Best and worst places to buy tech and home appliances, according to consumer watchdog Which?

Stores offering quality products and excellent customer service trump supermarkets and high street discounters on tech and home appliance purchases, according to new Which? research.

The consumer champion surveyed thousands of shoppers to find out the best retailers for tech and home appliances. Shoppers were asked about their overall experience as well as the quality of products available, customer service, range of products available, aftercare service and value for money.

This year, Which? found specialist retailers offering the best quality products and five-star customer service were considered the best options for people looking to buy tech or home appliances, while several supermarkets languished near the bottom of the table.

Coming out top as the best tech store in Which?’s survey was Richer Sounds. Receiving a customer score of 95 per cent overall – one of the highest customer scores Which? has ever recorded – it boasts five-star ratings for almost every measure in the survey – including product range and quality, customer service, ease of using website/app, deliveries, after sales care and value for money.

One shopper summed this up by telling Which? the retailer’s “knowledge and customer service is second to none”. Another said: “Quality products at keen prices”. It’s no surprise that Richer Sounds has been named a Which? Recommend Provider (WRP).

Best and worst tech stores.

(Source, Which?)

Also doing well and earning a WRP endorsement for tech was Apple, which received a customer score of 87 per cent. The tech giant received five stars for its product range, easy-to-use website and app as well as delivery service, however it only achieved a mediocre three stars when it came to value for money. One shopper summed it up, saying: “Expensive but quality”.

Leading the pack for home appliances was another specialist retailer, Euronics, with an 88 per cent customer score. Its network of more than 600 independent shops combine the personal service of local experts (many stores have been run by the same family for generations) with the reassurance of an established brand.

Earning five stars for customer service and product quality, shoppers also rated the store highly for range, after sales and value for money which all got four stars. One shopper said: “Very helpful local retailer who can source a large range of products from Euronics at short notice. Very competitive prices. Great service.”.

All-rounder John Lewis came in third for both tech (86% customer score) and home appliances (85% customer score). Shoppers particularly loved the quality of the items it sells and its customer service. One shopper said: “Excellent service and generous warranty.”

Lakeland (84% customer score) and AO (83% customer score) were also named WRPs for home appliances. With high scores in multiple categories, one Lakeland customer told Which?: “Prices are competitive and products are high quality,” while another shopper described their experience with AO as “a smooth journey from start to finish.”

At the other end of the spectrum, B&M finished at the bottom of the table for home appliances, with Home Bargains just above it. Dismally, B&M didn’t manage to get more than two stars in any category. One unhappy B&M customer said: “Poorly designed appliance – no on/off switch; has to be plugged/unplugged”.

DIY giant B&Q (68% customer score) was also towards the bottom of Which?’s ranking for home appliances, with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda (all 70% customer score) not far behind.

Best and worst home appliance stores

(Source, Which?)

When it comes to tech, The Range (68% customer score) was at the bottom of the table alongside three supermarkets, Sainsbury’s (68% customer score), Asda/George and Tesco (69% customer score) not far behind.

All four retailers performed poorly for customer service although all got three stars each when it came to value for money. All but Tesco scored poorly for product quality.

With the sales season almost in full swing and Christmas fast approaching, it can be tempting to look for a bargain on a new piece of tech or a new appliance. However, Which? is warning that shoppers should take some time to research what they want to buy and not feel pressured.

A good retailer will provide reliable advice and be there to help if something goes wrong – so a cheap headline price elsewhere might not be a good decision in the long run.

Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said:

“With Black Friday and Christmas fast approaching, shoppers may be looking to get a speedy new laptop or shiny kitchen appliance – but we’ve found some retailers simply aren’t up to scratch when it comes to quality or customer service.

“Our research shows that shoppers wanting help with big purchases are best off sticking to specialist retailers, where customer care and technical expertise are a priority.”

[Feature Image: Richer Sounds]