When customers feel heard and valued, they stay loyal. That’s the heart of what Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures, and for retailers like Kohl’s, it’s a vital sign of how well they’re doing.
In this post, we’ll explore how Kohl’s is performing in 2025 when it comes to customer loyalty, what their NPS tells us, and how they can use this score to create even better shopping experiences.
What is Net Promoter Satisfaction Score?
Net Promoter Satisfaction Score, also known as Net Promoter Score (NPS), is a simple way to measure how happy your customers are and how likely they are to recommend your product or service to others.
Imagine asking your customers just one question:
“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?”
Based on how they answer, customers are grouped into three categories:
- Promoters (score 9-10): These are your super happy customers. They love what you do and are likely to tell others about you.
- Passives (score 7-8): These customers are okay with your service. They’re satisfied but not excited enough to promote you.
- Detractors (score 0-6): These customers are unhappy. They might even warn others to stay away.
Once you’ve collected enough responses, you can calculate your NPS score using this formula:
NPS = % of Promoters – % of Detractors
NPS helps you understand your customer satisfaction at a glance. A high NPS means people are likely to stick with your brand and bring others along. A low NPS? That’s a signal to dig deeper and improve your service.
Kohl’s NPS Performance
According to QuestionPro’s Q1 2025 Benchmarking NPS and CSAT Report, the retail industry’s average NPS is 37. However, Kohl’s NPS score is 32, which is slightly below the industry average.
Let’s take a closer look at Kohl’s NPS:
- Promoters: 48%
- Passives: 36%
- Detractors: 16%
Kohl’s ends up with a score of 32, falling just short of the retail industry average of 37. While nearly half of their customers are loyal and happy, the large number of passive customers is holding the score back. These customers are satisfied but not enthusiastic enough to promote the brand. To raise its NPS, Kohl’s may need to focus on enhancing the customer experience in ways that convert more passives into active promoters.
How Does Kohl’s Compare to Industry Benchmarks?
Kohl’s NPS stands at 32, which is slightly below the retail industry average of 37. This suggests that fewer customers are willing to recommend Kohl’s compared to other retail stores.
While many shoppers are having a positive experience, the score shows there’s still some work to be done. Whether it’s improving customer service, store layout, or product variety, there may be a few key areas where Kohl’s can do better.
By understanding what customers feel is missing and making meaningful changes, Kohl’s has a strong chance to boost satisfaction and turn more shoppers into loyal, long-term customers.
These insights are based on QuestionPro’s most recent study, where 1,000 participants were surveyed to measure the NPS across different companies and industries. The report represents genuine user feedback from Q1 2025 and is updated every quarter.
What’s Impacting Kohl’s NPS Score?
By addressing key issues impacting their NPS score, Kohl’s can improve customer loyalty and retention. Here are the top factors affecting Kohl’s NPS and potential solutions to enhance the customer experience:
1. Customer Service Challenges
Low customer satisfaction often comes from bad experiences with unhelpful or rude staff. To fix this, Kohl’s should focus on training employees to be more empathetic, professional, and quick to solve problems.
2. Online Shopping Experience
Delays in order fulfillment, slow website navigation, and poor online support lead to dissatisfaction. To improve, Kohl’s could simplify the online shopping experience, speed up the website, and offer faster customer support.
3. In-Store Experience
Long wait times at checkout, cluttered stores, and hard-to-navigate sections frustrate customers. To address this, Kohl’s could improve store layouts, ensure more staff during busy hours, and keep the shopping environment clean and accessible.
4. Product Quality
Concerns over the durability and quality of merchandise impact customer loyalty. To improve this, Kohl’s should focus on stronger quality control, collaborate with reliable suppliers, and offer products that align with customer expectations for value and longevity.
5. App and Technology Issues
Technical issues with the app and in-store scanning frustrate customers. Improving app performance, offering alternatives, and streamlining in-store tech would enhance the experience.
By listening to customer feedback and implementing effective solutions, Kohl’s has the opportunity to turn its NPS around and build long-term customer relationships.
How to Measure and Improve Your NPS?
Want to measure and boost your NPS? With QuestionPro, it’s simple!
- Start with a Quick Survey: Kick things off with a short survey. QuestionPro offers an easy-to-use template that includes the essential NPS question:
“How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?” (rated on a scale of 0 to 10).
- Add a Follow up question: Add the AskWhy follow up question “Why did you give that score?” to uncover the reasons behind the ratings.
- Distribute Your Survey: Once your survey is set up, share it through email, text, QR codes, or a link. If you want to target a specific customer group, QuestionPro Audience lets you reach individuals based on factors like age, location, or industry.
- Instant Results: As responses come in, QuestionPro does the heavy lifting. It sorts customers into three categories:
- Promoters
- Passives
- Detractors
View all data in real time on an easy-to-read dashboard, so you can spot trends immediately.
- Act on the Feedback: Collecting feedback is just the beginning. Use your customer insights to fix what isn’t working and improve their experience. You can even compare your NPS against industry benchmarks to see how you stack up.
Ready to Improve Your NPS?
With QuestionPro, monitoring customer satisfaction and making continuous improvements is much easier, and it helps you strengthen relationships with your most important customers.
Check out the Q1 2025 NPS Benchmark Report to learn how top brands are winning customer loyalty.
Want to improve your NPS? Reach out to the QuestionPro experts for customized tips to help you boost customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Kohl’s isn’t the only company in the big box retail industry with valuable lessons for those looking to improve their customer service and experience. Below, we recommend a few articles where you can learn how other major brands manage to maintain a high NPS and a loyal customer base — you’ll surely find some useful insights along the way.
