THE FOLLOWING BASIC AIDS CAN HELP CONSUMERS UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS AND MAKE INFORMED CHOICES: PRODUCT-RATING PERIODICALS, LIBRARIES ATTEMPTING TO SERVICE THE NEEDS OF CONSUMERS, PUBLIC CONSUMER AGENCIES ATTEMPTING TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS, AND TELEVISION AND NEWSPAPER REPORTS OF CONSUMER ISSUES. WHEN ENCOUNTERING A CONSUMER PROBLEM, SPEEDY AND COURTEOUS ACTION IS REQUIRED. IF SATISFACTION IS NOT OBTAINED FROM THE COMPANY, THE CONSUMER CAN CONTACT A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, A COMPLAINT-HANDLING SERVICE OFFERED BY A BUSINESS OR TRADE ASSOCIATION, OR A CONSUMER GROUP. IF ALL THESE ALTERNATIVES FAIL, SMALL CLAIMS COURTS PROVIDE A LEGAL YET INFORMAL WAY TO SETTLE COMPLAINTS. MUCH OF THE LANGUAGE OF CONSUMER DISPUTE SETTLEMENT IS BORROWED FROM LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS, AND A BRIEF GLOSSARY DEFINES SOME COMMONLY USED TERMS. THE FOLLOWING SEVEN CASE STUDIES PROVIDE HELPFUL INSIGHTS FROM GROUP LEADERS INTO WHY THEY ORGANIZED AND HOW THEY ACHIEVED VICTORIES ON CONSUMER ISSUES: THE VIRGINIA CITIZENS CONSUMER COUNCIL, THE MICHIGAN PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP, THE TEXAS CONSUMER ASSOCIATION, THE UTILITY CONSUMERS COUNCIL OF MISSOURI, THE NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA CONSUMERS LEAGUE, THE CONCERNED CONSUMERS LEAGUE, AND CONSUMERS AGAINST HIGH PRICES. THE SELECTED CASE STUDIES SHOW THAT MAKING A DECISION TO ORGANIZE IS ONLY THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF CHOICES THAT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE; OTHER DECISIONS INVOLVE OPENING AN OFFICE, WHETHER TO HANDLE COMPLAINTS, HOW TO RAISE FUNDS, SHOULD PAID STAFF BE HIRED, THE STRUCTURE OF THE ORGANIZATION, THE PUBLISHING OF A NEWSLETTER, AND WHETHER TO INCORPORATE. TWO ADDITIONAL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES THAT A GROUP CAN PURSUE INCLUDE PARTICIPATING IN CONSUMER ADVOCACY TRAINING PROGRAMS AND PARTICIPATING AS CONSUMER REPRESENTATIVES IN GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY POLICYMAKING FORUMS. CONSUMER ADVOCACY TRAINING PROGRAMS OFTEN ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH UNIVERSITIES, NATIONAL CONSUMER ORGANIZATIONS, COOPERATIVES, AND INDUSTRY. ADDITIONAL CONSUMER RESOURCES ARE DISCUSSED, AND EIGHT SEASONED CONSUMER LEADERS OFFER ADVICE ON HOW CONSUMER ORGANIZATIONS SUCCEED AND PITFALLS ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD AVOID. (KJM)