It’s no surprise that for some homeowners, the real problems start when they search for garage door repair on Google. This was the case for Lori Chadwick, a homeowner from Burlington, CT.

According to a story from NBC, when Lori’s garage door wouldn’t open, trapping her car inside, she turned to Google for help. After a quick search, she found ASAP Garage Door Repair and contacted them to service her broken garage door.

“They had 5-star reviews and a Google Guarantee,” Lori said, which made her feel confident in hiring the company. However, once the repairman arrived, Lori was charged over $3,700 for a broken spring repair and a new garage door opener.

Feeling suspicious about the total cost after the work was completed, she reached out to other garage door repair companies for estimates. She quickly realized she may have been overcharged. Lori then turned to NBC for assistance, but when they contacted ASAP Garage Door Repair to inquire about their pricing, they couldn’t get a clear response.

Were the Repairs Truly Overpriced?

According to the NBC story, Lori was charged over $2,000 more than what the repairs should have cost. However, there are not enough details to confirm this. It’s unclear what type of springs and opener she was charged for, or which companies provided the comparison estimates. Were the companies she contacted licensed and certified? Did they visit the site to give an accurate estimate, or were the prices simply rough estimates provided over the phone?

For instance, a price exceeding $700 for custom garage door spring replacement and $1,500 to $2,500 for a high-end garage door opener could be reasonable. However, typical garage door repair costs, such as standard spring replacements, average around $500 to $600, with a basic garage door opener costing approximately $800 to $1000. If Lori’s garage door was standard, she may have been overcharged.

Once Again, Google Misleads Users and the Media

According to NBC, Google stated that it permanently suspended ASAP Garage Door Repair from advertising on its local services platform, and that they have tools to detect fake reviews, claiming they are “constantly reviewing them.” The company also added, “We are sorry to hear about Lori Chadwick’s experience. To use the Google Guarantee badge, advertisers are required to complete appropriate background checks and have appropriate licenses and insurance.”

However, this isn’t entirely accurate. While advertisers are required to undergo background checks and have proper licenses and insurance, Google platforms still host a significant number of fake reviews and misleading pages, which the company has not taken concrete steps to fully remove. The issue goes beyond misleading advertisers on the Guaranteed platform and extends to fake garage door pages on their Maps platform.

Google has shown reluctance to permanently remove misleading pages from its platforms, and it seems there is no effective process for doing so. There have been several instances where fraudulent companies were suspended, only to reappear later and continue deceiving users.

Accountability in the Digital Age

Just as licensed garage door contractors providing services to consumers are regulated by relevant bodies to ensure safety, quality, and adherence to industry standards, Google, or any similar service provider, must also be regulated and held to comparable standards.

This includes implementing rigorous verification processes and taking accountability for misleading content. Such regulation would help maintain the integrity of the platform and protect consumers from potential scams, ultimately promoting a safer online marketplace for users seeking reliable services.

The Paradox of Google Guaranteed for Garage Door Repairs

“I just heard from Google that they are going to give me a refund of $2,000 for the overcharged scam that I endured. So, I’m happy. Thank you, Caitlin, thank you NBC,” said Lori Chadwick.

According to Google, consumers who are not satisfied with the quality of work performed by a garage door repair company backed by the Google Guaranteed badge can receive a refund of up to $2,000.

While Lori’s refund is a positive development, assuming she was indeed overcharged, it raises questions about the validity of the refund process.

Is there a system in place to determine whether the price was genuinely excessive? How was the refund amount of $2,000 decided upon? Was it granted merely to improve Google’s image before the NBC media outlet? It’s also worth noting that one garage door repair company may charge more than another for various legitimate reasons, this is part of a free market, after all.

These questions raise significant concerns for garage door repair companies and other advertisers using the Google Guaranteed platform.