WHSmith ranked worst retailer in Which? Survey
WHSmith has finished bottom of Which?’s annual UK high street shops survey rankings of more than 100 shops, while specialist retailers came out on top.
The annual survey of more than 7,700 Which? members looked at the bricks-and-mortar shops offering the best in-store experiences.
WHSmith finished with a customer score of 50%, accompanied by Homebase/Bunnings with a score of 53% and Sports Direct with 54%.
The retailer was slammed by customers who rated it very poor for value for money, service, and in-store experience. Shoppers criticised the “cramped and messy” stores, with one complaining that “stores are crowded, dirty and the staff unhelpful”, while another said “my local store is untidy and too small for comfort.”
Homebase/Bunnings was slated for being difficult to navigate – shoppers told Which? it was “hard to find anything in overcrowded shelves’”, and that it was “difficult to find staff for guidance” – while Sports Direct was described by one shopper as having “a very oppressive atmosphere”.
Taking the top spot was Richer Sounds, with a customer score of 89%, alongside Rohan (87%) and John Lewis (86%). The home entertainment brand was praised for its customer service and in-store experience, with shoppers appreciating having their purchases carried to their cars, or the retailer paying for customer parking.
Five of the six highest-scoring shops were specialist retailers, with customers commending them for their expert advice and high quality products. The only generalist retailer at the top of the table was John Lewis.
The department store was given a customer score of 86%, and collected high scores across the board when it came to experiences of buying products across a range of categories, including appliances and electronics, furniture and home, clothing and shoes, and entertainment.
Customers told Which? that John Lewis was “a reliable store with products I can trust – I know staff will sort out any problems that may arise”, praising it for “nicely laid out stores with helpful staff and good parking.”
Which? surveyed shoppers on their in-store experiences, with responses for over 100 major retailers. Customer scores are made up of how satisfied they were with their experience and whether they would recommend the retailer.
A number of retailers underperforming in the high street survey also ranked poorly in Which?’s most recent online shops survey. Homebase.co.uk and SportsDirect.com were at the bottom of the table with 55% and 61% respectively. WHSmith.co.uk fared only slightly better, with a score of 63%.
When it came to experiences of shopping in-store, 88% of shoppers valued the hands-on experience of being able to touch or try on a product before buying, while 69% said they appreciated being able to take away the product there and then.
Harry Rose, editor of Which? magazine, said: “Worries about the future of the high street aren’t going away anytime soon, but it’s clear that there is still demand from shoppers for the experience and services offered by physical stores that can’t always be replicated online.
“Giving shoppers a great in-store experience is more important than ever if brands want to thrive on the high street. Our findings go to show that if retailers can deliver great value, quality products and first class customer service, customers will keep coming back.”
Top rated shops:
1) Richer Sounds – 89% (223)
2) Rohan – 87% (256)
3) John Lewis – 86% (824)
4) Hotter Shoes – 84% (310)
= Lakeland – 84% (512)
= Toolstation – 84% (444)
7) Apple – 83% (316)
= Bodycare – 83% (99)
= Crew – 83% (68)
10) Screwfix – 82% (587)
= Seasalt – 82% (201)
= Waterstones – 82% (565)
Bottom rated shops:
101) Clinton Cards – 61% (488)
102) Peacocks – 59% (153)
= House of Fraser – 59% (303)
104) New Look – 58% (124)
105) River Island – 56% (62)
= JD Sports – 56% (132)
107) Sports Direct – 54% (396)
108) Homebase/Bunnings – 53% (486)
109) WH Smith – 50% (586)
The number in brackets represents the number of responses for that retailer.
