Alright, you got us. We’re not the ONLY Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme CDRL operates in the Retail sector… Ever heard of RetailADR?
At a first glance, it may look like Consumer Arbitration and RetailADR are basically the same Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme masquerading as 2 different names. We’re both within the retail sector, are operated by CDRL, and cover the same areas of complaints, such as:
- Returning goods
- Faulty goods
- Delivery
So, are we really that different after all? Or is the only major difference the fact that Consumer Arbitration has a purple accent colour, while RetailADR uses green?
SPOILER ALERT: … We wouldn’t have much of an article to write, if the differences were as minimal as that.
It’s safe to say that both are indeed separate & distinct schemes, with some key differences you should bear in mind when deciding which one to take your complaint to.
All will be explained below!
What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?
Before exploring what makes the 2 schemes different, it’s important to acknowledge their major similarity, which is one of the root causes of confusion. Both Consumer Arbitration and RetailADR are Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) schemes.
ADR is a quick, hassle-free alternative to taking a trader you’re in dispute with to court.
There are many different types of ADR, and it can cover many different sectors: ranging from rail, to banking, to air-travel, all the way to your utility bills. Every ADR provider and scheme (such as CDRL) will have different sectors they specialise in, different timeframes, and different traders they can help you resolve complaints about.
If you’re curious to learn more about what Alternative Dispute Resolution is, please see our dedicated article on the topic: What is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)?
That above section is going to be your key to understanding the differences between Consumer Arbitration and RetailADR throughout the rest of this article:
- There are different types of ADR
- Each ADR scheme may have different timeframes
- Different ADR schemes have different Participating Member traders that they can help you resolve complaints about
Bearing those points in mind, let’s delve into the specifics!
What is Consumer Arbitration?
Consumer Arbitration is not only an ADR scheme, but an Arbitration scheme. Arbitration is a form of ADR.
Consumer Arbitration specialises in resolving goods and services complaints between consumers and traders… Notice how vague our wording is there? That’s deliberate, and is one of the key differences between Consumer Arbitration and RetailADR.
While we handle complaints within the retail sector, we don’t just handle retail complaints; we also deal with services complaints.
So, for example, your complaint doesn’t just have to be about a physical product you purchased, it could also be about a sub-par service you received. Consumer Arbitration has a broader, more general scope than RetailADR when it comes to the types of complaints we can deal with.
Aside from the topics of complaints we cover, the main key facts you need to pay attention to with respect to how Consumer Arbitration differs from RetailADR are that it:
- Costs a fee to use, depending on the amount your dispute is worth:
> £10 for claims up to £750
> £25 for claims over £750 - Is a bit quicker to process your complaint (we’ll go through timeframes in the comparison section later!)
- Has an outcome that is immediately legally binding
- Has different Participating Member Traders
Who are the Participating Members of Consumer Arbitration (and why does it matter)?
Every ADR scheme will have different traders who have agreed to participate in it, and be bound by its decisions (remember: ADR is usually legally binding)!
Across CDRL’s schemes, we call these ‘Participating Members’.
The reason this matters to you, as a consumer, is that you can usually only submit your complaint to an ADR scheme if it’s about a trader that is already a Participating Member of that scheme.
RetailADR and Consumer Arbitration have different Participating Members!
Just because we’re both operated by CDRL doesn’t mean you can mix-and-match which scheme to use for each trader – each scheme can only handle complaints about its respective Participating Members.
Here are some of Consumer Arbitration’s Participating Member Traders:
- Currys
- Next
- L’Oreal
- Ralph Lauren
- Watches of Switzerland
… Consumer Arbitration has over 60 Participating Members, so we can’t list them all here. For a full comprehensive list, please see our Participating Members page!
What is RetailADR?
As you probably guessed, RetailADR is also an ADR scheme… But has nothing to do with Arbitration. RetailADR is, instead, an Adjudication scheme (which is another type of ADR).
RetailADR specialises in resolving retail complaints between consumers and traders. AKA: if you’ve ever purchased a product (even something large, like a washing machine, or kitchen fitting!) and had things go wrong, this is the scheme for you.
Aside from complaint topics, the main areas within which RetailADR differs from Consumer Arbitration are that it:
- Is completely FREE to use!
- Takes slightly longer to process your complaint (we’ll go through timeframes in the comparison section later!)
- Has an outcome that is legally binding only once you’ve accepted it
- Has different Participating Member Traders
Who are the Participating Members of RetailADR (and why does it matter)?
Every ADR scheme will have different traders who have agreed to participate in it, and be bound by its decisions (remember: ADR is usually legally binding)!
Across CDRL’s schemes, we call these ‘Participating Members’.
The reason this matters to you, as a consumer, is that you can usually only submit your complaint to an ADR scheme if it’s about a trader that is already a Participating Member of that scheme.
RetailADR and Consumer Arbitration have different Participating Members!
Just because we’re both operated by CDRL doesn’t mean you can mix-and-match which scheme to use for each trader – each scheme can only handle complaints about its respective Participating Members.
Here are some of RetailADR’s Participating Member Traders:
- ALDI
- AO.com
- ASOS
- Harrods
- IKEA
… RetailADR has over 40 Participating Members, so we can’t list them all here. For a full comprehensive list, please see our Participating Members page!
Differences between Consumer Arbitration and RetailADR (at a glance)
Now that we’ve gone over each scheme’s key features, and briefly explained the areas that make them unique, let’s look at a comparison table with some specifics (such as timeframes).
| Consumer Arbitration | RetailADR | |
| Type of ADR | Arbitration
| Adjudication |
| Outcome | Immediately legally binding under the Arbitration Act 1996
| Legally binding once you agree to it |
| Cost to use | Depending on the amount your dispute is worth: > £10 for claims up to £750 > £25 for claims over £750 | Free! |
| How long you get to respond if the trader challenges your complaint | 1 opportunity, in a 7-day window
| 1 opportunity, in a 14-day window |
| How long it takes for us to reach a Final Decision on your case (once we’ve declared a Complete Complaint File) | 30 Days
| 60 Days |
| How many Participating Member Traders does each scheme have? | Over 60
| Over 40 |
… That’s it.
Those are the major differences between each scheme, laid out for you in a table. It’s important to remember that neither scheme is ‘better’ or ‘worse’; they are just subject to slightly different rules and deadlines, as a result of the different types of ADR they utilise.
No matter which scheme you end up using, you’ll still get the same fair, independent, high quality evaluation of your case from CDRL’s team of specialist Arbitrators/Adjudicators (dependent on which of the 2 schemes you’re using)!
Ultimately, it’s up to you to take a look through both schemes’ sites and Scheme Rules, and to come to a decision on which would be better for you to escalate your complaint with. There is no right or wrong answer here!
Please see the following links for more info:
> Consumer Arbitration Complaints Process
> RetailADR Complaints Process
Just make sure you consider the following when deciding which scheme to take your complaint to:
- What’s the nature of your dispute?
- Which scheme is the trader in question a Participating Member of?
- Are you willing to pay a fee to use ADR or not?
How do I get started?
If you’re interested in using our Consumer Arbitration scheme to escalate your complaint, you can do this in whichever way suits you – through our online portal, by post, or by phone!:
> Start your complaint with Consumer Arbitration
> What to do before you come to us
Take a little time to read through our site so you understand our Arbitration process and what’s required. You’ll be an expert in no time!
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