Lotte Department Store tops retail customer satisfaction survey for first time in 4 years

Lotte Department Store announced Wednesday that it ranked first in the department store category of the 2026 National Customer Satisfaction Index, known by its Korean acronym NCSI.

The NCSI is a customer satisfaction survey jointly developed by the Korea Productivity Center and the University of Michigan. It is the first time Lotte Department Store has topped the department store category since 2022 — a gap of four years. The result suggests that the company's "premium curation" initiative, being rolled out across its nationwide stores, is bearing fruit.

Lotte Department Store began a full-scale renovation of its Incheon branch in the second half of 2023 and completed the work in May. Its Nowon branch has also been refurbished and is set to reopen next month. The Jamsil and main branches, which anchor the "Lotte Town" complex, have cemented their position as hybrid shopping platforms blending retail, tourism and entertainment.

Lotte Department Store said its customer service overhaul — including on-site coaching sessions led by industry-leading service experts and a comprehensive revision of its service guidelines — also contributed positively to the rating. Kim Sang-woo, head of Lotte Department Store's sales division, said the company would "continue to focus on the essence of the customer experience and strive to become a department store that customers love."