How The Big Boxes Rate On Reputation

In a recent study, Lowe’s appeared in the top 20 of highly visible companies ranked by reputation.

The big box retailer had the highest reputation quotient ranking among specialty retailers, according to the 2015 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient.

The Harris study measures the reputations of the most visible companies in the U.S., as perceived by the general public. This year’s research included information from more than 27,000 consumers.

For business reputation, Lowe’s ranked No. 16 and The Home Depot was No. 36 out of 100 companies. Amazon was No. 2 on the list, a drop from its No. 1 spot in 2014.

“Amazon’s consistently excellent performance is driven by breadth and quality of products, customer centricity and public trust,” according to the study results.

Wegmans Food Markets outperformed Amazon, scoring highly in the areas of social responsibility, workplace environment, financial performance and vision and leadership. Amazon ranked first in the categories of emotional appeal and products and services.

The study findings revealed that consumers proactively research companies before buying and are skeptical of claims of social responsibility.

Be aware that consumers are making decisions about shopping at your store based on reputation, too. Build a strong brand image by strengthening your store’s ties within your community and staying involved in local organizations.

Always be proactive to fix customer service issues that could damage your reputation. For example, seek out customers who complain about your business on social media or Angie’s List. Long term, those vocal shoppers could be doing you a favor by drawing attention to a problem you hadn’t noticed.

To read the full Harris Poll report, click here.