• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

2

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026

3

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring a recent role: 'Nobody on that list gets that job'

1

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

2

Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026

3

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring a recent role: 'Nobody on that list gets that job'
Retail

This Is The Most Hated Retailer in The U.S.

By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Lucinda Shen
Lucinda Shen
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 25, 2016, 2:19 PM ET
Abercrombie-Teen Blues
FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2011, file photo, a shopper carries her Abercrombie & Fitch purchase, in Phoenix. Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch tumbled Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014, after reporting weak sales as more teens shop elsewhere. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)Photograph by Ross D. Franklin — AP
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

This article has been updated to add comment from Abercrombie and Fitch.

Abercrombie and Fitch might be desperately trying to rewrite its image by trading out the logo and revamping its controversial “models only” hiring policy, but the retailer is still one of the most disliked brands in America.

The brand behind Hollister’s scored the lowest out of 22 specialty retailers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Abercrombie (ANF) received a 65 points on a 100-point scale. Customer satisfaction was determined by benchmarks including the store’s variety of merchandise, checkout speed, and the staff’s helpfulness.

Abercrombie lagged behind the second worst ranked company, Advance Auto Parts, by seven points and behind the specialty retail sector’s average by 12 points.

“The low score shows that customers do not perceive the quality of the merchandise or customer service to be very high, A&F has the dubious distinction of being the lowest scoring retailer ever on ACSI (just behind Walmart, which scored 66 in 2015),” wrote a ACSI representative in an email.

The list was topped by L Brands (LB), the owner of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, and Costco, with each earning 81 points.

After parting ways with CEO Michael Jeffries late 2014, Abercrombie and Fitch rolled back some of its marketing strategies in a bid to reinvent itself after years of flailing sales. The company moved away from sexualized advertising, began emphasizing diversity, increased lighting in stores and moved from logo-centric shirts to trendier fashions designed by former Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren creatives.

While it once called its store front staff “models,” the company later announced in 2015 that it would no longer hire based on “body type or physical attractiveness.” “Models” were also renamed “brand representatives.”

“The data we have from our consumers tells us they are positive on our brands, on our new offerings, and on the work we have done to improve the shopping experience,” an Abercrombie and Fitch representative told Fortune. “We are confident that we will continue to improve the customer experience over the coming year.”

In its third quarter earnings report, the retailer said sales fell for the 11th consecutive quarter—though that decline had decelerated, suggesting that Abercrombie’s changes had affected customer behavior. The company beat analyst estimates, posting a revenue of $878.6 million, according to Reuters.

 

Another struggling traditional clothing retailer, Gap (GPS), scored 75 points according to the ACSI.

ASCI interviewed roughly 9,400 customers between mid-November and mid-December.

About the Author
By Lucinda Shen
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Retail

teens
EconomyJobs
Teen summer employment is headed for its worst year since 1948
By Matt Sedensky and The Associated PressJune 18, 2026
3 hours ago
The U.S. Polo Assn. CEO
SuccessThe Promotion Playbook
Meet the CEO of US Polo Assn: He grew up in one of America’s poorest regions and now hosts Prince William and runs a $2.7 billion brand
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
9 hours ago
The froyopocalypse is over. Gen Z is swarming frozen yogurt shops like it’s 2010
RetailGen Z
The froyopocalypse is over. Gen Z is swarming frozen yogurt shops like it’s 2010
By Sam Klebanov and Morning BrewJune 17, 2026
19 hours ago
retail
EconomyConsumer Spending
Americans are still spending their tax refunds — for now, as retail sales jump in May
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressJune 17, 2026
1 day ago
A man sits at a red checkerboard table with a Tiffany-style Pizza Hut lamp hanging above him.
RetailFood and drink
Pizza Hut is getting the private equity treatment in a $2.7 billion deal as its owner offloads the brand that defined 1990s dining nostalgia
By Sasha RogelbergJune 16, 2026
2 days ago
butter
RetailFashion
Welcome to the summer of ‘Butter Yellow,’ the shade of consumer anxiety
By Nick LichtenbergJune 16, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
20 hours ago
Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 17, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 17, 2026
1 day ago
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring a recent role: 'Nobody on that list gets that job'
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring a recent role: 'Nobody on that list gets that job'
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
9 hours ago
Exclusive: Universal beat Disney as Hollywood's maker of the most expensive movie of all time 
Arts & Entertainment
Exclusive: Universal beat Disney as Hollywood's maker of the most expensive movie of all time 
By Christian SyltJune 17, 2026
1 day ago
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
Success
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
By Nick LichtenbergJune 16, 2026
2 days ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.