We all have brands we love, right? Those companies that for one reason or another we go back to again and again.
I thought it would be interesting for me to share mine and for you to do the same!
My Criteria
But before we go there, let me detail the criteria I use before I decide to “love” a company:
- Good value — It doesn’t have to be the cheapest price (in fact, most of my favorites aren’t the cheapest options) but it has to have at least good value if not great value. What I mean by that is that the quality-to-price ratio needs to be high. There needs to be decent pricing and good quality. I’ll take that all day over great pricing and poor quality.
- Good service — The company needs to put the customer first in one way or another. Whether it’s return policies, responsiveness, design, satisfaction guarantee, or whatever, any company I love has to be at least “good” in customer service.
- Good extras — What usually puts a company over the top for me is that is has something a bit extra that competitors don’t have. It could be something very simple, but often it’s the little extra that really makes me want to do business with them.
There are probably a few other things I consider, but these are the big three that carry the most weight in my buying decisions.
Brands I Love
So with that said, let’s get down to my list:
- Costco — How could you not love Costco? Good prices, lenient return policies (I can’t tell you the times we couldn’t decide whether or not to buy something and then said, “If we don’t like it, Costco will take it back” and then gone ahead and purchased — and we hardly ever return), inexpensive gas, samples (yes!), and saving on top of the good prices with both an executive membership and great credit card rewards. Plus, they saved our vacation!
- Amazon — You probably guessed this one since I wrote a post on how amazing they are. Good prices, willing to take returns (sometimes even allowing me to avoid the hassle of sending the item back to get credit), and 5% off each purchase with the Amazon credit card. I’m a Prime member so we order quite often and have the stuff delivered to our door, saving us time and money. And you can get just about anything from Amazon. In the past few months we’ve ordered a wide range of items including: my daughter’s text books, a ukulele, a silk tree for our living room, a coffee grinder, and, of course, books. We’ll probably do 80% of our Christmas shopping this year through Costco and Amazon.
- Vanguard — We have been investors with Vanguard for years (maybe even a couple decades) and love them. Good service (very responsive) and great, low fees on awesome index funds聽(which they wrote the book on).聽They even did a free financial review for me a couple years ago (I may post on it one day). We are Flagship members and are working on becoming Flagship Select. 馃檪
- Toyota and Subaru — Over the course of our married life we’ve owned five new cars either from Toyota or Subaru (and getting ready to buy another Subaru). The reason: great quality at fair prices. They run and run and run. I also like the way they drive and consider them among the best values in cars today. It does vary from model to model, but we research completely and rely on Consumer reports to guide us there.
- Life Time Fitness — Have you ever been to a LTF location? It’s like a resort where you work out. It’s not inexpensive, but a good value for our family. I workout there five days a week as does my wife. My daughter takes kick-boxing classes twice a week and rock climbs. My son plays basketball and hits the pool with his friends. And on occasion we do other things like soak in the hot tubs or relax in the saunas (steam and dry). And of course my all-star trainer is there to put me through my paces and keep me accountable.
- Quicken — I have been using Quicken for 20 years now and rely on it completely as the main way to track my finances. It’s simple to use, can sort the data easily, and downloads all my investments when I want. I could go to an online alternative but I’ve been doing it this way for so long that I don’t want to mess up a good thing. One day I’ll run some numbers through the 20 years and write a post on interesting things I find.
- Hampton Inn — A couple jobs ago we only used Hilton Hotels and Hampton Inns specifically. To me they are a good value — decent price and good quality. They offer some discounts (via AAA) and have free, good breakfasts (which can save a ton — when we travel we eat a HUGE breakfast, skip lunch and have snacks, and eat an early dinner, missing a $50+ meal along the way), and have a 100% satisfaction, money-back guarantee. I stayed at one several years ago and the fire alarm went off at 2 am. We all trudged down the stairs, waited 15 minutes, and then were told the system had malfunctioned in some way. It wasn’t that big of a deal, though it was inconvenient. The next morning my traveling companion asked if we could get something off our bill for our trouble. They said “no problem” and gave us our rooms for free. We thanked them and said that was way more than we expected and they said we weren’t 100% satisfied so we didn’t have to pay! All that and they have a great rewards program (Hilton). I have 200k points with them, mostly paid by my employers. Can anyone say free vacation stays? 馃檪
There are probably a few more brands that I love but these are the major ones.
