Parent company John Lewis Partnership’s supermarket chain Waitrose took second place in Verdict’s Consumer Satisfaction Index 2008, which ranked retailers according to consumer ratings on factors including range, price, convenience, service and layout.
Verdict consulting director Neil Saunders said John Lewis had performed well across all measures, but excelled in service.
He said: “The idea of good service at John Lewis isn’t a fad dreamt up by management for short-term gain – it’s integral, supported by an ownership structure that reduces staff turnover and gives partners a real incentive to perform well. The result is an enthusiastic workforce that is knowledgeable about products.”
He added that qualities such as service and other forms of added value would be especially important for retailers in the face of a consumer downturn this year. “Retailers need to give people compelling reasons to buy,” he warned.
Verdict forecast that the retail market will grow by 2.6 per cent in 2008, compared with 3.7 per cent last year, while business costs are likely to rise by between 3 and 5 per cent.
Consumer Satisfaction Index 2008: the top 10
2008 rank Retailer 2007 rank
1 John Lewis 2
2 Waitrose 1
3 Dunelm 8
4 Amazon 4
5 Ikea 3
6 H&M 6
7 Play.com 7
8 Avon 17
9 Wickes 29
10 Gap 20
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