While big business behemoths like Target and Walmart are ubiquitous across the U.S., America likes to shop small, with nine in 10 of the country’s consumers shopping at a small business once a week. But — big or small — when it comes to where we shop, customers need to be able to trust that a company will be able to deliver the product or service they’ve invested their hard-earned money in.
The majority of American consumers turn to online reviews of a company before they commit to a purchase, whatever it may be. In particular, glowing five-star reviews from previous customers create the impression of a trustworthy company. In fact, 93.7% of consumers will trust a brand more if it has received positive feedback from customers.
This led the team here at OnDeck to wonder: if positive reviews and ratings translate to trustworthiness, which American companies are the most trustworthy of all? To find out, we explored millions of customer ratings on the leading review website Trustpilot, a site on which three in four U.S. consumers say they check a brand’s score before making a purchase. Read on for our findings.
About This Study
We began with a list of companies that operate in the United States and searched them all on Trustpilot. For each company, we recorded what percentage of its ratings are five stars. This enabled us to rank the companies local to each state and overall within particular categories (tech, clothing, media, finance and beauty) that are the most trustworthy (i.e., have the highest proportion of five-star ratings). To be considered in the top 20 rankings overall, companies needed at least 5,000 customer reviews. We lowered this threshold to at least 2,000 reviews per sector, and to at least 1,000 reviews per U.S. state.
Key Findings
- NCH (a legal services company in Nevada) is the most trustworthy American company overall: 97.43% of its customer ratings are five stars.
- Meanwhile, Vision Computers, Inc. (a computer repair company in Georgia) is the most trusted American company in tech (98.35% of five-star ratings).
- In media, print and publishing, Artmill (a photo printing shop in Illinois) is the most trustworthy American company (97.20% of five-star ratings).
- PolicyPro (an insurance agency in Texas) ranks as the most trusted American finance company, boasting a nearly universal (99.10%) share of five-star ratings.
Revealed: The Most Trusted American Companies
Our research reveals the top 20 most trusted American companies, based on the proportion of their Trustpilot customer reviews that are rated five stars. Leading them all is NCH (Nevada Corporate Headquarters), a legal firm that specializes in business startups, with 97.43% five-star ratings.
“This entire process of starting an LLC has been seamless and has taken a LOAD of stress off of me,” writes one reviewer. Another comments: “As always, for me as a business owner, it is difficult to keep up with all of the corp papers, licenses etc… The on-time reminders that I get from NCH are extremely helpful.” It’s likely that a seamless experience and plenty of assistance are appreciated in a country that ranks on the more difficult end when it comes to starting a business.
Companies that make up the rest of the top 20 ranking include art supply stores, credit counseling services and funeral homes. US Service Animals, in third place (97.10% of five-star reviews), works to help customers register their pets as service animals. “Excellent support given by all staff,” writes a customer. “Explained the entire process thoroughly. Easy to understand lesson plans. Easy to upload videos.”
Our map above reveals the most trusted company headquartered in each state. A Kentucky company that trades wine, cognac, whiskey and scotch called Epic Cellars has the highest rating for a state business (99.16% of five-star reviews). Reviews highlight the friendly customer service and easy processes. A positive customer service experience is a surefire way into a customer’s heart: 92% of consumers say they’d be more likely to use a business again if they experienced positive customer service the first time.
Elsewhere, toy stores, transportation companies and moving firms come top. The more unique businesses include Gongs Unlimited, a gong and gong accessories seller in Nebraska (94.77% of five-star reviews), about which one customer writes: “They are awesome about offering advice for what products will suit my needs best, and their shipping was super fast!”
The Most Trusted Company in Tech Is a Computer Repair Shop in Georgia
In the world of tech, Vision Computers, Inc. in Georgia ranks as the most trusted company in the U.S., having garnered an impressive 98.35% of five-star ratings. “For once, a company delivers as advertised,” comments one customer. “Every time I’ve called for assistance, the phone has been answered after fewer than a few rings, and the issue has always been resolved.” Responding to a customer quickly is one way of fostering trust with a business, as customers tend to wait around for only five minutes before taking their business elsewhere.
