Costco Still Tops In Department Store Customer Satisfaction
Walmart slips, so does Hudson’s Bay
In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum
Poll™ among 780 adult Canadians, Costco is seen to have the highest customer
satisfaction among Canada’s leading department stores, and is clearly ahead of
any other Canadian store chain.
Overall, almost all Costco customers are satisfied with the
store (91%), and as many as two thirds are “very satisfied” (62%), Incidence of
visiting this store is about two thirds (64%), and the average satisfaction
score is 3.5 out of 4.0. This is almost identical to three years ago, when
Costco scored two thirds “very satisfied” (August, 2013 - 62%) with an average
score also of 3.5 out of 4.0.
While Ogilvy, a one-store company in Montreal, does very
well, the sample size of shoppers is too small to permit detailed analysis.
In overall second place is Winners (incidence of use - 50%),
with a “very satisfied” score of close to 4-in-10 (38%) and an average of 3.1.
This is similar to its standing in 2013 (“very satisfied” - 35%, average score
- 3.1).
Walmart (incidence of use - 86%) is in third place (33%
“very satisfied”, 3.1 out of 4.0) and this is well down from three years ago
(40%, 3.1).
Hudson’s Bay (incidence of use - 44%) follows, with a “very
satisfied” rating of 3-in-10 (31%) and an average score of 3.1. This also
represents a slip for this store (from 40%, 3.1 out of 4.0).
Sears (incidence of use - 54%) follows, with a “very
satisfied” rating from one quarter of shoppers (26%) and an average score of
2.9 out of 4.0. This is a decline from three years ago (34%, 3.1 out of 4.0).
Then comes Marshall’s (incidence of use - 18%) with a “very
satisfied” rating of one quarter (24%) and an average score of 2.7 out of 4.0.
Marshall’s scores have suffered since 2013 (35%/2.8 out of 4.0).
At the bottom of our list is Holt Renfrew (incidence of use
in its markets - 7%) with a “very satisfied” rating of just one sixth (15%),
and an average score as low as 2.2 out of 4.0. It must be pointed out the
sample of Holt shoppers is small, and caution should be employed in analyzing
these data.
The average score for all stores is 3.2 out of 4.0.
“Once again, as was the case three years ago, almost
everyone who shops at Costco is satisfied, most of them to a high degree.
Considering other stores which used to compete on this measure with Costco,
like Walmart, have fallen behind, this leaves Costco in an even more dominant
position than before. And the company maintains this high rating while paying
its employees a living wage, which may give Walmart cause to think” said Forum
Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff
