Best and worst clothing stores in South Africa

·20 Aug 2015

Woolworths, Ackermans and Pep Stores lead the pack for customer brand satisfaction with SA clothing retailers, according to the South African Customer Satisfaction Index (SAcsi) released on Thursday.

Although Woolworths and Pep Stores retained their leadership positions, Ackermans is hot on their heels, especially when one looks at the elements which contribute to the overall satisfaction score. For example, Pep Stores and Ackermans have the highest loyalty scores among the clothing retailers.

“Pep Stores and Ackermans have emerged as brands to watch this year. They are in the lead when it comes to overall satisfaction and exceeding customer expectations. Woolworths comes closest to being the ideal clothing retailer in the minds of its customers,” said Prof. Adré Schreuder, founder of SAcsi and CEO of Consulta.

The index measured customer satisfaction with Woolworths, Pep Stores, Ackermans, Truworths, Mr Price, Jet and Edgars.

Woolworths obtained a score of 81.2 out of 100, followed by Ackermans (80.9), Pep Stores (80.2), Truworths (78.1), Mr Price (76.8), Jet (76.5) and Edgars (75.7).

Mr Price and Jet saw a significant drop in their overall scores compared to 2014.

“This may point to a perception among consumers that they are not getting value for their money from these retailers. The SAcsi surveyed 2 189 customers and one of the standout findings is that Pep Stores’ customers feel they are getting the best value for money when they evaluate the quality they are getting for the price they pay,” explained Schreuder.

The level of complaints recorded in the clothing retail industry index is about 8% of customers. Complaints tend to be centred on customer service issues, which presents an opportunity for retailers to improve customer satisfaction by raising their service game, according to Schreuder.

SAcsi holds a licence with the American Customer Satisfaction Index (Acsi), which allows SAcsi to compare customer satisfaction with a global community. SA customer satisfaction with clothing retailers is the same as the UK’s scores and just one point below the US.

News24