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WH Smith has been named the UK’s worst-rated retailer by consumers with a 58% consumer satisfaction rate in a new survey of 10,356 people.
The survey by consumer group Which? saw responses from customers who found the store “very expensive” and said that it needs “updating”.
WH Smith customer responses totalled from a sample number of 184, less than half of those surveyed for Homebase whose responses were taken from 553 people.
A WH Smith spokesperson said: “We serve 12 million customers each week, and despite a challenging retail environment we continue to open new shops, and to maintain our presence on the UK High Street.”
The convenience store giant has been in the bottom two of the list for the last eight years.
Ben Clissitt, Which? magazine editor said: “It is clear that our traditional high street is changing and while this is bad news for some retailers who have struggled to adapt, others have seized the opportunity to make their mark.
“Our findings show that if retailers can strike the right balance between good value, quality products and first-class customer service, shoppers will keep coming back to their stores.”
The survey provided much brighter news for Lush, Smyths and Savers however, as they all came joint top of the list with 81% satisfaction rate.
Card shop Clintons, Sports Direct, Evans and Homebase all saw similarly bad ratings joining WH Smith in the bottom five.
