INFORMATION ON COMPLAINT TYPE AND AGENCY ACTION WAS ABSTRACTED FROM 486 CASE FILES AND ANALYZED TO DETERMINE FACTORS INFLUENCING REDRESS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED, LENGTH OF TIME BETWEEN RECEIPT OF COMPLAINT AND INITIATION OF INVESTIGATION (WAIT TIME), AND LENGTH OF TIME REQUIRED FOR INVESTIGATION. MOST COMPLAINTS ANALYZED WERE FILED AGAINST HAWAIIAN SELLERS. NEARLY ONE-HALF OF THE COMPLAINTS WERE REFERRED ELSEWHERE FOR PROCESSING. WAIT TIME GENERALLY WAS LESS THAN A MONTH, AND THE TYPICAL INVESTIGATION TOOK 1 WEEK. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CORRESPONDENCE WITH SELLERS WERE RARELY REQUIRED. LENGTHIER INVESTIGATIONS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH CASES INVOLVING NONHAWAIIAN SELLERS, PRODUCT PERFORMANCE COMPLAINTS, REQUESTS FOR SIZABLE REDRESS, THE NEED TO CORRESPOND WITH THE SELLER AND/OR TO OBTAIN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, LONG WAIT TIME, AND FAILURE TO OBTAIN REDRESS. THE FINDING THAT THE AGENCY REFERS MANY COMPLAINTS ELSEWHERE SUGGESTS A NEED TO DETERMINE WHETHER CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCIES SHOULD HAVE EXTENSIVE AUTHORITY TO SETTLE COMPLAINTS THEMSELVES, OR WHETHER THEY SHOULD ACT PRIMARILY AS CLEARINGHOUSES, REFERRING COMPLAINTS TO OTHER AGENCIES WITH AUTHORITY TO TAKE ACTION. THE FINDING THAT LONG WAIT TIME IS ASSOCIATED WITH LONG INVESTIGATION TIME SHOULD BE EXPLORED. THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO COMPARE THE OPERATIONS OF AGENCIES IN DIFFERENT STATES, AS WELL AS TO ANALYZE CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS OF AGENCY EFFECTIVENESS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)