In today’s tech-saturated world, you have more options than ever when it comes to buying the electronics you need. Whether you’re shopping for a new smartphone, a graphics card for your PC, or even just a set of batteries for your TV remote, the range of available retailers is vast. You can order online from the comfort of your home, visit a local big box store, or even buy directly from the manufacturer’s website. Each option has its own perks. But with so many choices, how do you decide where to shop? Which retailer offers the best overall experience, whether online or in-person?
In 2023, we set out to answer those questions with our first-ever Readers’ Choice survey for Retailers. We asked thousands of PCMag readers to share the stores they buy electronics from and rate them on a wide range of qualitative measures, including things like prices, product availability, payment options, shipping, and even the quality of the onsite product descriptions and images. The result was a definitive, data-backed ranking of the best tech retailers in the US.
Now it’s time for round two.
This time, 34 retailers qualify for inclusion in our results. The following charts break down the ratings for online, brick-and-mortar, and hybrid retailers (ie, companies that run online and physical stores). We also take things a step further this year by comparing different store types, including mobile carriers, tech manufacturers with retail chains, and big box/warehouse stores.
In other words, next time you go shopping for anything electronic, these are the outlets you should head to first.
The Top Overall Retailers (Online and Brick-and-Mortar Combined)
For this survey, we introduced a key change to the survey: instead of giving stores a single overall satisfaction score, they now receive separate scores for their online and in-person experiences. We combine these ratings for retailers that meet our survey threshold in both categories and give the score a weight based on the number of responses it received for online versus offline shopping. This methodology helps us get a more accurate picture of the companies that excel at both online and in-person retail.
Using the aforementioned scoring system, Micro Center earns the highest combined satisfaction score for both online and physical store experiences, and thereby secures our Readers’ Choice Award. Although the company has a limited number of brick-and-mortar locations, customers who visit those stores or shop via microcenter.com are overwhelmingly satisfied.
(Note: Click the down, left, and right arrows in our interactive charts to view different elements of our survey results.)
However, Micro Center’s victory isn’t a landslide. Costco comes in a close second in both overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend, which is definitely worth keeping in mind if you prefer to shop in person. There might not be a Micro Center store near where you live, but there’s more likely a Costco within driving distance.
The Top Online Retailers
Last year’s best overall tech retailer, B&H Photo Video, earns a top spot again this year, specifically for its online storefront. Customers rate it higher than any other brand in our survey when it comes to overall satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, and customer service.
B&H also earns a Readers’ Choice Award for its stellar shopping cart and checkout experience, and scores notably high for mobile shopping—even higher than Amazon.
Another standout in this category is Apple, which leads among manufacturer-run stores. The company’s online storefront, Apple.com, receives top marks for product availability and quality, standing out among competitors like Canon, Dell, HP, Lenovo, Logitech, and Microsoft.
Other sub-category wins include Crutchfield for its top-notch customer service, Walmart and Costco for their great membership/club costs, Amazon for its stellar shipping, and Temu for its exceptionally affordable prices.
That being said, it’s worth noting that certain retailers who made the podium this year also earn abysmal scores in specific categories. Temu, for example, earns high praise for its low prices but also comes in dead last for product quality and second-to-last for shipping speed. The site has also come under fire for ethical reasons in recent years, so keep that in mind before you dive in and start shopping.
The Top Brick-and-Mortar Retailers
When it comes to in-store experiences, Micro Center reigns supreme. If you’re fortunate enough to live near one of its 28 locations (with a 29th opening soon in Santa Clara, CA), it’s worth a visit the next time you need new tech gear. Customers rate Micro Center exceptionally high in overall satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, product selection, and customer service.
An interesting thing to note here is the stark difference in scores for physical and digital storefronts. For example, Walmart makes both the online and brick-and-mortar list, yet earns much higher scores for its online store. The same goes for Amazon. It is at the absolute bottom of the heap when it comes to in-store retail (it currently has just 22 Amazon Go stores speckled across the country) but near the top of the list for online shopping.
Retailer Ratings by Store Type
Not all retailers operate the same way. Some only sell their own products, while others stock items from a wide range of manufacturers or focus on specific categories like mobile phones. This can make direct comparisons between retailers tricky, so in an effort to simplify things, this section breaks down retailers by the type of stores they operate.
Manufacturer Stores
Among brands with stores (both online and/or brick-and-mortar) that sell their own products, it’s no surprise to see Apple at the top. The company earns industry-leading ratings for overall satisfaction, product quality, product availability, customer service, and likelihood to recommend. The only place Apple falters (as we see in many surveys) is price. Customers love most things about Apple, but not the high cost of its products.
A very close third here is Amazon, but this is more of a courtesy inclusion since Amazon’s numbers are based on selling anything and everything, not just its own products. That means the next vendor down—Canon USA—is another great retailer to consider, especially if you’re in the market for a camera or printer.
Recommended by Our Editors
Mobile Carrier Stores
The big three mobile carriers in the US don’t score particularly well—at least not when compared with the other vendors in the lists above. But if you have to pick one to shop at, your best bet is T-Mobile. It has far better scores than AT&T or Verizon in most categories.
That said, Verizon does well in some categories—most notably product availability, product quality, shipping cost, and shipping speed. But its overall satisfaction numbers are a half point below what T-Mobile’s stores earn.
Big Box Stores
This year, our Readers’ Choice Award for big box retailers goes to a somewhat unexpected vendor: Lowes. Despite the fact that it doesn’t specialize in tech gear or electronics, it easily outpaces its competitors in terms of overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend.
Interestingly, both Lowes and Home Depot beat their more tech-focused rivals when it comes to product selection, availability, and quality. Best Buy (the most-used big box retailer among our respondents) earns the lowest overall satisfaction score of all—lower than many competitors that don’t specialize in technology products.
Warehouse Club Stores
When it comes to stores that require club memberships, Costco is the most beloved among PCMag readers, earning top marks for overall satisfaction, likelihood to recommend, value, and satisfaction with price.
The biggest of the three, Sam’s Club, only outscores Costco in a few areas (product selection and shipping speed for online orders), and they tie in many others. BJs only bests the other two when it comes to payment options.
Otherwise, Costco thoroughly dominates the field. It sweeps the remaining categories and earns an impressive 9.5 out of 10 for its return policy.
Full Results
The PCMag Readers’ Choice survey for Retailers was in the field from August 22 to September 15, 2024. For more information on how we conduct surveys, read our survey methodology.
PCMag Readers’ Choice: How Our Surveys Help You Find the Best Products
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About Eric Griffith
Senior Editor, Features
