Amazon, Nordstrom Lead Customer Satisfaction Index

The American Customer Satisfaction Index’s 2014 report ranks Amazon the top e-commerce retailer and Nordstrom the top department store retailer. The report also shows that overall customer satisfaction is dropping for brick-and-mortar retailers and rising for web retailers.

“Although there are several signs that the economy might finally take off, deteriorating customer satisfaction with retail suggests that consumer demand will not be where it needs to be,” said ACSI chairman Claes Fornell. “This is also reaffirmed by weak sales for most retailers over the holiday season. Unless consumer spending picks up dramatically, we won’t see much – if any – increase in the pace of economic recovery.”

Amazon scored an 86, actually dropping 2 percent from last year’s score. “Customer satisfaction with Internet retailers rebounds 5.1 percent to an ACSI score of 82, with smaller companies and the online business of brick-and-mortar retailers responsible for much of the improvement (+8% to 81),” the ACSI said.

Department and discount stores overall stayed flat compared to last year, with a score of 77. But Nordstrom gained 4 percent, coming in with a score of 86. Dillard’s matched its previous score of 81 and Kohl’s dropped 1 percent to 80. Target gained 4 percent to 80 and Macy’s gained 4 percent to 79. Walmart fell 4 percent to 68 – the lowest of the group.

In the specialty retail category, Costco scored an 84, TJX Companies a 78 and Gap Inc. a 75.

The American Customer Satisfaction Index started in 1994 by researchers at the University of Michigan with the American Society for Quality and CFI Group. The Index releases scores quarterly.