Britain’s worst shops revealed
WHSMITH has been named the worst high street shop in Britain by shoppers.
Stores run by the newsagent and stationery chain came last in a consumer survey, taking the title from Morrisons, which was voted bottom last year.
Whsmith is one of the oldest names in British retailing, founded in 1702, but has been lodged in the bottom two for the eighth consecutive year, with shoppers panning it for customer service and value, as well as for the standard of its shops.
The retailer, which has 1,442 stores and outlets, generated annual profits of £140 million last year and employs 14,000 people.
Earlier this month, it was criticised for selling a single tube of toothpaste in a hospital shop for £7.99.
Critics accused the firm of cashing in on the sick by increasing prices at the shop in Pinderfields General Hospital in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. The same 75ml tube cost just 80p at Tesco and £1 in Boots.
Whsmith said it had been sold at the higher price due to a computer error, but also admitted they still sold 89 of them.
Whsmith scored just 58 out of 100 in the new poll by consumer watchdog Which?
One customer said: “I find Whsmith very expensive and its stores need updating,” while another said: “I always use the self-service tills because the staff are rude.”
Another summed up the retailer’s troubles, branding it “hugely inferior to what it was in the past”.
Which? asked more than 10,000 shoppers about their shopping experience at 100 major retailers and found that Lush, Savers and Smyths Toys were the highest ranking shops – a huge leap for three retailers that didn’t even manage last year’s top 10.
Customers praised the smells of Lush stores, the prices at discount cosmetics store Savers, and the “friendly and cheerful” staff at Smyths Toys.
Last year’s top two, Toolstation and Richer Sounds – a winner at last week’s Which? Awards – are now in fourth and sixth place, respectively.
John Lewis fell to 10th place, its worst ranking since the annual survey launched in 2010, but it still came out top when rated for its appliances and electronics, furniture and home, outdoor and sports and well-being and beauty.
Price proved to be a deciding factor for many consumers, particularly when it came to everyday essentials, pushing stores such as Savers up the rankings.
Ben Clissit, of Which?, said: “It is clear our traditional high street is changing and while this is bad news for some retailers who have struggled to adapt, others have seized the opportunity to make their mark.
“Our findings show that if retailers can strike the right balance between good value, quality products and first-class customer service, shoppers will keep coming back to their stores.”
The survey found that customers also favoured retailers that offered a sensory experience or specific expertise that is simply not available to them online.
Getting top marks in this year’s entertainment category was Waterstones, despite the rise of e-books and the popularity of online retailers like Amazon.
People who gave it a high score commented on the stores’ pleasant surroundings as well as the recommendations from friendly staff.
The Which? survey also asked shoppers what they liked about shopping in-store and found that customers value being able to touch, feel and try on items before purchasing (82%).
Customers also liked being able to take purchased items away (74%) and being able to ask questions of staff (39%).
Meanwhile, describing their bugbears of shopping in store, shoppers said they are put off by crowds (49%), queueing (49%) and the behaviour of other shoppers (38%).
A Whsmith spokesman said: “Only 184 people commented on Whsmith as part of this survey.
“We serve 12 million customers each week, and despite a challenging retail environment we continue to open new shops, and to maintain our presence on the UK High Street.”