In retail chains where store policy includes an allowance

Question

In retail chains where store policy includes an allowance for merchandise returns based on dissatisfaction with the products, customers are twice as likely to report that they are dissatisfied with products as they are in retail chains that do not have such a policy.  Although there is no objective test for customer satisfaction -- no way to determine whether a customer is telling the truth -- it is not logical to conclude, as some have done, that half of all these claims of dissatisfaction are false, because  in retail chains lacking a satisfaction policy for returns, there is often no incentive for customers to report real dissatisfaction in the first place. 
In the argument above, the two boldfaced portions do which of the following?

A. The first is an inference disputed by the argument; the second is a conclusion from that inference.
B The first is a claim whose accuracy is disputed later; the second is evidence that the claim is in fact accurate.
C The first is the basis of a claim disputed in the argument; the second is a reason that the claim might not be accurate.
D The first is evidence for a conclusion supported by other evidence later in the passage; the second is part of the main argument's conclusion.
E The first is evidence used to make a statement the argument accepts; the second is part of the conclusion accepting that argument.

santivilla · Accepted Answer

I disagree with @carcass.
The correct answer choice is C.
This is how I approach bold face CR questions:

First! Analize the structure of the argument. Identify the premise and the conclusion.
 Premise

In retail chains where store policy includes an allowance for merchandise returns based on dissatisfaction with the products, customers are twice as likely to report that they are dissatisfied with products as they are in retail chains that do not have such a policy. - an evidence, a trend in the customer behavior 
Although there is no objective test for customer satisfaction -- no way to determine whether a customer is telling the truth

Conclusion 
it is not logical to conclude, as some have done, that half of all these claims of dissatisfaction are false.   main conclusion

because in retail chains lacking a satisfaction policy for returns, there is often no incentive for customers to report real dissatisfaction in the first place.   reason supporting the main conclusion .

Now, we can see that the second bold face supports the main conclusion. As a result we can eliminate A, D and E.
Finally, between B and C. The second bold face is a reason that the claim might not be true. By no means the second bold face is supporting the accuracy of the claim. Therefore the answer is C.

Carcass · Answer

E

The first part is an evidence and the second one is a part of the conclusion. See the key word because......

Bull78 · Answer

IMO C

The conclusion of the argument is just before the second bolded section. The conclusion refutes the first bolded portion of the argument

gmatforrohit · Answer

Yep C it is. Can you please share the OA.

suryadasika · Answer

The right answer is C .
 The second boldface is evidence that the claim MAY be true. The first is the basis of the claim that is refuted in the argument.

tuanquang269 · Answer

The easiest way to solve this question is spot the conclusion first. Then, we can easily know the role of the 2nd boldface, supporting the conclusion, or the reason for the claim disputed in the argument.

The 1st, however, is the background or basis for the next sentence, the claim disputed

=> Only choice (C) matches above reasoning.

thevenus · Answer

The claim-customers are twice as likely to report that they are dissatisfied with products as they are in retail chains that do not have such a policy
The basis of this claim / why this claim occurred? -In retail chains where store policy includes an allowance for merchandise returns based on dissatisfaction with the products.

The first part is the basis of the claim.

" ...in retail chains lacking a satisfaction policy for returns, there is often no incentive for customers to report real dissatisfaction in the first place" 
is the actual reason that why THE CLAIM-customers are twice as likely to report that they are dissatisfied with products as they are in retail chains that do not have such a policy MIGHT NOT BE TRUE.

(C) wins

chesstitans · Answer

sometimes, test takers find an option and they feel that the option is the answer (known that the option does indeed provide the answer for the question), then test takers can pick that option without considering other options.

VerbalBot · Answer

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In retail chains where store policy includes an allowance

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GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) Questions

In retail chains where store policy includes an allowance

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