Walmart, Best Buy top most valuable retail brands list

DAYTON, Ohio Retail brand consultants Interbrand Design Forum released the Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands, the first-ever ranking of the top 50 American retail brands. Claiming the top five spots, in numerical order, are Walmart, Best Buy, The Home Depot, Target and CVS.

"In a recession, brand is more important than ever, as retailers with a well-positioned brand have the opportunity to thrive and seize a bigger piece of the pie in terms of customers," said Lee Carpenter, CEO of Interbrand Design Forum. "Retailers are now realizing that brand transcends its traditional marketing role and should be adopted as an idea that runs through every part of the company. During a period of increased competition and lowered sales, brands that have successful propositions, such as Walmart, and offer an engaging shopping experience, like Best Buy, will come out on top."

Several non-traditional retailers, such as those with an online-only presence, were included in the ranking, including Dell Company (No. 6), eBay (No. 11), Amazon.com (No. 14) and Netflix (No. 32). Out of the top 50 companies included in the Most Valuable U.S. Retail Brands, only six do not have online channels. Amazon, which attracts over 50 million visits a month, offers customized service for its simple transactions from start-to-finish, specialized for every person who visits the site.

In terms of department stores, financial woes kept iconic brands such as Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sears off the list, while Nordstrom (No. 13), Kohl's (No. 22) and JCPenney (No. 24) all ranked high. JCPenney's success can be attributed to five billion-dollar private brands catering to the middle- American shopper, who seek both variety and value.

Grocery stores, including Kroger, Safeway and Supervalu, were all but absent from the ranking of the top retailers, as the grocery sector scored low in terms of customer loyalty and brand strength. Supermarkets depend heavily on promotions and pushing product out of the stores, rather than focusing on the experience of the customer or product differentiation. However, Whole Foods Market made it into the top 50 list (No. 47), and is perceived to provide the highest quality food offering in the industry. By placing a cap on the number of stores in operation to less than 300 and supporting entrepreneurial manufacturers, Whole Foods delivers on its promise of an unmatched variety of organic and natural foods.