04.Discount department stores
Australia’s major discount retailers, Target, Big W and Kmart, all claim to provide everyday items at a reasonable cost. While the shopping experience here promises to be vastly different compared with department stores, customer service is still important.
Big effort
Emma, Kathryn and Alexander reported that Big W was a strictly straightforward affair, where helping yourself was standard. However, Gloria found a very helpful sales assistant who went out of her way to try and help despite admitting she didn’t know much about the products in question.
Returns
All shadow shoppers reported that the return process was simple, fast and no hassle.
OK, but lonely
While our shoppers reported a similar experience to Target and Big W, they did comment on how few staff were on the floor in the Kmart stores they visited, as well as the number of self-service checkouts. Emma described her store as being like a “supermarket for homewares and clothes. I managed to buy the kettle without any interaction with another person.”
Gloria managed to find a staff member who was helpful, while Alexander described his experience as being a “no-worries operation. Kmart did what I’d expect and did it well’.
Returns
All shoppers reported a no-fuss experience.