New survey: best and worst high street shops revealed
Book and stationery retailer WH Smith has been voted the worst shop on the high street in a survey of 11,000 shoppers.
The 2013 survey by consumer watchdog Which? found that shoppers regarded the retailer as ‘messy’ and ‘expensive’, putting it in last place out of 100 stores.
Topping the Which? survey for the first time, the Apple Store was praised by shoppers for its ‘unique look and feel’ and ‘great customer service’. In addition, the fashion chain Bon Marché made the top five for the first time.
The survey also revealed that consumers are unhappy with the number of retail chains closing this year, with 88% saying they did not like to see high street stalwarts fail and 81% worrying about the decline of the high street.
Never Miss a Retail Update!While more than half of those surveyed said they bought more online now than last year, consumers were found to still visit high street shops more often than shopping websites, shopping centres and retail parks.
Which? executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: “With many high street shops struggling to keep afloat during the recession, it’s great to see so many people saying that they are still getting good service. Consumers want to support their local stores, but not at any price, so whether they are chains or independent we hope shops do the right thing to keep their customers and hold back the decline of the high street.”
