Quebec consumers have reconnected with the pleasure of going to stores to make their purchases and many are choosing shopping centers as their destination. The musical instrument merchant Long & McQuade, Chocolats Lindt, Yves Rocher and Nespresso are among the most pleasant businesses to frequent.
Published at 7:00 a.m.
What you need to know
— Consumers are starting to enjoy going to stores again, according to the 15e edition of Wow 2025, a study on the shopping experience carried out by Léger.
— Musical instrument retailer Long & McQuade, Lindt Chocolates, Yves Rocher and Nespresso are among those who offered the best experience according to the 16,000 people surveyed.
— Shopping centers are still popular. Nearly 83% of Quebecers have attended one in the last six months.
As for Quebec retailers, Camellia Sinensis, Mia Bijoux, Claire France, Tite Frette, Imaginaire, DavidsTea and Familiprix are also doing well. At least that’s what the 15 revealse edition of Wow, a study on the in-store experience in Quebec, carried out by Léger, the results of which are published this Tuesday. These 11 businesses obtained a Wow index of 90 and above. This is determined based on “a retailer’s performance on 16 customer experience dimensions relating to products, price, in-store service and personalization”.
Interestingly this year, many retailers improved their experience, observes Hélène Crépin, senior vice-president, strategy and consumption at Léger, in light of the scores obtained by the 242 businesses studied. These were evaluated by 16,000 respondents between October 3 and November 13, 2024.
“More and more people have returned to stores and are enjoying it,” says M.me Crépin in interview with The Press. They rediscover the benefits [du magasinage]. » Immediate availability, being able to try before you buy and discovering new products in store are the main reasons why consumers are moving instead of shopping online.
“We will remember that last year with inflation, the rise in prices, people were angry,” she adds. They viewed their shopping experience more as an expense than an experience. And the year before, there was the problem of labor shortage. We were in more difficult times. It’s still an improvement this year. »
Retailers have adopted several strategies. There has been a lot of investment in loyalty programs, in strategies to lower prices and in the development of low-cost areas.
Hélène Crépin, senior vice-president, strategy and consumption at Léger
-Newcomers
Regarding the general ranking, Mme Crépin notes the arrival of several newcomers in the top positions such as Long & McQuade, Camellia Sinensis, Mia Bijoux and Familiprix. In the lead, Long & McQuade, a musical instrument retailer with stores across Canada, stands out for the service offered to customers by “happy and passionate” employees. “The relationship with the customer is very strong there. There is truly a connection that is made with employees who share the same passion. »
In fifth position, the Camellia Sinensis tea house also stands out for the importance given to its customers, notes Hélène Crépin. “The retailer stands out for the quality of the products, the discovery, the new products. »
“We’ve been emphasizing this for 20 years: supporting the customer,” mentions François Marchand, tasting partner of Camellia Sinensis, which has three stores. He also adds that he also feels a return from consumers in stores.
New element this year: Familiprix is carving out a place among the businesses having achieved a Wow index of 90 and above. It is rather rare for a pharmacy to be among the first, recognizes Mme Crepin. How to explain this performance? “Familiprix has improved a lot on prices and promotions. The company continues to perform well in terms of service, the relationship with the pharmacist, and the importance given to customers. »
If we try to fight on [la diversité des produits]we will not win since we have smaller pharmacies. But by coming to us, the customer certainly knows that he will find service.
Dominique Bouré, Senior Director of Retail Operations and Layout at Familiprix
In the pharmacy sector, in addition to Familiprix, Brunet and Proxim obtained the best Wow indices with respective results of 85.2 and 82.9. Jean Coutu (78.7) and Pharmaprix (70.5) rank behind.
Shopping centers: the Quebec effect
Furthermore, many have predicted the death of traditional shopping centers. And the September opening of the Royalmount, a luxury shopping center project, sparked a lot of controversy. In this context, Léger decided this year to evaluate the shopping experience in shopping centers.
They undoubtedly remain the favorite place for consumers since the study reveals that 83% of Quebecers have visited a shopping center in the last six months. And among these top shopping places, it is those located in Quebec that offer the best experience, according to the consumers surveyed. Galeries de la Capitale, Place Ste-Foy and Laurier Québec respectively occupy the first three positions, just ahead of Promenades St-Bruno. On the island of Montreal, Complexe Desjardins performs best. He arrives at 12e rank out of a total of 37. Newly arrived in the landscape, the Royalmount, for its part, ranks 31e position.
It’s difficult to explain why the national capital stands out so much, admits Hélène Crépin. “People in Quebec love their retailers. There is a feeling of belonging,” she believes.
“In the levers, it’s the atmosphere that is number one. This has the biggest impact on the overall experience. » The rides at the Galeries de la Capitale are clearly still having an effect.
