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10 Things Internet shopping

Amazon.com has the Best Customer Service. (Zappos ranks high, too)

Amazon.com Gift Card
Amazon.com Gift Card

When it comes to Customer Service, what retail companies come to mind?

We’ve heard countless stories about companies like Costco taking back anything that they sell, no matter how long ago you purchased it… but while Costco is an awesome place to shop, the long lines and lack of salespeople on the shopping floor can turn some potential shoppers off, as getting out of there with a purchase can be a bit more difficult than it needs to be.

Web Watch enjoys the staff at the local Home Depot and Lowe’s, but there are times when both stores struggle to answer our seemingly simple questions.

We do’t ask for much – we just want each shopping experience to be superior to the last outing.

That’s apparently the same thought going through the heads of over 9000 respondents in the NATIONAL RETAIL FOUNDATION and AMERICAN EXPRESS’s recent CUSTOMER’s CHOICE SURVEY, which highlights which retailers (both online and brick-and-mortar) have the best customer service.

The top 10 retailers for 2012 are:

  1. Amazon.com
  2. L.L. Bean
  3. Zappos.com
  4. Overstock.com
  5. QVC
  6. Kohl’s
  7. Lands’ End
  8. JCPenney
  9. Newegg
  10. Nordstrom

Web Watch regularly shops at 4 of the above retailers, and visits another 3 a bit less often.  Based on our own personal experience, we have to agree with the high-service levels offered by these 10 organizations.

Now Web Watch isn’t stupid – we know that there’s bound to be a whole bunch of backlash against how Zappos.com ranked as highly as they did, given the recent computer hacking situation that they found themselves in. 

In their defense, they did everything that any other company would do in the same situation.  We had an email from the company in our email box relatively immediately, and the press was doing a proper job of communicating what happened and the steps to take to protect yourself moving forward.  

Web Watch shared an evening with Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh a few years ago, and we found him to be quite an engaging, entertaining fellow with a passion for his work.  Based on our own Zappos experience, those who are lashing out against Zappos for something that wasn’t the company’s fault are those who wouldn’t recognize Superior Customer Service in the first place.

Besides, if you’re using the exact same password on every one of your online accounts, you’re doing it wrong anyway.