Is the Propensity to Complain Increasing Over Time?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is twofold. First we present some of the measurement problems involved in interpreting consumer complaint data. Second we provide some unique longitudinal results on complaint propensity documenting that, in spite of a doubling of the number of cases submitted to the Danish National Complaints Board, the propensity to complain in Denmark has not increased in the past 25 years. We conclude by discussing how the analysis should be extended from merely describing to explaining the variation in propensity to complain across consumers.The purpose of this article is twofold. First we present some of the measurement problems involved in interpreting consumer complaint data. Second we provide some unique longitudinal results on complaint propensity documenting that, in spite of a doubling of the number of cases submitted to the Danish National Complaints Board, the propensity to complain in Denmark has not increased in the past 25 years. We conclude by discussing how the analysis should be extended from merely describing to explaining the variation in propensity to complain across consumers.