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Survey shows retailers can learn much from cosmetics companies
For Leger Marketing’s “2011 Customer Experience Index,” respondents rated more than 200 stores on “customer experience dimensions,” including product quality, variety, staff courtesy, ambience and wait time at checkout.
Each respondent could rate a maximum of seven retailers they randomly selected from those recently visited. To achieve the objective of 400 respondents per retailer, Leger surveyed nearly 9,000 respondents per province. In total, 113 store banners in Quebec and 104 in Ontario were evaluated across 16 retail sectors.
Top 15 – Ontario
1. Bath & Body Works
2. The Body Shop
3. The Apple Retail Store
4. M.A.C. Cosmetics
5. Sephora
6. Yves Rocher
7. Addition-Elle
8. The Running Room
9. Crabtree & Evelyn
10. Golf Town
11. Fruits & Passion
12. Moores Clothing for Men
13. LCBO
14. La Senza
15. Whole Foods
Top 15 – Quebec
1. Bath & Body Works
2. Yves Rocher
3. Sephora
4. Fruits & Passion
5. The Apple Retail Store
6. Addition-Elle
7. Dans un Jardin
8. Ameublement Tanguay
9. The Body Shop
10. Golf Town
11. Bleu Lavande
12. Société des alcohols du Québec (SAQ)
13. Chapters Indigo
14. Laura/Laura Petites/Laura Plus
15. Proxim
• Web exclusive: See Leger’s full 2011 Customer Experience Index rankings here
Why is Bath & Body Works No. 1 in both provinces?
“They seem to be the kings of sampling and you can buy several small formats and put your own kit together [very easily],” says Christian Bourque, executive vice-president and partner at Leger Marketing in Montreal. “Ambience is one of the best in the industry as well.”
Cosmetic advantage
Six of the top 10 companies on both lists are in the cosmetics sector. Bourque says the survey indicators give cosmetics companies an advantage. “Your purpose in shopping there is based on having an experience,” he says. “The idea is you’re going there to basically enjoy yourself; you’re not going there to acquire something that is a fundamental need for your family.”
What specifically do cosmetics companies do so well?
“The whole idea is getting the product in your hand and letting you try it,” says Bourque. “And once you come in, somebody actually takes charge of your visit. They follow you through the store and spend quite a bit of time and effort personalizing your visit. And they’re rewarded for it.”
How convenient
Convenience stores, conversely, are at a disadvantage. In Ontario, 7-Eleven and Mac’s landed at the bottom of the list (at 103 and 104, respectively), while in Quebec Couche-Tard landed third from the bottom. Convenience stores will always be around the bottom of the ranking because they focus on speed over service, says Bourque. “They’re just set up to fail in this type of test because of the issue of convenience.”
Where’s Walmart?
In Quebec, Walmart had the biggest drop compared to the previous year, landing in 99th place in 2011 compared to 58th the previous year. (The survey was only done in Quebec in 2010.) In Ontario, Walmart was 70th on the 2011 list. “It’s always been a bit more difficult in Quebec when it comes to Walmart’s corporate image and that will play into your perception of your customer experience as well,” says Bourque. “But the parking lots are full.”
Biggest splash
Old Navy had the biggest gains in Quebec with a 12-point jump in score that landed the retailer at number 61, up from 94 in 2010. The clothing chain, which is undergoing a revamp, moved up based on two criteria: ambience and in-store design.
Ontario vs. Quebec
Ratings on all criteria tend to be lower in Ontario compared to Quebec. “For some reason, people in Ontario seem to be more critical of their in-store experience compared to Quebeckers,” says Bourque.
Surprised to see (or not see) a retailer on this list? Post your thoughts in our comment section.
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