PORT WASHINGTON, New York-Big-box retailers deliver a better shopping experience for mobile phone users than wireless operators do through their own branded outlets, according to a study from The NPD Group.
The survey of 2,100 consumers found that while 68 percent of all mobile phone and wireless service purchases were made at retail stores, RadioShack Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. provided the best overall shopping experience. Only 24 percent of recent purchasers described their experience as good or excellent.
Nextel Corp., which was recently acquired by Sprint Corp., and Cingular Wireless L.L.C. provided the best brick-and-mortar retail service, respondents said, while T-Mobile USA Inc. and Sprint ranked lowest.
“Carriers are working to improve (the) shopping experience at their stores,” said Clint Wheelock, vice president of wireless research at The NPD Group. “Many new tactics are being implemented, including better educating sales staffs, providing self-service computer kiosks and changing store layout and flow to improve the customer shopping experience.”
