Homebase.co.uk revealed as worst online retailer by Which?

In a survey of 10,500 members of the public, carried out in June by the consumer affairs company Which?, Homebase.co.uk was voted the worst out of 100 online retailers.

Toolstation was the best placed Home Improvement retailer coming in joint fourth alongside Lakeland, John Lewis was joint 6th and B&Q was joint 94th. Top of the list was Allbeauty.com, followed by RicherSounds.com and third was AO.com.

Consumers were asked to rate out of five their experience of dealing with online retailers over the last six months, scoring them on areas such as interest, price, range, delivery, returns and ease of use. Which? then ranked the website by total customer score, combining overall satisfaction with how likely respondents were to recommend a website to a friend.

Despite coming bottom, Homebase.co.uk still scored a creditable 62%. It received an average 3 stars for its range of DIY products and despite its claim to offer 'Always Low Prices', shoppers gave it only an average score for price. On a positive note, shoppers did say the website was easy to use.

While price continues to be the most important factor for consumers when shopping online, reliable delivery and wide choice can make or break an online shopping experience. Richard Headland editor of Which? said: ‘We can still see a big gap between the top and bottom of the table, with people generally rating the top online shops better for their prices and range of products. Consumers are expected to spend millions online during Black Friday this year, so we encourage shoppers to do their research and pick their deals – and where to buy – with care'.

Source: Which? reveals the best and worst online shops.

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