gave companies/service providers a fair shake.

TOTV is about the only means in TV to find out who to hire. But it isn't very easy to sort out all the conflicting info and once a thread is old it's hard to glean out specific information. With Angie's list you could see that some of the big names in town weren't always the best and you could see a firm that once was good slipping in performance. I saved thousands of dollars in fixing up our place to sell by getting competent help (seeing feedback on their performance) at the lowest price.

I don't know what Redwitch means -- Angie's list doesn't take money from anyone to be put on the list nor does it recommend anyone on its own. Recommendations (ratings) come from people who hired someone (and they check with the companies to make sure it's not a phony report from a competitor. Likewise, they make an attempt to ferret out bogus padded reports). Angie's list now does accept advertising from companies who have a 'B' rating and above and aren't in the 'penalty box'. BUT, it is clear that an AD is an AD just as it is in TOTV.

It is a great service in places where there are a lot of people subscribed to it. HOWEVER, here in TV they have no representation. The closest is Leesburg.

I called them a few weeks ago and suggested to a marketing manager that they put a full court press on offering the service with an identify of THE VILLAGES and suggested their fee be so low for the first few years that it would be a no-brainer to subscribe.

Although I don't know Angie Hicks, I'm going to write to her and the CEO to suggest the same. Any and all of you might consider doing the same. Good businesses have nothing to fear and we, as individuals, could gain a lot.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by eremite06

Anyone ever use this referral site? They want you to buy before you try.

I've used Angie's list in ATL. But as others have said, they don't have coverage in TV, so it's of very little use there at this time.

[eremite06]

Thanks, soon2B, very informative reply.