When it comes to splashing that cash, which shops come top for customer satisfaction, and which are truly shocking? We reveal the best and worst stores on the high street.
What do you value most when shopping on the high street? Are you purely concerned by price? Or perhaps it's stellar service you treasure the most?
It's true that the credit crunch has led many of us to change our shopping habits. But according to recent research, despite the fact that many stores are slashing their prices, good customer service is still prized over price.
The survey by Which? looked at a total of 96 stores, with respondents asked to take into consideration 20 factors including staff attitudes, products and, of course, price. The results were combined to give a score out of 100, and turned into overall percentages.
Here's a full round up of the top five stores:
| Brand | Customer Score |
|---|---|
| Waitrose | 84% |
| John Lewis | 78% |
| Local special electrical retailers | 75% |
| Lush | 72% |
| Local independent home or garden stores | 72% |
And here are the five worst.
| Brand | Customer Score |
|---|---|
| JD Sports | 36% |
| JJB Sports | 37% |
| Currys Digital | 40% |
| WHSmith | 42% |
| Currys | 42% |
The winners
Despite higher prices, high-end food chain Waitrose was judged as the best shop on the high street, with sister store John Lewis slotting in second place.
The `Never Knowingly Undersold' store and its food chain spin-off were praised for their quality products, excellent service and engaging staff.
Personally, I agree with the results. As a massive fan of internet shopping, I'm always looking for the best deals.
But despite the deep discounts offered by online retailers, when it came to buying my laptop early last year, I decided to opt for John Lewis instead.
Not only did the well-informed shop assistant answer every question I had with finesse, but when I saw my laptop offered at a lower price at a shop down the road, they also lowered their price.
John Lewis's price promise policy means that if you find the same item selling for less in any store within an eight mile radius, John Lewis will match it. In addition, the guarantees offered by John Lewis are usually far superior to other stores, making it a top shop in my book.
I'm not alone in liking John Lewis, and fellow writer Serena Cowdy points out why John Lewis is her favourite shop in this informative article.
Budget is cool, independents rule
Elsewhere in the survey, budget Retailers Aldi and Lidl also scored highly in terms of customer satisfaction, as respondents talked of downsizing their brands to help combat the credit crunch.
Fellow economy stores Iceland and Ikea also scored well on price, while pungent retailer Lush came up smelling of roses, and was the survey's top new entrant.
A cliché perhaps, but in terms of customer service, knowledge is also power, with a more personal touch helping independent retailers to take four out of the top ten places.
The losers
At the other end of the scale, Sports retailers JD and JJB Sports were left languishing at the bottom. Both stores were criticised for unpleasant shopping environments and bad customer service.
In the case of JD Sports, it's interesting to note that although it was slated for customer service, it also defied general high street trends by reporting strong sales over Christmas.
So, as the pressure on the high street mounts, it seems customer satisfaction is being put on the back-burner in favour of bigger margins.
WHSmith, judged fourth worst, is another store which performed poorly in the survey but remained strong in term of numbers. The store has remained robust thanks to its strategy of slashing costs and moving its focus from CDs and DVDs to books and confectionery.
However, I don't know about you, but the last time I went into a WHSmith store, it seemed like the staff thought I'd just won the lottery.
I was approached three times before I even got to the counter, with staff attempting to sell me all sorts of paraphernalia when I just wanted to buy my wrapping paper!
A fellow writer also commented that WHSmith has gone downhill aesthetically, with its refreshed pile `em high and pack 'em in approach to products not going down well with him.
Phones 4u, joint tenth bottom is also known for its unrelenting staff. Last time I walked in a store five assistants crowded around me like a Hollywood A-Lister - I really didn't feel flattered.
Whatever your opinions of the high street, one thing is clear: 2009 is going to be a tough year. But while retailers continue to slash prices to entice customers, it seems service is becoming just as important as price when it comes to being distinguished from the rest.
Please post your own high street experiences below. I'd love to hear them!
More: Lidl Vs. Tesco: Which Sandwich Will Win? / Refuse To Lose These Five Luxuries