WABAN, MASS. — Sam’s Club delivered one of the best customer experiences in the retail industry, according to the 2014 Temkin Experience Ratings, an annual ranking of companies based on a study of 10,000 U.S. consumers.
Out of the 268 companies ranked across 19 industries, Sam’s Club tied for eighth place with seven other companies, all boasting an 81 percent approval rating. Amazon tied for 15th place, with 80 percent; BJ’s and Costco each tied for 22nd at 79 percent.
RadioShack took home last-place honors for retailers for the fourth year in a row, with a 60 percent approval rating. Apple Stores didn’t fare much better, at 67 percent, although it did increase 5 points over last year.
Temkin is now in its fourth year of this grading process, one that involves asking consumers to evaluate their retail experience using three criteria: Can you do what you want to do? How easy is it to work with the company? How do you feel about your interaction with employees? The results are then averaged to produce the percentages. Scores of 70 percent or more are considered “good,” and scores of 80 percent or more are considered “excellent.”
The top 10 retailers carrying CE or major appliances are:
• Sam’s Club (81 percent)
• Amazon.com (80 percent)
• Costco (79 percent)
• BJ’s Wholesale Club (79 percent)
• Lowe’s (78 percent)
• Barnes & Noble (77 percent)
• Home Depot (77 percent) The bottom 10 retailers are:
• Walmart (69 percent)
• Toys“R”Us (68 percent)
• Sears (67 percent)
• Kmart (67 percent)
• Apple Store (67 percent)
• GameStop (66 percent)
• RadioShack (60 percent)
