Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
John Lewis and Toolstation are Britain’s favourite shops, according to a Which? survey.
Consumer watchdog Which? said customers ‘love John Lewis’s knowledgeable staff and quality products’, while Toolstation was praised for its ‘no nonsense stores and decent prices’.
Last year’s top performer Lush dropped to joint third place, joined cosmetics and toiletries retailer Bodycare and home entertainment retailer Richer Sounds.
Stores showing the biggest improvements over 2015 rankings include discount retailers Primark and Savers, both jumping 43 places. Shoppers ‘love their cheap and cheerful approach,’ Which? said.
At the very bottom of the results table is WHSmith, dropping a place from last year. Customers labelled it drab and untidy, saying it lacked a clear focus.
Also in the bottom five were BHS, Homebase, Millets and Warehouse. But slipping down the rankings was Evans Cycles, plunging 47 places, with shoppers hitting out at its prices and lack of staff. Clothing store Peacocks also dropped 44 places, amid criticism of its cluttered stores and outdated range.
Which? says its annual shopper survey is the UK’s biggest, and reveals what customers really think of the shops they visit. More than 10,000 shoppers were surveyed from across the UK.
For the first time, the annual survey we reveal exactly what consumers love about shopping on the high street: the sensory experience of touching and feeling products, the satisfaction of immediate purchases, and the chance to question staff.
The top performing stores celebrate these unique strengths of the high street. John Lewis’s customers enjoy browsing its stores. Meanwhile Toolstation’s customers like its convenience, with its long opening hours, dedicated call centre and catalogue.
