Trader Joe’s continues to deliver a grocery experience that leaves shoppers wanting more, according to a study of more than 6,200 consumers by Market Force Information.
Based on overall satisfaction, Trader Joe’s is North America’s favorite grocery retailer for the second consecutive year with a score of 82 percent, with Publix ranked second with a score of 80 percent, and Aldi and Costco tying with scores of 76 percent each. Hy-Vee rounded out the top five with a score of 69 percent. The top three grocers were all lauded for their courteous and fast service, as well as the quality of their private-label brands.
The study was designed to uncover the grocers that shoppers frequent most often, which chains excel in customer satisfaction, and why they prefer one to another. For the rankings, Market Force asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their most recent grocery shopping experience and their likelihood to refer that grocer. The results were averaged to attain a Composite Loyalty Score, which reveals the intersection between overall satisfaction and the likelihood of recommending a store to others.
Whole Foods and Wegman’s, which made it into the top five in the 2013 study, scored well, but failed to garner enough votes to earn a top spot on this year’s list, while brands such as Safeway moved up considerably.
With its quirky branding, unique private-label products such as Speculoos Cookie Butter and Green Tea Mints, and a constantly rotating array of merchandise, Trader Joe’s has amassed a loyal following of shoppers looking for an unconventional grocery shopping experience with a neighborhood feel. The national chain is regularly recognized for delivering a level of customer service and satisfaction that exceeds expectations.
Market Force discovered what sets the leading grocery brands apart from the pack, as well as potential areas for industry differentiation, by looking at why shoppers spend the majority of their grocery dollars at one store over another. Publix and Trader Joe’s scored highest in many of the operational attributes that matter most to consumers, including courteous service, fast checkouts and inviting atmosphere. Aldi was the clear leader in low prices, ShopRite received the highest marks for its sales and promotions, and Walmart was lauded for offering a one-stop shopping experience.
Market Force also looked at consumer preferences across categories such as produce, meat and private-label products. Costco, the nation’s largest retail seller of Prime and Choice beef, trumped all for highest-quality meat, while Publix won on offering the highest-quality produce. Trader Joe’s dominated in categories related to healthy food and nutrition, scoring 83 percent for its natural and organic food choices. It also led by a wide margin in providing nutrition and health information, and instituting sustainable policies. The honors for best private-label brand products also went to Trader Joe’s, followed by Aldi and H-E-B.
“Competition is fierce and growing in the grocery sector with regional players going national and national players moving toward neighborhood market concepts. It’s only getting more difficult to attract and keep customers, and being adequate is no longer good enough,” said Janet Eden-Harris, chief marketing officer for Market Force. “We’ve found that delighted customers are three times more likely to recommend a grocery store than those who had just an okay experience. This tells us that chains that truly wow their customers on their first visit can establish brand advocates who go on to recommend the grocer to friends and family.”
Of those who reported dissatisfaction, the most common reasons given were long checkout times (cited by 46 percent), inability to find the products they want (32 percent), the produce quality was lacking (16 percent), poor service by floor associates (15 percent), and poor cashier service (15 percent).
