Costco, Walmart, Target, and 7 other retailers ranked by customer satisfaction
Despite strong reputations, the retailers face challenges
In 2024, Costco $COST (COST), Walmart $WMT (WMT), and Target $TGT (TGT) continued to dominate customer satisfaction rankings, though each faced their own challenges.
According to Chatmeter’s 2025 Retail Associates Reputation Ranking report, which analyzed over one million customer reviews, these retailers fell short of claiming the top spot – highlighting that even the top performers still have room for improvement.
Costco maintained its strong reputation, but issues like staffing shortages and long wait times persisted. The report noted a 16% decrease in mentions of long wait times compared to last year, signaling improvements in operational efficiency. However, with Costco following Walmart’s lead in pressuring Chinese suppliers for price cuts, these cost pressures could impact customer satisfaction if not handled carefully.
Walmart, despite its large scale and widespread recognition, continues to struggle with delivering consistent customer experiences. While product shortages dropped 25%, mentions of discrimination rose by 16.5%, posing reputational risks that could affect future satisfaction rankings.
Target, known for prioritizing customer service, saw mixed results in 2024. While reviews showed slight improvements in associate interactions, concerns about return policies and anti-theft measures were still prevalent.
On Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Costco remains an outlier, standing firm on its initiatives, while Walmart and Target have scaled back their efforts in this area.
Retailers are taking steps to address these challenges – improving staffing, training, and operational efficiency – but the ongoing threat of tariffs and shifting supply chains may continue to create hurdles.
We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 retailers ranked by customer service. Let’s take a look.
10. Walgreens
- Customer service score: 3.0
9. Kroger
- Customer service score: 3.4
8. CVS
- Customer service score: 3.4
7. Costco
- Customer service score: 3.5
6. Walmart
- Customer service score: 3.7
5. Target
- Customer service score: 3.8
4. Albertsons
- Customer service score: 3.9
3. The Home Depot
- Customer service score: 4.05
2. Food Lion
- Customer service score: 4.1
1. Lowe’s
- Customer service score: 4.3