Echinacea doesn't with cold symptoms

On reading Health.com, I found that tests have been carried out using a placebo and echinacea to verify whether the latter helps us recover quicker from symptoms of the common cold.  As an advocate for echinacea, I was quite surprised that the tests saw little benefit in taking echinacea.  it is possible that it does stem off the cold if taken in time but the general conclusion was that, although not harmful, taking echinacea is a waste of money.  I'd be grateful to hear what others think.