How can one gauge the reliability, customer service, and transparency of bitcoin exchanges?
How can one gauge the reliability, customer service, and transparency of bitcoin exchanges?


I totally agree that Bitcoin feels like the wild west, with people selling snake oil left and right.  It is early days, and that's how it works. If you want to be a pioneer, you will get arrows in your back. Right now, it's gambling, even more risky than gambling on the Stock Market.

If you're not comfortable with that, then wait. Down the road, there will be an influx of reputable exchanges. Right now, a "good" exchange won't make any more money than a fly-by-night exchange. But over time, the average reputation will increase.

The Internet worked the same way. Every Newspaper had an article on "Is the Internet a fad?" and warned "never use your credit card on the Internet". (Of course, kids these days don't even know what a newspaper is.)


  How can one gauge the reliability, customer service, and transparency of Banks or Retailers?


Think of how many reputable retailers had their credit card database stolen in the last 6 months. Think of how many banks went out of business without warning in 2008.

People are reporting on bitcoin exchanges that loose a few million, but nobody reports when a grocery store goes under and looses a few million.