Are you more likely to buy from
In the first quarter of 2011, Reputation Institute, a private consulting firm, conducted an online study among 32,946 consumers in which it measured their perceptions of those companies among the 150 largest in the U.S. that they were “somewhat” or “very” familiar with. Each company earned a “RepTrak Pulse” score of 0 to 100, representing an average measure of people’s feelings--or reputation--for a company. The scores were statistically derived from four emotional indicators: trust, esteem, admiration, and good feeling.
In Pictures: America's 10 Most Reputable Companies
In Pictures: America's 10 Least Reputable Companies
Reputation Institute then analyzed what it calls the seven dimensions of corporate reputation. That's where it found that perceptions of the enterprise (workplace, governance, citizenship, financial performance and leadership) trumped product perceptions (products and services plus innovation) in driving behaviors.
As it turned out,
The Seattle-based company flourishes on transparency and trust. It offers customers a dependable online shopping experience with trustworthy third-party vendors. Users trust and value its product recommendation system, which suggests products based on one's purchasing history.
The online retailer also capitalized on the success of its Kindle e-reader last year as e-book sales soared. That, combined with developments in cloud computing, an Android app store and digital movie streaming helped Amazon do especially well in the products and services and innovation dimensions. Consumers also got a glimpse of the company's values in November when it responded to thousands of outraged users by quickly removing a pedophilia book from its digital shelves.
"Amazon is the most reputable company in the U.S. in 2011 because consumers believe that it stands for more than what it sells," says Anthony Johndrow, managing partner at Reputation Institute. "Its enterprise-wide story engages consumers in more than just delivering innovative products and services, a trustworthy and ethical customer experience or strong financial performance. The whole really is greater than the sum of the parts with Amazon, and this holistic perception creates a meaningful connection between Amazon and consumers, resulting in an excellent reputation score."
The industrial products firm
"The people of 3M have always understood the compelling nature of character and integrity as the defining elements of our reputation," George W. Buckley, 3M's chief executive, told Reputation Institute. "This reputational foundation is the critical element in building the trust of our customers in 3M as we work towards their success, as well as our own. Technology and integrity are the combined glue that holds 3M together."
In Pictures: America's 10 Most Reputable Companies
In Pictures: America's 10 Least Reputable Companies
After dropping out of the top 10 last year,
Last year's winner,
Overall, consumer products, industrial products, food manufacturing, computer and general retail companies scored highest. At the other end of the spectrum, telecommunications, energy and diversified financial companies earned the weakest scores.
The least reputable company on the list this year:
