Annual European survey

The survey "Retailer of the Year" was created in 2003 by Q&A Research & Consultancy, a research and consultancy agency headquartered in the Netherlands and specializing in qualitative and quantitative surveys on consumer habits. The survey is conducted every year using a similar methodology in 10 European countries: The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg and Portugal.

The surveys are conducted on different sectors of distribution, and are base on panels of consumers who are asked to evaluate chain stores. The evaluation is based on average score obtained upon nine criteria: assortment, price level, customer friendliness, service, atmosphere, innovation, expertise of staff, promotions and price/quality ratio.

Overall and for all retailers, the “customer friendliness” criterion is the second most important for customers with 14.4%, behind the "value for money" criterion (32.2%).

Marionnaud and Yves Rocher in France

As far as France is concerned, the survey was conducted between June and December 2010 on the basis of 46,520 consumer evaluations concerning 66 different chain retailers. In the “Perfumery” category, 3,142 consumers have rated the 3 main actors of the market.

First on 8 of 9 criteria, Marionnaud was awarded the title “Retailer of the year” followed by Nocibé and Sephora.

The retailers obtained the highest scores on the criteria "Customer friendliness”, with a score of 7.36/10, "Service" (7.22) and "Expertise of staff" (7.15). Marionnaud and Sephora get the same score with respect to their "innovation" ability.

Among the 66 chain retailers evaluated in France, in all business sectors, Marionnaud is positioned in the top 15 on the criteria "Assortment", "Customer friendliness", "Expertise of Staff", "Innovation", "Price/Quality ratio ", "Promotions," "Service" and "Atmosphere of the store."

In the “Health & Beauty” category, however, it is Yves Rocher that ranks first with an excellent overall performance since the retailers reaches the third position of the general ranking, just behind fashion retailer M&S Mode (1st) and Ikea (2nd).

Douglas and Limoni

In the rest of Europe, Douglas, was awarded the title in the "Perfumery" category in Germany, while DM-Drogeriemarkt ranked firts in the "Drogerie" (Drugstore) category. In Italy, Limoni took the first place in the "Profumeria" (Perfumery) category and Bottega Verde got the highest score in the "Erboristeria" (Heath and beauty botanicals) category. In Belgium, Ici Paris XL ranked first in the “Perfumery” category, together with Kruidvat in the “Beauty and Health” category. The Belgian chain retailers also took the first place in The Netherlands, while it is Dirx Drogist that got the highest scores in the "Drogisterij" (Drugstore) category. Marionnaud was selected again in Switzerland in the "Perfumery" category.

There was no “Perfumery” category in the survey conducted in Spain.