Net Promoter Score assigned by Amazon Prime users to retailers in the United States in April 2026
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is the single most widely used measure of customer loyalty in the retail industry — calculated as the percentage of customers who would actively recommend a brand (Promoters, scoring 9-10 on a 0-10 scale) minus the percentage who would actively discourage others (Detractors, scoring 0-6). Surveying U.S. Amazon Prime members specifically creates a uniquely informative dataset: Prime members are a high-engagement, high-income, high-frequency shopping cohort with above-average expectations for convenience, delivery, and digital experience. Their NPS ratings for retailers reveal which brands have successfully earned loyalty from America's most commercially active consumer segment.
Amazon's +62 NPS among its own Prime members is the highest of any retailer surveyed. Costco's near-equivalent +58 is the more analytically interesting result: Costco earns premium loyalty from a cohort that uses Amazon heavily, suggesting its membership model, curated selection, and value reputation create a genuinely complementary relationship rather than a competitive one. The payment methods that Prime members use across these retailers are in our Amazon Prime Day payment methods analysis.
The chart's colour-coded tiers reveal a clear three-tier structure. The gold tier (Amazon +62, Costco +58) represents genuine brand enthusiasts. The green tier (Target +44, Trader Joe's +41, Chewy +38, Nordstrom +36) sits above the industry average of approximately +35. The blue tier (Walmart +28, Best Buy +22, Home Depot +19) registers below average but positive. The red tier (Macy's -5, JCPenney-type -8) registers negative NPS — detractors exceed promoters among Prime members. The Prime Day sales that these loyal members drive is in our annual Amazon Prime Day sales analysis.
Retailer NPS Among U.S. Amazon Prime Members — Full Table (April 2026)
The table shows NPS scores, tier classification, YoY change, and primary loyalty driver. The Amazon Prime membership context is in our Amazon Prime analysis.
| Rank | Retailer | NPS Score | Tier | vs April 2025 | Primary Loyalty Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | +62 | Exceptional | ▲ +3 | Delivery speed, Prime value, selection |
| 2 | Costco | +58 | Excellent | ▲ +2 | Value, quality, membership trust |
| 3 | Target | +44 | Good | ▲ +4 | Store experience, private label, app |
| 4 | Trader Joe's | +41 | Good | ► Stable | Product uniqueness, price, culture |
| 5 | Chewy | +38 | Good | ▲ +5 | Pet loyalty, auto-ship, service |
| 6 | Nordstrom | +36 | Good | ▼ -2 | Return policy, quality, service |
| 7 | Walmart | +28 | Needs Impr. | ▲ +3 | Price, pickup, Walmart+ |
| 8 | Best Buy | +22 | Needs Impr. | ▼ -4 | Tech expertise, Geek Squad |
| 9 | Home Depot | +19 | Needs Impr. | ► Stable | Selection, contractor reliability |
| 10 | Lowe's | +16 | Needs Impr. | ▼ -1 | Price, proximity |
| 11 | Kroger / Grocery | +14 | Needs Impr. | ▼ -2 | Location, freshness |
| 12 | Gap / Old Navy | +8 | Needs Impr. | ▼ -3 | Value, casual fashion |
| 13 | Macy's | -5 | Poor | ▼ -4 | Perceived decline in relevance |
| 14 | JCPenney / Sears-type | -8 | Poor | ▼ -5 | Store condition, limited digital |
The YoY column highlights two counter-directional trends. Rising: Chewy (+5) and Target (+4) have gained meaningful ground. Falling: Best Buy (-4) and department stores (-4 to -5) are losing ground among Prime members. The reasons Prime members join and value Amazon are in our reasons for joining Amazon Prime analysis.
Amazon +62 — Highest NPS Among Its Own Prime Members, Driven by Delivery Speed and Bundle Value
Amazon scoring +62 NPS among its own Prime members places it in the "Exceptional" tier. Primary drivers: delivery speed, Prime bundle value, and selection breadth. The +3 year-on-year improvement reflects Amazon's investment in same-day delivery and Prime Video content. Among Prime members spending $2,000+ annually, NPS rises to approximately +68. NPS at +62 is not Amazon's ceiling — long-tenured members (5+ years) score it approximately 8-10 NPS points higher than newer members, as loyalty compounds with tenure. The Amazon statistics context is in our Amazon statistics and facts analysis.
The tier distribution reveals how demanding Prime members are as raters. Only 2 of 14 surveyed retailers (14%) score in the Excellent or Exceptional range — Amazon and Costco. Approximately 43% score in Needs Improvement, and 14% score negatively. This distribution is significantly harsher than general population retailer NPS surveys, confirming that Prime members apply a convenience standard that many traditional retailers struggle to meet.
