Richer Sounds and Lakeland have been ranked as the UK’s best shops with WHSmith and Currys Digital being named as the worst stores in the country.
In a study by consumer rights group Which? that asked more than 14,000 members of the public, audio-visual retailer Richer Sounds was voted the best place to shop in the UK, alongside homewares chain Lakeland, which received the same customer score of 78%.
Many of the top 10 performing stores are specialist shops including Apple, which came third, health and beauty chain Lush, fourth, and Jones Bootmaker, eighth. John Lewis was the only non-specialist in the top 10, ranked fifth best.
WHSmith was voted the worst place to shop in the UK, along with Currys Digital, which both scored 49% with consumers.
PC World, JJB Sports and Focus DIY were also among the worst rated retailers.
Which? said Richer Sounds is “streets ahead of better-known competitors when it comes to customer satisfaction”. One shopper enthused about its “lovely, helpful, knowledgeable staff” and “excellent aftercare”.
One shopper told Which? that JJB staff gave the impression that they were “more interested in chatting to each other than dealing with the customer”. A Currys Digital shopper found “very poor customer care and product knowledge from staff”.
Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith said: “We know people appreciate good customer service so retailers need to realise that ‘Who cares, wins’. Some stores are clearly giving their customers what they want, so why settle for lousy service? We urge shoppers to vote with their feet and stamp it out.”
| Rank | Shop | Customer Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakeland (177) | 78% |
| = | Richer Sounds (174) | 78% |
| 3 | Apple(177) | 77% |
| = | Lush (176) | 77% |
| 5 | John Lewis(1,045) | 75% |
| 6 | The Body Shop (176) | 73% |
| 7 | Ikea (165) | 72% |
| 8 | Jones Bootmakers (155) | 71% |
| 9 | Wallis (137) | 70% |
| = | Dunelm (179) | 70% |
| 11 | Early Learning Centre (332) | 69% |
| = | Wilkinson(357) | 69% |
| 13 | Marks & Spencer (705) | 68% |
| = | Bodycare (175) | 68% |
| = | Local independents(for electrical products) (174) | 68% |
| = | The White Company (193) | 68% |
| 17 | The Range (178) | 67% |
| = | Maplin (179) | 67% |
| 19 | The Entertainer (180) | 66% |
| = | Bonmarché (176) | 66% |
| = | Laura Ashley(160) | 66% |
| = | Monsoon(141) | 66% |
| = | The Perfume Shop (175) | 66% |
| = | Waterstones (170) | 66% |
| 25 | Gamestation (175) | 65% |
| = | Primark(178) | 65% |
| = | New Look (176) | 65% |
| = | Faith (140) | 65% |
| 29 | Zara (178) | 64% |
| = | Karen Millen (130) | 64% |
| = | Disney Store (142) | 64% |
| = | Mamas & Papas (176) | 64% |
| = | Next (355) | 64% |
| = | Local Independents for sports and leisure products (180) | 64% |
| = | Savers (183) | 64% |
| = | Coast (163) | 64% |
| = | Clarks(178) | 64% |
| 38 | Local Independents for clothes and shoes (161) | 63% |
| = | JojoMamanBebe (99) | 63% |
| = | Gap (164) | 63% |
| = | Boots (541) | 63% |
| = | Argos(1,065) | 63% |
| = | Schuh (150) | 63% |
| = | Toys R Us / Babies R Us (354) | 63% |
| = | Local independents for baby & toddler products (168) | 63% |
| 46 | Millets (180) | 62% |
| = | Dorothy Perkins (178) | 62% |
| = | Evans (173) | 62% |
| = | House of Fraser (332) | 62% |
| = | TJ Hughes(522) | 62% |
| 51 | Local Independents for entertainment products (177) | 61% |
| = | Moss Bros (99) | 61% |
| = | 99p Store (355) | 61% |
| 54 | Office (103) | 60% |
| = | Brantano (176) | 60% |
| = | Asda(1,062) | 60% |
| = | H&M (177) | 60% |
| = | Mothercare(352) | 60% |
| = | Superdrug(180) | 60% |
| = | Local independent for toys and games (174) | 60% |
| = | Habitat (148) | 60% |
| 62 | French Connection (126) | 59% |
| = | HMV (178) | 59% |
| = | B&Q (177) | 59% |
| = | Matalan(354) | 59% |
| = | Game (181) | 59% |
| = | Oasis (123) | 59% |
| = | Cargo (120) | 59% |
| = | Jessops (164) | 59% |
| = | Poundland(530) | 59% |
| = | Wickes(167) | 59% |
| 72 | Bhs (349) | 58% |
| = | TK Maxx (352) | 58% |
| = | Peacocks (177) | 58% |
| = | Footlocker (114) | 58% |
| 76 | Stead & Simpson (168) | 57% |
| = | Burton (178) | 57% |
| = | Tesco (1,036) | 57% |
| = | Miss Selfridge (118) | 57% |
| = | River Island (175) | 57% |
| = | Halfords (126) | 57% |
| = | JD Sports(336) | 57% |
| 83 | TopShop/TopMan (170) | 56% |
| = | Blacks (154) | 56% |
| = | Warehouse (104) | 56% |
| = | Debenhams(1,207) | 56% |
| = | Comet(175) | 56% |
| 88 | Shoe Zone (175) | 55% |
| 89 | Homebase(178) | 54% |
| = | Poundstretcher (531) | 54% |
| = | Morrisons (356) | 54% |
| = | Sports Direct(354) | 54% |
| = | Barratts (176) | 54% |
| 94 | Sainsbury’s (1,050) | 53% |
| 95 | Currys (177) | 52% |
| = | JJB Sports (342) | 52% |
| 97 | PC World (355) | 51% |
| = | Focus(180) | 51% |
| 99 | WHSmith (171) | 49% |
| = | Currys Digital (177) | 49% |
| Sample size in brackets. 1Which? rated supermarkets for groceries in the February edition. Supermarkets’ ratings in this survey are for non-grocery items. | ||
1 Reader's comment