Survey reveals the hits and misses in customer service.

 

Officeworks has been revealed as one of the two best retailers to improve their online customer experience, according to Inside Retailing’s 2026 Online CX Report.

 

The report benchmarks 94 leading Australian retailers across nine categories, drawing on thousands of real mystery shopping experiences.

 

Officeworks was ranked fourth on overall performance in the electronics category, behind JB Hi-Fi, Appliances Online and Bing Lee and ahead of Harvey Norman, The Good Guys and Kogan, the latter showing the most improvement in online performance over the past year.

 

Officeworks’ online performance ranking contrasts with the results of a recent CHOICE survey in which the retailer was ranked second-lowest after Bunnings on value for money while its customers were the most likely to have to wait a long time for service in-store.

 

Returns and refunds a problem

 

In 2026, the CX Report data shows the biggest customer service gap is happening after purchase, particularly across returns, refunds and resolution. The benchmark shows the strongest performers are consistent on three key fundamentals: functionality (does it work as promised), clarity (is key information easy to find and consistent), and expectation management (are updates timely and reduce uncertainty after purchase).

 

A "difficult returns process" is now the number one reason shoppers don't come back, up 69 per cent year-on-year.

 

Refund times range from seconds to 92 days and return authorisation wait times have more than doubled in 2026.

Officeworks online with Snapchat

Officeworks is the first retailer worldwide to activate Snapchat's advertising formats through Zitcha, an Australian-founded retail media platform.

Snapchat is a visual messaging app that reaches more than 90 per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds in Australia and boasts over eight million monthly users. The integration allows brands to utilise Snapchat's advertising formats, including Sponsored Snaps, Snap Ads, and Dynamic Product Ads, directly within the Zitcha platform.

Officeworks has already launched a campaign for Microsoft using Snapchat offsite advertising through Zitcha, aiming to drive demand both online and in-store. Zitcha's integration seeks to link media investment with retail outcomes, measuring campaigns against product movement at the retailer.

Andy Mossop, chief customer officer at Officeworks said: “As one of the first retailers globally to activate Snapchat through Zitcha, we're helping shape the future of retail media by connecting brands with audiences in more relevant and engaging ways. Just as importantly, we're committed to delivering meaningful, measurable results for our suppliers."