/
1x
Top shopping
We went, we bought, we rated. Chatelaine's undercover shopping team scoured the aisles of some of Canada's biggest retail chains to see which ones treat customers best. Here's our third annual straight-from-the-cart report.
Updated November 2, 2012
More than 20 mystery shoppers from Vancouver to Halifax visited 645 stores representing 81 different chains coast-to-coast. They browsed, peppered staff with questions, tried on clothes, made purchases and returned items.
How we scored
The shoppers gave us an overall impression; their scores were tallied and their comments recorded. Points were assigned based on the following: promptness of greetings; overall friendliness; conditions in the store; staff knowledge; staff skill with cash register and staff response to returns. On the following pages, you'll find which stores make shopping pleasurable and easy.
In addition to the top 10 retail chains, this year, we scored five specialty categories: department stores, hardware, specialty shops, health food and drug stores and womenswear. Happy shopping!
How we scored
The shoppers gave us an overall impression; their scores were tallied and their comments recorded. Points were assigned based on the following: promptness of greetings; overall friendliness; conditions in the store; staff knowledge; staff skill with cash register and staff response to returns. On the following pages, you'll find which stores make shopping pleasurable and easy.
In addition to the top 10 retail chains, this year, we scored five specialty categories: department stores, hardware, specialty shops, health food and drug stores and womenswear. Happy shopping!
Top 10 retail chains
| Stores | Scores* | Why we liked them | Nobody's perfect, so, if only... | |
| 1 | Smart Set Seen in malls coast-to-coast; specializes in youthful, stylish, women's work, rest and play wear | 85.83% | "The clerk was so good...she knew all of the clothes in the store and exactly where to find them. She actually served two of us at the same time." | "the change areas had elbow room." |
| 2 | Naturalizer The last word in comfy footwear | 83.67% | "The sales rep brought me every single shoe she had in a size 10." | "the chairs were as comfortable as the shoes." |
| 3 | Athletes World | 82.40% | "The clerk told me the original price and the sale price of the same shoe. Then when I bought them, he tied up the laces for me." | "it didn't have walls of TVs playing along with the radio." |
| 4 | Northern Traditions | 81.50% | "All of the store's space was utilized very well and there was even enough room to get a stroller through the aisles." | "the selection could be better. I wish it had skirts of different lengths." |
| 5 | GNC A new arrival to these charts--purveyor of vitamins, minerals and supplements | 80.83% | "My clerk made me feel that anything I asked her about, she would give me the right answer." | "it found some way of clearly explaining why one type of vitamin B12 is better than the 10 other types of B12." |
| 6 | Foot Locker Sports shoes, sports shoes and more sports shoes; socks and track pants, too | 78.86% | "The best part was the store's distinct women's and men's sides. TVs were playing men's and women's sports on the appropriate sides." | "there were more employees working at peak times." |
| 7 | Claire's Fashion accessories suitable for special occasions and everyday wear | 77.71% | "The clerk stayed within my price range. I bought the thing I was secretly shopping for and a pair of earrings for myself." | "all of the non-hygienic and sale items weren't non-refundable...what if something breaks?" |
| 8 | Glidden Paints Litres and metres of home wallcoverings | 76.20% | "The clerk explained step-by-step how my product worked. I walked out with a smile on my face because I'd received such valuable information." | "it wasn't set up for commercial and industrial clients rather than for someone who wants to paint the back porch." |
| 9 | Roots Classy clothes for the whole family; some locations also sell leather goods and home accessories | 76.17% | "You walk in, someone says hi and makes you feel very comfortable. Plus with all the Canadian stuff, there's a good feeling about the place." | "cotton sweatshirts didn't cost the same amount as wool sweaters." |
| 10 | a) The Body Shop More than 600 bath, body, makeup, hair and skin-care products; none tested on animals | 76.00% | "I told the clerk that I wanted a gift basket and she took me to that section. Then she gathered up all of the demos shown in the basket for me to smell." | "the store wasn't so cluttered. There are too many things to look at." |
| b) Nutrition House Vitamin, bodybuilding and protein supplements | 76.00% | "The sales clerk pointed out something I wasn't aware of. I didn't know I was already getting vitamin B in my multivitamins." | "the store had better descriptions of the products to make it easier to help yourself." | |
| c) Transit Value-priced shoes, boots and handbags | 76.00% | "The clerk was alone in the store, running between two of us, but I still got excellent service. It turned out the other customer was the clerk's mother!" | "you could fit a baby stroller or cart in the store." | |
GET CHATELAINE IN YOUR INBOX!
Subscribe to our newsletters for our very best stories, recipes, style and shopping tips, horoscopes and special offers.
Subscribe to Chatelaine!
Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.