Hawai'i's Better Business Bureau this week launched a new ratings system for local businesses that assess their performance with a letter grade ranging from A+ to F.

It replaces the old scale of "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory" to offer an assessment of the bureau's degree of confidence that the business is operating in a trustworthy manner and will make a good faith effort to resolve customer concerns.

The new system was tested on the Mainland for several months and provides more detail than the previous system, said Dwight Kealoha, chief executive officer of Hawai'i's BBB.

"These reports make it extremely easy and convenient for consumers to research and compare local businesses — before they buy," Kealoha said.

"Given the current tough economic conditions, consumers really can't afford to make bad buying decisions."

In addition to the letter grade, reports also include details, such as the number of complaints a business has received, their response to complaints, and details on any government actions against the business.

Kealoha said the changes respond to consumer concerns that the old rating made it hard to discriminate between businesses.

He said complaints and how they're handled make up about 80 percent of the ratings. He said the majority — about 20,000 businesses — are just local businesses and not those who have gone through the extra steps to be listed as BBB accredited businesses.

Looking through a random selection of businesses, Lex Brodie's is listed under auto repair and the Kaka'ako business got an A- with two resolved complaints. Across town, local florist Watanabe Floral got an A+ with no complaints over the past 36 months.

Initial feedback from merchants is mixed, Kealoha said. Some want a detailed explanation of how the grade is made, which he welcomes. One woman whose business got an A- said she'd rather a B+ instead because it sounded more positive, he said.

The "Accredited" designation highlights that businesses have been evaluated by BBB and have contractually agreed to meet and uphold BBB's high standards for integrity and reliability when dealing with consumers.