In 1998 award-winning journalist and future founder of ConsumerAffairs Jim Hood noticed a problem. He noticed reporters hated the "news works for you" beat because getting consumer sources was a hassle.
"Before the Internet, a reporter literally had to stand in front of Walmart and ask consumers what they thought," said Jon Peterson, Content Marketing Specialist for ConsumerAffairs.
Peterson said Hood then decided to leverage the Internet to get consumers to come directly to the source and tell them their experiences directly in the form of complaints and reviews.
From that point, the current CEO Zac Carman, acquired the company in 2010 with the goal of building a business that connects consumers and businesses to drive mutual ROI. The company continues to help reporters connect with sources.
In hopes to help students, a new feature they are offering is a Textbook Rental Guide. This will help students find the best textbooks for their needs.
"Renting your textbooks is a great alternative to consider going into the school year," Peterson said. "Students can end up paying a fraction of the price renting as opposed to purchasing new or even used books. If you're taking an upper division course where a book is both expensive and hard to resell at the end of the year, renting might be your best option."
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