UK Consumer Satisfaction Index 2009 - Footwear

Introduction

Verdict Research: In an intensely competitive retail market, keeping customers satisfied has never been more important. Retailers need to understand how they satisfy their shoppers in order to enhance their appeal and increase customer loyalty. Moreover, an insight into what drives customer satisfaction at competitors is essential to win customers from them.

Scope

*Measures and ranks customer satisfaction for all significant retailers in the sector over six years (2004-2009).

*Includes ratings for eight performance metrics: price, range, quality, service, convenience, ambience, layout and facilities.

*Covers 21 retailers including Brantano, Shoe Zone, Clarks, JD Sport, Barratts, JJB, New Look, Asda and TK Maxx.

Highlights

Despite being a challenging sector, customer satisfaction outperforms in footwear. At an average 130, footwear retailers are outperforming overall retail (123) at satisfying their customers. Range, price and quality are the highest scoring factors. Though this mix varies over retailers, price is a key factor for the Top 10's success.

Proving the popularity of its footwear offer with its customers, TK Maxx leads again this year but at only one point ahead of Asda, and driven primarily by one factor, price, where it scores more than double the average, its position is not unassailable.

Shoe Zone has jumped into the Top 10 driven by an increase of 29 points over the past year the third highest gain in the sector. Its score has not only improved on its leading measure, price, but also for range and convenience.

Reasons to Purchase

*Identify the preferences of your shoppers and how successful you are in delivering on them to help you retain your customers.

*Understand the weaknesses of your competitors' customer proposition and exploit it to your advantage.

*Independently track how strategies and management policy are affecting or influencing customer satisfaction.