Survey: Lowe’s tops in appliance retailing

Westlake Village, Calif. - Lowe's ranks highest in customer satisfaction with appliance retailers.According to the J.D. Power 2015 Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study, Lowe's achieves high satisfaction across the customer experience.



Lowe's (830 on a 1,000-point scale) regains the highest ranking in customer satisfaction among appliance retailers and performs particularly well in all seven factors of sales staff and service; store facility; price; delivery service; sales and promotions, merchandise; and installation service. The retailer ranked second in the 2014 study after previously ranking highest for four consecutive years.



The Home Depot (817) ranks second, followed by Sears (816). Overall satisfaction with appliance retailers is 816



On average, Lowe's customers who purchased an appliance on sale actually saved less than customers of other retailers; yet, Lowe's scores highest in the sales staff and service factor and has substantially higher loyalty rates than competitors. Nearly one-half (46%) of customers who purchased one or more appliances from Lowe's say they "definitely will" purchase their next appliance from the retailer, compared with the study average of 38%.



The study finds that sales staff and service has the greatest impact on customer satisfaction. When key services are provided by the sales staff, satisfaction is substantially higher than when they are not. The most impactful aspects of service include the availability of the sales staff to provide assistance and their ability to greet customers promptly; listening carefully to customer questions or concerns; and thanking customers for their purchase.



More than one-fourth (28%) of customers cite price as their main reason for selecting the retailer from which they purchased their appliances. Furthermore, 64% of those customers indicate their decision was based on a sales price compared with the original price (17%), package price (13%) or rebate/financing/other (6%). This finding is critical in understanding customer traffic as the study shows that 40% of customers shop only one retailer and don't consider others.



Although sales and promotions may drive sales, it does not guarantee customer loyalty. In fact, only 38% of customers say they "definitely will" make their next appliance purchase at the same retailer and 42% say they "definitely will" recommend that retailer.



The 2015 Appliance Retailer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 2,963 customers who purchased major home appliances from a multi-regional appliance retailer within the previous 12 months. The study was fielded in January and February 2015.