Apple, Patagonia, PayPal—brands like these prove that the United States is home to consumer behemoths who have become household names.
A brand's reputation is vital to the customer experience—in fact, 58 percent of American consumers said brand reputation is a major factor in their buying decisions, according to a 2023 Statista survey. That's why Newsweek and Statista are happy to announce America's Best of the Best for 2024.
This list recognizes brands that excel in customer experience using a range of metrics, including brand image and overall customer trust, joy of use (which includes a brand's value for money and reliability) and customer service.
For its first year, the Best of the Best list includes 604 of the most highly regarded brands across 156 different categories, covering everything from dining and travel to fashion and electronics. Each category includes three to five of the top names according to customer experience.
Some brands were awarded in multiple categories, for a total of 521 unique winners. The rankings are based on an independent survey of more than 24,000 U.S. customers, who provided over 150,000 evaluations.
We hope this list helps you make smart consumer decisions, no matter what you're shopping for.
Rank | Brand | Score | Parent Category | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lane Bryant | 87.33 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Apparel |
| 2 | Aéropostale | 85.36 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Apparel |
| 3 | Banana Republic | 84.98 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Apparel |
| 4 | Torrid | 83.93 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Apparel |
| 5 | GAP | 83.36 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Apparel |
| 1 | Puma | 86.96 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Athletic Apparel |
| 2 | Under Armour | 85.6 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Athletic Apparel |
| 3 | Athleta | 85.47 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Athletic Apparel |
| 4 | Nike | 85.4 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Athletic Apparel |
| 5 | Reebok | 84.85 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Athletic Apparel |
| 1 | Carter's | 87.67 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Baby/Children's Clothing |
| 2 | OshKosh B'gosh | 85.24 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Baby/Children's Clothing |
| 3 | Old Navy | 84.84 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Baby/Children's Clothing |
| 1 | BHLDN | 86.73 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Bridal Fashion |
| 2 | Vera Wang | 84.99 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Bridal Fashion |
| 3 | Bella Bridesmaids | 82.58 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Bridal Fashion |
| 1 | Neiman Marcus | 89.4 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Department Stores |
| 2 | Belk | 82.25 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Department Stores |
| 3 | Nordstrom | 81.63 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Department Stores |
| 1 | Gabe's | 77.7 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Discount Clothing |
| 2 | Marshalls | 77.45 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Discount Clothing |
| 3 | Burlington | 76.97 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Discount Clothing |
| 1 | Nordstrom Rack | 88.1 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Fashion Accessories |
| 2 | Belk | 87.01 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Fashion Accessories |
| 3 | Fossil | 85.4 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Fashion Accessories |
| 4 | Michael Kors | 84.72 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Fashion Accessories |
| 5 | Dillard's | 83.61 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Fashion Accessories |
| 1 | Scheels | 86.7 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (multi-brand) |
| 2 | Shoe Show | 84.89 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (multi-brand) |
| 3 | Journeys | 84.23 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (multi-brand) |
| 1 | HOKA | 93.93 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (single-brand) |
| 2 | Clarks | 89.96 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (single-brand) |
| 3 | Skechers | 89.05 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (single-brand) |
| 4 | Asics | 88.41 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (single-brand) |
| 5 | New Balance | 87.44 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Footwear (single-brand) |
| 1 | Pandora | 86.56 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry |
| 2 | Zales | 83.35 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry |
| 3 | Kay Jewelers | 82.9 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry |
| 4 | Fred Meyer Jewelers | 79.17 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry |
| 5 | Swarovski | 77.67 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry |
| 1 | Bulgari | 91.51 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry (High-End) |
| 2 | Tiffany & Co. | 86.11 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry (High-End) |
| 3 | Cartier | 85.48 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry (High-End) |
| 4 | Jared | 83.48 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry (High-End) |
| 5 | Van Cleef & Arpels | 82.05 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Jewelry (High-End) |
| 1 | Soma | 92.45 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Lingerie & Underwear |
| 2 | Victoria's Secret | 81.21 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Lingerie & Underwear |
| 3 | Aerie | 76.06 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Lingerie & Underwear |
| 1 | Dior | 91.75 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Luxury Fashion & Accessories |
| 2 | Burberry | 90.07 | Bricks-and-Mortar Retailers: Clothing | Luxury Fashion & Accessories |
LICENSING
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METHODOLOGY
The America's Best of the Best 2024 rankings were identified from the results of an independent survey of more than 24,000 U.S. customers who have either made purchases, used services, or gathered information about products or services in the past three years. Customers evaluated several brands: in total over 150,000 evaluations were collected. The awarded brands each received on average over 100 evaluations from customers.
The survey was conducted on retailers and service providers from 156 categories, providing results for a broad-spectrum of customer experiences in traditional retail, online and service segments.
In the brick-and-mortar categories, only retailers and service providers present in at least two census regions have been included in the list (exceptions made for retailers with 600 or more locations). In the online categories, only retailers and service providers present online have been included in the list.
In total, the survey took an average of 9-11 minutes to complete, and the field period ran from June to July 2024.
The final assessment and rankings were based on three dimensions weighted according to respondent importance:
1. Joy of Use: measures value for money, reliability, and overall user experience
2. Customer Service: measures the quality of communication, professional competence, range of services, customer focus, and accessibility
3. Trust: measures brand image and overall customer trust
The top 3-5 brands based on category size receiving the highest scores in each category were awarded as America's Best of the Best 2024.
DISCLAIMER
The rankings are comprised exclusively of retailers that are eligible regarding the scope described in this document. A mention in the ranking is a positive recognition based on peer recommendations and publicly available data sources at the time. The ranking is the result of an elaborate process which, due to the interval of data collection and analysis, is a reflection of the last three calendar years. Furthermore, events following July 24, 2024, and/or pertaining to individual persons affiliated/associated to the retailers were not included in the metrics. As such, the results of this ranking should not be used as the sole source of information for future deliberations. The information provided in this ranking should be considered in conjunction with other available information about retailers or, if possible, accompanied by a visit to a retailer. The quality of retailers that are not included in the rankings is not disputed.
ABOUT STATISTA
Statista is a world leader in the creation of company, brand, and product rankings, based on comprehensive market research and data analysis. With a team of over 100 expert analysts and partnerships with more than 50 media publications across all continents, Statista R creates transparency for consumers and helps companies build trust and recognition across a plethora of industries and product categories. is a global data and business intelligence platform with an extensive collection of statistics, reports and insights on more than 80,000 topics from 22,500 sources in 170 industries. Its Ranking division (Statista R) - dedicated to the creation of company, brand, and product rankings and lists - is Newsweek's longtime research and data partner. With a team of more than 100 analysts, Statista R provides comprehensive market research and data analysis, proprietary surveys, and access to thousands of consumers.
Please visit r.statista.com for further information about Statista R and our rankings.