American Innovation Index: Ikea tops list of most 'innovative' retail companies
A global home furnishings giant tops a list of the 30 most innovative retail companies in America based upon customer perceptions.
Ikea also ranked No. 1 overall in the eighth annual American Innovation Index (AII), which covers 164 firms from 16 industries, spanning travel, financial services, technology, communications, retailing and manufacturing. The ranking is based on customer experiences from research conducted and compiled by Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business, Radius (formerly Illuminas) and the Norwegian School of Economics.
In the retail segment, Ikea was followed by Amazon and Saks Fifth Avenue. Victoria’s Secret/Pink and Costco rounded out the top five. (See a ranking of top 30 companies at end of article.)
According to the Index, the companies that stand out from their competitors in the minds of consumers do so because of their products and services (including continually introducing new ones, offering variety and stylish design, striving for excellence) and being first to market with new ideas.
“The AII is the only index that ranks the level of innovation based upon consumer perceptions and interactions with a company,” said Barbara M. Porco, Ph.D., CPA, CFF, managing director at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. “While the index measures innovation, consumers also favor companies that are secure and reliable, easy to do business with, have a strong online presence, and have a customer-friendly website and app that makes it seamless to conduct business.”
The 2025 most innovative retail companies include the following:
- Ikea
- Amazon
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Victoria’s Secret/Pink
- Costco
- TJX, including Marshalls, TJ Maxx, TK Maxx, Sierra Trading Post, Winners
- Bath & Body Works
- Wiliams-Sonoma
- eBay
- Best Buy
- Nordstrom
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Abercrombie
- Catalyst Brands
- Macy’s
- Walmart
- Ross Stores Inc.
- Gap Inc.
- PetSmart
- Old Navy
- Office Depot/Office Max
- Petco
- The Home Depot
- Kohl’s
- JCPenney
- Target
- Lowe’s Home Improvement
- Dollar Tree Inc.
- Dollar General
- Staples, Inc.
The 2025 top 10 most innovative companies overall as chosen by consumers include:
- Ikea
- Apple
- John Deere
- Amazon
- Microsoft
- Honda
- Toyota
- Samsung
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Victoria’s Secret/Pink
For the first time, the American Innovation Awards will be featured as an integral part of the Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center’s annual “Good Business is Good Business” conference on March 12. The conference will take place at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center Campus.
The 8th annual American Innovation Index study was conducted in May-June 2025. The study surveyed 5,145 consumers and covered 24,236 customer-company relationships.