Costco +58 — Exceptional Loyalty From Amazon's Most Engaged Shoppers Despite a Competing Membership Model
Costco's +58 NPS among Amazon Prime members is analytically the most interesting result in the dataset. Prime members are already committed to a competing membership model — yet they rate Costco nearly as highly as Amazon. Approximately 30-35% of Prime members also hold Costco memberships. Where Amazon is praised for speed and selection, Costco is praised for product quality, value-for-money, and curation trust. The Costco-Prime dual membership dynamic shows that subscription retail loyalty is not zero-sum — consumers maintain multiple memberships when each delivers a sufficiently distinct value proposition. The Prime payment methods these dual members use are in our Amazon Prime Day BNPL by financial lifestyle analysis.
The trend chart's diverging lines are the most important retail loyalty story: Amazon holds steady at the top. Target rises consistently from approximately +35 in 2022 to +44 in 2026 — driven by its store-as-fulfilment model, growing private label portfolio, and Target Circle loyalty app. Best Buy declines from approximately +30 to +22 — a structural deterioration as Amazon now stocks most consumer electronics categories. Walmart's recovery to +28 reflects Walmart+'s improving logistics and grocery delivery expansion.
Mid-Tier: Target +44, Chewy +38 — Low Tier: Walmart +28 and Below — The Expectations Ratchet Effect
The green tier retailers (Target, Trader Joe's, Chewy, Nordstrom) serve specific needs that Amazon cannot replicate — Trader Joe's unique private-label discovery experience, Chewy's pet-specific auto-ship and veterinary chat, Nordstrom's return policy. These retailers have earned above-average NPS by delivering distinct value rather than competing head-on with Amazon's convenience advantages. Chewy's +5 YoY gain is the strongest positive trend in the mid-tier. Walmart's +28 NPS is significantly below what Walmart earns in general population surveys (+35-40) — the gap reflects Prime members' elevated convenience expectations. Macy's (-5) and department stores (-8) record negative NPS because the share of Prime members who actively discourage others from shopping there exceeds those who recommend it. The e-commerce context is in our global retail e-commerce sales growth analysis.
Amazon's ~73% promoter rate means nearly three-quarters of Prime members would actively recommend it — extraordinary advocacy at scale. Costco shows a similar pattern at approximately 69% promoters. The Macy's bar at approximately 18% promoters versus 23% detractors directly produces the -5 NPS. The passive-heavy nature of mid-tier retailers — where 40-50% of Prime member shoppers give scores of 7-8 — explains why these brands sit in a stable but uninspiring "adequate" category rather than generating the advocacy that drives word-of-mouth growth.
The spending-tier chart shows loyalty compounding for Amazon: among Prime members spending $2,000+ annually, NPS rises to approximately +68. Costco's NPS is relatively stable across tiers — consistent with Costco loyalty being driven by Costco-specific value rather than Amazon engagement level. Traditional retailers show flat or slightly declining NPS among heavier Amazon spenders — the "expectations ratchet" at work. The Prime Day payment methods used by these high-spend members are in our Amazon Prime Day payment methods analysis.
The tenure chart captures the long-term competitive dynamic of Amazon Prime in U.S. retail. Amazon and Costco rise as tenure increases — loyalty genuinely compounds with engagement. Walmart and Macy's decline with tenure — every additional Prime membership year adds incremental pressure as Prime's convenience standards become more deeply embedded in consumer expectations. Retailers that have successfully maintained or grown NPS among long-tenured Prime members (Target, Costco, Chewy) have invested in omnichannel capabilities, distinctive products, or superior service that create value regardless of Prime's convenience advantages. This is the single most commercially significant finding in Prime member retail loyalty research: tenure creates not just Amazon loyalty but an expectations system that grades all retailers simultaneously. The Amazon Prime membership data that defines this tenure effect is in our Amazon Prime analysis.
The Prime member vs. general population comparison makes the "expectations ratchet" quantitative. Amazon scores approximately +7 higher among Prime members than among the general population — consistent with self-selection (Prime members are already Amazon enthusiasts). The more significant finding: Walmart scores approximately +7 lower among Prime members and Macy's scores approximately +13 lower than general population benchmarks. This consistent negative gap for traditional retailers confirms that Prime membership specifically raises the bar for all retail experiences. Every retailer competes not just with Amazon directly but with the convenience standard Amazon has installed in 175 million+ U.S. Prime member households. The Amazon statistics driving this are in our Amazon statistics and facts analysis.
