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Study: CARQUEST ranked highest, Pep Boys lowest on customer satisfaction

July 25, 2012

Consumers are more satisfied with their shopping experiences at CARQUEST than at any other auto parts store, according to a new study by Market Force Information. The survey of 4,460 consumers also showed that they are more likely to recommend CARQUEST to others, pointing to a high degree of loyalty for the North Carolina-based brand, according to a company press release.

When survey respondents were asked to rate how satisfied they were by their experiences at various auto parts retailers, CARQUEST came out on top, followed by NAPA, O'Reilly, Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone and Pep Boys.

To gauge if high satisfaction levels drive consumer recommendations, Market Force asked respondents how likely they were to recommend these stores to others. CARQUEST was again a clear favorite, pointing to a correlation between customer satisfaction and willingness to recommend. In fact, 63 percent of consumers said their chances of recommending CARQUEST were a 5 on a scale of 1 to 5. NAPA ranked second with 56 percent, O'Reilly was third with 52 percent, Advance Auto Parts was fourth with 49 percent, AutoZone was fifth with 49 percent and Pep Boys ranked last out of the top retailers studied with 41 percent.

Overall, most customers were satisfied with their auto parts-shopping experiences. In fact, 86 percent said a sales associate assisted them, and most said they were satisfied with the help they received. Those who weren't satisfied pointed to high prices, long wait times at the register and difficulty finding items in the store as their top three complaints.

"We've discovered that customers who are delighted by their auto parts-buying experience are more than three times as likely to recommend the store to others," said Janet Eden-Harris, chief marketing officer for Market Force. "With positive customer experiences directly driving recommendations and revenues, it's imperative for retailers to provide operational excellence across the board — from their staff's knowledge level to speedy checkout lines — in order to maintain current customers and gain new ones."

According to the study, CARQUEST's sales effectiveness contributed to its high rating. Among the six brands studied, respondents gave CARQUEST's sales team the highest marks for making good recommendations, understanding customer needs and general knowledge.

CARQUEST also stood apart from the pack in areas such as cashier friendliness, checkout speed, merchandise selection and overall value. O'Reilly snagged the second spot in every category except checkout speed. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Pep Boys ranked last in all six categories, receiving the lowest marks for store atmosphere.

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