The next four most trusted tech companies are based in New York, including Waredot, for which 96.70% of customer reviews are rated five stars. This software company’s clients mention how technicians quickly fostered trust in situations that made them feel vulnerable. “The experience is good because it will free my devices of hacker activity,” one writes. “It was worrisome to let someone have control of my computer. Trust is difficult, especially after being hacked. I am grateful that the hackers are gone. I am grateful to John and Jim who gave me my computer back!”
Printed Clothing Stores Among America’s Most Trusted Firms in Fashion
The most trusted company in clothing and fashion is DavidSW in Florida (98.22% of five-star ratings), a watch store that sells timepieces for tens of thousands of dollars. “I was certainly apprehensive about buying such an expensive timepiece,” writes a customer. “With DavidSW, all my worries went away due to the exceptional customer service.” It’s clear that positive customer service is a great way of fostering trust in a landscape where so many Americans have been financially scammed online.
Two printed clothing stores in North Carolina also rank highly: Coolie Nation (95.04%) and Queensboro (94.77%). Of Coolie Nation, one customer writes: “I’ve used [Coolie Nation] multiple times, and it has some of the best customer service and response time I’ve ever experienced. They are very helpful with making your ideas a reality in a very timely manner.” Also making the cut are stores that specialize in children’s clothing, outdoor equipment and headwear.
Illinois Photo Shop Artmill Tops Most Trusted American Companies in Media
When it comes to media companies, Artmill — a photo printing service in Illinois — is placed as the most trusted by customers, boasting an impressive 97.20% share of five-star ratings. “I’ve used ArtMill for five years and their work is always excellent!” comments one customer on Trustpilot. Another notes the service’s competitive pricing. Writing for Forbes, Naked Wines CEO Nick Devlin comments: “When customers feel like they are getting a fair deal, they are more likely to be loyal to your business. This can lead to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.”
Bookstores take up six of the top 20 spots, led by MyComicShop in Texas (92.02% of five-star ratings). One customer, calling the shop “one of the best online comic shops,” highlights the store’s website as a plus: “The website is intuitive and has comic books organized by either title or series/run. It is awesome!” An easy-to-use website is an important part of building a relationship with customers; 60% of consumers will abandon purchases online if a website offers a poor user experience.
Texas-Based Insurance Agency PolicyPro Is America’s Most Trusted Finance Company
Trusting a company is even more important if they have a role in your financial livelihood. In this category, PolicyPro in Texas takes the title of the most trusted company in the country, with a 99.10% share of five-star ratings online. Individual staff members are name-checked in many of the insurance agency’s reviews. Allowing customers to interact with humans is one way of building trust; 57% of consumers feel more loyalty to brands that create a human connection as part of their customer service.
Other insurance agencies and brokers make the cut — defying the cultural phenomenon of life and health insurance companies being some of the least trusted in the U.S. — as do credit counseling services, debt relief services and real estate agencies. The Texas-based gold and silver trading company American Gold Exchange also ranks (95.23% of five-star ratings), about which a customer writes: “A live person still answers the phone, not a computerized voice with a menu queue.”
Herbalist Stores and Skin Care Clinics Among America’s Most Trusted Companies in Beauty and Wellness
Next, we explored the most trusted beauty and wellness companies operating in the U.S. Soap Korner in Colorado comes out on top, with 97.08% of its Trustpilot ratings being five stars. “Every time I’ve gone into the store or been shipped something, it’s always been the highest quality and the best experience,” writes a customer. “I always appreciate the handwritten thank you on the invoice.” Personalized thank-you notes at the end of a business-customer interaction can help in leaving a positive lasting impression on consumers. As customer experience consultant Micah Solomon writes:
“The end, as much as the beginning, is a moment in time that psychological research show[s] will linger in the memory of your customer: it can have a real effect on how customers view your company in days and months to come.”