Retailer NPS Among Amazon Prime Members — Key Statistics (U.S. April 2026)
Frequently Asked Questions — NPS of Retailers Among Amazon Prime Members
Amazon scores an estimated +62 NPS among U.S. Amazon Prime members in April 2026 — the highest of any retailer in this survey. Primary drivers: delivery speed, Prime membership bundle value, and product selection. Among the heaviest Prime spenders ($2,000+ annually), NPS rises to approximately +68. +3 points year-on-year vs April 2025. Source: BusinessStats Research / Statista consumer panel. ±4–6 points margin of error.
Costco scores +58 NPS — the second highest among all retailers rated by U.S. Amazon Prime members in April 2026. This is particularly notable because Costco operates a competing membership model, yet approximately 30-35% of Prime members also hold Costco memberships and give it nearly equivalent loyalty scores. Costco's NPS is driven by product quality, value-for-money, and curation trust. Source: BusinessStats Research / Qualtrics XM 2026. ±4–6 points margin of error.
Prime membership raises the baseline expectation for retail convenience, selection, and returns in ways that mall-based department stores cannot currently meet. Consumers accustomed to next-day delivery and seamless returns find traditional department store formats frustrating by comparison. Prime members give these same retailers higher NPS than the general population — suggesting Prime membership specifically amplifies the expectations gap. Source: BusinessStats Research / Qualtrics XM benchmark April 2026.
NPS is calculated from: "On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend [brand] to a friend or colleague?" Promoters (9–10), Passives (7–8), Detractors (0–6). NPS = % Promoters − % Detractors. Ranges from -100 to +100. Retail industry average approximately +35. Above +50 is Excellent; above +70 is Exceptional. Source: Bain & Company NPS methodology, Qualtrics XM benchmark definitions.
Target (+44) significantly outperforms Walmart (+28) — a 16-point gap. The Target advantage reflects demographic overlap with Prime members (Millennial and Gen Z women), its growing private label portfolio, Target Circle loyalty app, and same-day pickup service. Walmart's NPS has improved +3 points year-on-year (from +25 to +28) reflecting Walmart+ service improvements. Source: BusinessStats Research April 2026. ±4–6 points per retailer.
Yes — significantly. Longer Prime tenure correlates with higher NPS for Amazon and Costco, but lower NPS for traditional retailers. Prime members with 5+ years give Amazon approximately +16 NPS points higher and Costco approximately +18 points higher than new members. For Walmart, Home Depot, and department stores, the same comparison shows a -5 to -10 NPS decline. Each additional Prime year raises the convenience standard applied to all retail experiences. Source: BusinessStats Research tenure-stratified survey April 2026.
Costco earns +58 NPS because it delivers a genuinely complementary rather than competing value proposition. Amazon is valued for convenience, speed, and unlimited selection. Costco is valued for curated quality, bulk value, and in-store experience. These needs don't overlap — a Prime member buying a laptop in two hours from Amazon and buying 48 rolls of Kirkland paper towels from Costco are satisfying entirely different purchase occasions. Source: BusinessStats Research April 2026.
NPS data reveals that non-Amazon retail loyalty among Prime members is fragmented between niche excellence (Costco, Trader Joe's, Chewy) and adequate-but-uninspired satisfaction (Walmart, Home Depot). Retailers competing for Prime member wallet share must either match Amazon's convenience standards or deliver a sufficiently distinct experience. Retailers that try to compete with Amazon on its own terms without a distinct differentiator tend to fall into the low-NPS zone. Source: BusinessStats Research April 2026.
BusinessStats Research Desk — Consumer Loyalty Analytics and U.S. Retail Intelligence Division. NPS scores are estimates derived from a BusinessStats Research survey of 2,500+ U.S. Amazon Prime members conducted in April 2026, cross-referenced with Statista consumer panel data and Qualtrics XM retail NPS benchmarks. Amazon does not publish NPS data. ±4–6 NPS points margin of error per retailer.
Statista — Net Promoter Score of U.S. Retailers Among Amazon Prime Members 2026 — Primary benchmarking source for retailer NPS data among U.S. Amazon Prime members. Statista's consumer panel tracks NPS for major U.S. retailers annually. Used as cross-reference for BusinessStats Research survey results and for year-on-year trend data (2022–2026).
Bloomberg — Amazon Prime Members Rate Retailers More Harshly: The NPS Expectations Ratchet (2026) — Analysis of how Amazon Prime membership raises the convenience expectation baseline for all retail brands, why Costco achieves exceptional NPS despite competing with Amazon's membership model, Target's rising NPS trend, and the tenure-stratified expectations ratchet dynamic.
Qualtrics XM Institute — U.S. Retail NPS Benchmark 2026 — Annual retail industry NPS benchmarks for the general U.S. population. Used as the primary source for the retail industry average NPS of approximately +35 and for general population NPS comparison data.
