[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Among major domestic department store brands, Lotte Department Store Jamsil Branch (World Tower Branch) was found to have the highest consumer satisfaction. It was followed by Shinsegae Department Store Centum City Branch and Hyundai Department Store Pangyo Branch.
On the 14th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that it conducted a consumer satisfaction survey on 1,000 people who had experience using the top 10 stores by sales of Lotte Department Store, Shinsegae Department Store, and Hyundai Department Store, which have nationwide networks, and the results showed this.
The evaluation items were based on a 5-point scale and included three categories: 'Service Quality,' which evaluates satisfaction in the service delivery process; 'Product Characteristics,' which assesses core service elements; and 'Favorability,' which measures the degree of positive and negative emotions experienced during the service.
The comprehensive satisfaction score, calculated as the weighted average of the three categories on a 5-point scale, was 3.95 for Lotte Department Store World Tower Branch, 3.92 for Shinsegae Department Store Centum City Branch, 3.90 for Hyundai Department Store Pangyo Branch, and 3.87 for Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam Branch and Lotte Department Store Main Branch (Myeongdong Branch).
Following were Shinsegae Department Store Daegu Branch and Hyundai Department Store Main Branch (Apgujeong Branch) with 3.85 points, Shinsegae Department Store Main Branch (Myeongdong Branch) with 3.80 points, Hyundai Department Store Trade Center Branch with 3.77 points, and Lotte Department Store Busan Main Branch with 3.75 points.
By evaluation category, in service quality satisfaction, Lotte World Tower Branch scored 4.08 points, Shinsegae Centum City Branch 4.05 points, Hyundai Pangyo Branch 4.04 points, Shinsegae Gangnam Branch 4.01 points, and Lotte Main Branch (Myeongdong Branch) 3.98 points. The overall average was 3.98 points.
Product characteristics satisfaction was evaluated based on three factors: product variety and store atmosphere, ease of access and payment convenience, and price and additional benefits. Shinsegae Centum City Branch scored 4.05 points, Shinsegae Gangnam Branch 4.04 points, and Lotte World Tower Branch 4.02 points.
Favorability averaged 3.75 points, with store-specific scores of 3.81 points for Lotte World Tower Branch and Shinsegae Centum City Branch, 3.78 points for Hyundai Pangyo Branch, and 3.77 points for Lotte Main Branch (Myeongdong Branch) and Hyundai Main Branch (Apgujeong Branch).
Meanwhile, a usage survey conducted on 1,800 people, including 800 additional users nationwide with experience at 44 stores beyond the top 10 by sales, found that 577 people, or 32.1%, reported experiencing consumer dissatisfaction.
The most common type of dissatisfaction was 'narrow and congested parking spaces,' accounting for 31.2%. 'Price-related complaints,' such as excessively high prices or price fluctuations, accounted for 22.4%, while 'crowded shopping spaces' and 'refusal of exchange/refund' accounted for 11.6% and 6.6%, respectively.
More consumers experienced the opposite of 'showrooming'?buying online after seeing products offline. 69.5% of respondents said they had experienced 'reverse showrooming' (webrooming), which means searching for products online but purchasing them at the department store.
The main reason for reverse showrooming was 'to directly check size, color, quality, etc.,' at 49.6%, followed by 'trust in the department store' at 15.8%.
Conversely, 61.6% of consumers had showrooming experience. Among them, half (49.9%) cited 'relatively cheaper online prices' as the reason, and 15.9% said 'convenience of purchase.'
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