Next up is Better Way Health in Georgia, with 95.05% five-star ratings (a vitamin and supplements store), and skin care clinic DermWarehouse in Ohio (94.70% five-star ratings). Customers of both companies highlight fast shipping times as a plus. One study revealed that 44% of consumers think that faster delivery times on orders would increase their loyalty to a particular brand.
How to Build Trust With Your Customers
Big and small businesses alike need to consistently build trust with their customers. Read on for our three top tips on how to do just that.
1. Offer excellent customer service
It goes without saying that offering excellent customer service is a surefire way to leave a positive impression on your customers and keep them coming back. Indeed, a PwC survey revealed that just one bad experience would cause close to a third of consumers to stop being loyal to a brand they love. It also found that some of the most important elements of customer experience include friendliness, speed and efficiency, knowledgeable employees and convenience.
2. Let customers talk to a human
The results are in: humans really do like to talk to other humans when it comes to doing business. Consider setting up a dedicated phone number for customer support alongside extra options like an email address and a web chat. Not being able to chat with a real person can be frustrating for a customer and will likely leave a bad impression on them — not great for building trust!
Pro tip: Make sure your dedicated customer query helpline phone number is easy to find on your website. Artificial intelligence software can be used to automate web chats designed to answer frequently asked questions.
3. Encourage customer feedback
At the end of your journey with a customer, encourage them to leave public feedback on their experience. You could do this by sending them an easy-to-follow link or QR code to your business on review websites like Trustpilot or Yelp. Gaining lots of positive reviews and ratings will increase the likelihood of future customers making the decision to shop with you.
Two in three consumers say they’re often or very often influenced by customer reviews when it comes to making a purchase, with 62% saying the same about ratings. Customers even consider the number of reviews your business has received before investing in a product or service.
Methodology
We began our research by compiling a seed list of companies considered American for operating within the United States and considered local to a U.S. state via their Trustpilot contact details. This may include some companies that were founded in other countries or which operate in multiple countries and U.S. states.
We then retrieved each company’s customer ratings from Trustpilot, enabling us to isolate the top companies overall, per U.S. state and per sector (tech; finance; clothing and accessories; beauty and wellness; media, print and publishing) with the highest percentage of five-star reviews. To be considered in the top 20 rankings overall, companies needed at least 5,000 customer reviews. We lowered this threshold to at least 2,000 reviews per sector, and to at least 1,000 reviews per U.S. state. Companies with the same customer rating were separated according to which had the higher number of reviews.
In total, our analysis considers more than 14.9 million customer ratings. The data for this research is correct as of January 2024.
Additional Sources
Kats, R. (2019). Consumer Trust Relies Heavily on Reviews and Brand Honesty. insiderintelligence.com
Paget, S. (2023). Local Consumer Review Survey 2023. brightlocal.com
Lewis. (2023). I have been a customer of Vision for…. trustpilot.com
Kunst, A. (2020). How much on average do you usually spend per month on online shopping for clothing, shoes & accessories?. statista.com
Escobedo, F. (2023). Will buy here again!. trustpilot.com
Douglass, G. (2023). Very nice. trustpilot.com
Bloom, P. (2022). The Four Factors of Trust: How Organizations Can Earn Lifelong Loyalty. deloitte.com
Insurance Business. (2015). America’s least-respected industries: How does insurance fare? insurancebusinessmag.com
Team Braze. (2019). 4 Steps to True Brand Humanity. braze.com
Statista. (2023). Beauty & Personal Care – United States. statista.com
Nepton, C. (2023). Wonderful Product & Amazing Customer Service <3. trustpilot.com
DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational purposes only. OnDeck and its affiliates do not provide financial, legal, tax or accounting advice.
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