Angie’s List offers “FREE access to ‘top-rated pros’, exclusive online deals and more than 12 million verified reviews from real people” so how can you go wrong with a recommendation from Angie’s List?

Well, for starters, only advertisers are described as “top-rated pros” and they’re listed ahead of other contractors. They’re also given special treatment when it comes to negative reviews and, when a consumer asks for a recommendation – they’re only given the names of advertisers.

In fact, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) warns “If you use Angie’s List, ignore their recommended companies.” CFA recommends that “When possible, consumers should rely on nonprofit organizations that evaluate businesses and are not funded by the companies they are evaluating.”, but Angie’s List isn’t a great deal for advertisers either…

When consumers are sent 4 or 5 recommendations, they tend to choose the lowest priced option. On top of that, advertisers are encouraged to offer discounted prices and onsite search results seem to favor businesses that offer coupons. For this reason, established contractors who are unwilling to sacrifice quality in order to offer bargain prices avoid Angie’s List.

Angie’s List started out as a subscription-based service in 1995. In 2017, IAC bought the company, merged it with Home Advisor, and switched it to an advertising-based model that gives preference to their “top-rated pros”, otherwise known as their advertisers. Since the merger, Angie’s List has been flooded with Better Business Bureau complaints from their customers – again, their advertisers.

IAC owns over 150 brands and operates Vimeo and Dotdash, among others. They have majority ownership of Match Group, which includes Tinder, Match, PlentyOfFish, OkCupid and Hinge, as well as ANGI Homeservices, which includes HomeAdvisor, Angie’s List and Handy.

Read the Forbes article on Angie's List

If you need a Plumber, these simple guidelines will help you find the best contractor for the job:

1. Consider only licensed plumbers who carry liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
2. Find out how long the company has been in business. When it comes to plumbers, the longer they’ve been around the better…
3. Is it a drug-free workplace and do all employees go through high-level background checks?
4. Does the company have an excellent reputation in town?
5. Check the companies reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp and other referral sites.
6. Ask friends, family and neighbors for their recommendation.

Or, if you’re lucky enough to be in Sarasota, Bradenton, Palmetto or Venice, you can just Call The Professionals at 941-355-5400.