The Bookseller.com

20th July 2008

Which? rates Waterstone's and Borders

28.01.08

Bookshops Waterstones and Borders have been ranked fifth and ninth respectively in a Which? survey of high street stores. Both, however, come behind 'independent shops' in users' ratings. Woolworths and W H Smith were among those retailers getting the lowest marks.

Waterstone's moved ahead of Marks & Spencer in its second year in the survey. The bookshop chain received an overall satisfaction score of 70%, placing it behind Waitrose and John Lewis. Borders scored 68%. Which? said: "Waterstones and Borders do well. You think they have the best range of stock, but they don’t quite match the customer service of the locals."

Independent shops scored a satisfaction rating of 77%. According to the survey: "Almost a quarter of you said you don't buy from any of the stores in this category [entertainment], maybe preferring to shop online. Those that do head out prefer independents."

The survey continued: "Of the large chains, supermarkets scored highly for convenience but are seen as having limited ranges of 'only bestseller books and chart CDs'. Woolworths got the lowest marks for customer service and shopping experience. WH Smith wasn't far behind and was seen as the most expensive store. One WH Smith shopper said: 'Offers are not always good value.' Stores are described as 'cluttered' and 'crowded'."

Which?

waterstone's Borders

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