People are more satisfied with their mattresses than their cars, credit cards or their favorite beers or sodas. They also derive more satisfaction from oil and gas companies than social media sites.
And it doesn't look good for the makers of erectile dysfunction pharmaceuticals: their satisfaction levels place them below most consumer categories.
These are some of the key findings from YouGov BrandIndex's first annual consumer satisfaction ranking of brand categories, which puts home improvement retailers, tool and hardware companies, cruise lines, apparel brands and amusement parks in the top five positions.
Brand categories with the lowest consumer satisfaction scores are a microcosm of generally embattled industries – cable and satellite TV, wireless providers, property and casualty insurance, and consumer banks – with erectile dysfunction products coming in 39th out of 43.
YouGov BrandIndex, the only daily brand consumer perception research service, measured 43 major brand categories from the past three months, equaling a total of 9,000 people interviewed, with a margin of error of +/- 2.5%.
YouGov BrandIndex's Satisfaction scores – which ask respondents who are current or former customers of the brands "Are you a satisfied customer?" -- can range from 100 to -100 with a zero score meaning equal positive and negative feedback.
With the exception of airlines, travel brands did relatively well, with cruise lines, travel agents, hotels, and car rentals placing in the top half of the ranking. Travel agents came in 10th place with a 54 score out of all categories.
Spirits brands (54), as well as smoothie and juice chains (47) placed much higher up the chart than sodas (39) and beer (38).
Personal grooming did well on the rankings: Skin care and cosmetics earned a 54 score with hair care products at a 51 score.
Mattress brands tied with the skin care and cosmetics category notching a 54 score.
Credit cards companies (44) and financial services/investment advisers (42) placed significantly higher than consumer banks (28).
The highest placed dining category was pizza chains (41), coming in more than halfway down the rankings, but just ahead of casual dining (39), and fast food (33).
Television networks (35) have half the score of the top category of home improvement retailers (71), and place in the bottom third of the rankings – ahead of casinos (31) and oil and gas companies (33), but behind life insurance (39), streaming music sites (41) and grocery stores (42).
YouGov BrandIndex's entire universe of 1,200+ consumer brands was measured with its Satisfaction score, which asks respondents: "Are you a satisfied customer?" All respondents were adults 18+.