Stores offering quality products and excellent customer service
trump supermarkets and high street discounters on tech and home
appliance purchases, according to new Which? research.
The consumer champion surveyed thousands of shoppers to find out
the best retailers for tech and home appliances. Shoppers were
asked about their overall experience as well as the quality of
products available, customer service, range of products
available, aftercare service and value for money.
This year, Which? found specialist retailers offering the best
quality products and five-star customer service were considered
the best options for people looking to buy tech or home
appliances, while several supermarkets languished near the bottom
of the table.
Coming out top as the best tech store in Which?’s survey was
Richer Sounds. Receiving a customer score of 95 per cent overall
- one of the highest customer scores Which? has ever recorded -
it boasts five-star ratings for almost every measure in the
survey - including product range and quality, customer service,
ease of using website/app, deliveries, after sales care and value
for money. One shopper summed this up by telling Which? the
retailer’s “knowledge and customer service is second to none”.
Another said: "Quality products at keen prices”. It’s no surprise
that Richer Sounds has been named a Which? Recommend Provider
(WRP).
Also doing well and earning a WRP endorsement for tech was Apple,
which received a customer score of 87 per cent. The tech giant
received five stars for its product range, easy-to-use website
and app as well as delivery service, however it only achieved a
mediocre three stars when it came to value for money. One shopper
summed it up, saying: “Expensive but quality”.
Leading the pack for home appliances was another specialist
retailer, Euronics, with an 88 per cent customer score. Its
network of more than 600 independent shops combine the personal
service of local experts (many stores have been run by the same
family for generations) with the reassurance of an established
brand. Earning five stars for customer service and product
quality, shoppers also rated the store highly for range, after
sales and value for money which all got four stars. One shopper
said: “Very helpful local retailer who can source a large range
of products from Euronics at short notice. Very competitive
prices. Great service.”.
All-rounder John Lewis came in third for both tech (86% customer
score) and home appliances (85% customer score). Shoppers
particularly loved the quality of the items it sells and its
customer service. One shopper said: “Excellent service and
generous warranty.”
Lakeland (84% customer score) and AO (83% customer score) were
also named WRPs for home appliances. With high scores in multiple
categories, one Lakeland customer told Which?: “Prices are
competitive and products are high quality,” while another shopper
described their experience with AO as “a smooth journey from
start to finish.”
At the other end of the spectrum, B&M finished at the bottom
of the table for home appliances, with Home Bargains just above
it. Dismally, B&M didn’t manage to get more than two stars in
any category. One unhappy B&M customer said: “Poorly designed
appliance – no on/off switch; has to be plugged/unplugged”.
DIY giant B&Q (68% customer score) was also towards the
bottom of Which?’s ranking for home appliances, with Tesco,
Sainsbury’s and Asda (all 70% customer score) not far behind.
When it comes to tech, The Range (68% customer score) was at the
bottom of the table alongside three supermarkets, Sainsbury’s
(68% customer score), Asda/George and Tesco (69% customer score)
not far behind. All four retailers performed poorly for customer
service although all got three stars each when it came to value
for money. All but Tesco scored poorly for product quality.
With the sales season almost in full swing and Christmas fast
approaching, it can be tempting to look for a bargain on a new
piece of tech or a new appliance. However, Which? is warning that
shoppers should take some time to research what they want to buy
and not feel pressured.
A good retailer will provide reliable advice and be there to help
if something goes wrong - so a cheap headline price elsewhere
might not be a good decision in the long run.
Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said:
“With Black Friday and Christmas fast approaching, shoppers may
be looking to get a speedy new laptop or shiny kitchen appliance
- but we’ve found some retailers simply aren’t up to scratch when
it comes to quality or customer service.
“Our research shows that shoppers wanting help with big purchases
are best off sticking to specialist retailers, where customer
care and technical expertise are a priority.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Being awarded a WRP means that not only did a company perform
outstandingly in Which?’s survey, but also passed Which?’s
stringent behind-the-scenes checks on its terms and conditions
and returns policies.
Results are based on an online household appliances survey of
3,050 Which? Connect panel members and 1,506 members of the
public and an online tech product survey of 3,359 Which? Connect
panel members and 1,504 members of the public conducted in
August/September 2023.
Best and worst tech stores
Best and worst home appliance stores
