Retaining its number 1 position, Walmart has topped the Interbrand’s US Most Valuable Retail Brands list for 2012 with a brand value over US$ 139 bn, down 2 percent from last year. Amazon.com on the other hand emerged as the largest riser on this year’s list, maintaining its position at number 9 with an increased brand value of 32 percent. The Best Retail Brands report ranks the top 50 US retail brands by brand value along with the top retail brands from the UK, France, Germany, Spain and the Asia Pacific.
‘Target’ held the number 2 slot with a value of US $23 bn, up 1 percent from 2011 followed by The Home Depot at number 3. CVS/pharmacy moved up to the number 4 position, surpassing Best Buy, which experienced an 11 percent decline in brand value being rated as number 5 on the list. Walgreens, Coach, Sams Club, Amazon.com and eBay respectively stood at 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th positions.
Beyond US, Tesco, Carrefour, Aldi, Zara and Woolworths have all been ranked as number 1 in their respective markets, retaining their top spots from 2011.
While the total brand value of this year’s top 50 retail brands is flat, many brands increased in value by double digits. The average growth recorded by a brand was 4 percent. The threshold for the US league table has gone up over 90 percent compared to last year, taking a brand value of US$ 771 mn to make the top 50.
Commenting on the report, Bruce Dybvad, CEO, Interbrand Design Forum, said: “One of the most compelling lessons from the list is that the best brands didn’t stand idle, waiting for further signs of recovery. They contributed to it by anticipating their customer’s desire to return — not to shopping as usual — but to something better. For the most part, companies have invested in better store experiences and put more capabilities into the hands of their shoppers.”
The list also revealed that online retail spending continued to grow, from almost 7 to nearly 9 percent of all US retail sales. However, mastering the integrated omnichannel environment, the retail industry as a whole barely scratched the surface. For individual retailers, such as Walmart and Target, online revenue accounts for less than 2 percent.
Consumer spending is scattered owing to the new ways of shopping. Manufacturers are now becoming retailers. New rivals often in the form of very small companies continue to enter and fragment the market.
The most prominent global retail trends highlighted in the retail sector include the need to be agile to better engage with customers, focus on the purchase path to know how consumers make purchase decisions, building brand value, leveraging design to break an old brand identity and connect with customers and an omnichannel retail strategy.
Founded in 1974, Interbrand has nearly 40 offices in 26 countries.
-IndiaRetailing Bureau