What do you think of my list?
Who’s on the list of brands that you love?
Jon @ Be Net Worthy says
That’s a great list, and our first three are exactly the same: CostCo, Amazon and Vanguard are fantastic. I’d also throw Target in there for another retailer. I can’t stand the WalMarts in our area. They are dark, dirty and filled with gang-bangers…really…at least out where we live!
Anyway, I love Subaru as well. We used to have an outback which we loved and we’re more of a Honda than a Toyota family, so I’d put my loyalty behind Honda, although nothing against Toyota.
I’ve used Quicken for years, but do not LOVE it. It’s ok and does the job.
I’d put IKEA on my list as a great furniture store, high on style and good on the budget with great service
Finally, I think I’d put REI on the list as well. It’s expensive, but the service is great, the quality is high and you can return items no matter how long you’ve been using them. I returned a camping chair that broke after 5-6 years of use. No problem. Walked in the store and exchanged it for a new one – nice!
ESI says
My wife had two Hondas and loved them both. One of the cars (a Civic) lasted her for 10 years or so. A Honda Pilot was on the finals list when I bought my Highlander. The difference: the Pilot was 3 inches wider and we needed all the room we could get in our garage.
I grew to love Quicken. It’s kind of like an old blanket — not the best but serves me well. I agree that it’s not the slickest but I am fond of it.
We like IKEA too. My daughter LOVES it.
Good to know about REI. I knew about the high prices but wasn’t aware of the customer service.
Coopersmith says
Sugar is sugar, salt is salt and soap is soap. Costco is very good at providing the basic needs of these items at a good to very good quality even in there Kirkland brand and at a decent price. Unique items not that available and I am OK with that. Amazon is amazing at providing access to those unique items and delivered to your door step. My father has had trouble finding some items in stores now but with a search on Amazon those items are available.
Vanguard I also like, mostly for my IRA, Roth鈥檚 and outside of retirement investing. For my work 401k we have Fidelity and it is quite good if you research the funds. I don鈥檛 have any problems with either and will probably continue even after I retire as Fidelity has about the same features as Vanguard yet they do offer different style of funds.
When it comes to food it is all a matter of taste. I will pay more for something if it tastes better than a cheaper counterpart and the same hold the other way around. I will not pay $10 a lbs for steak that tastes meh. My father鈥檚 bread made without King Arthur flour would taste bland and sometimes you just can鈥檛 substitute butter with margarine or Extra virgin olive oil with vegetable oil. They are just not the same and I don鈥檛 cheap out.
Quality rules when it comes to replacement parts for vehicles. I have bought because of their performance Bosch replacement wiper blades for years and have always been pleased and Michelin tires for the past 4 sets of replacement tires. Some of the best quality and best performance parts out there. When we bought a used car and it had new ( less than 5K miles new) OEM tires on it I sure wish I had the opportunity to purchase replacement Michelin tires for the car. The tires on the car are very poor performing replacement OEM tire.
2 years ago I bought a Chomebook and have found it to be a very good performing portal to the web. It is NOT a computer in a laptop or desktop sense but I love it and being all Google the interface with my Android phone allows me access to all my documents via my Google drive. Apps are free and I can do whatever I need to do for home use without all the need to purchase additional Microsoft products. However I do not use it to store sensitive documentation like you would keep with Quicken or other records as this is stored in the cloud which is not on your hard drive.
We have used Verizion for over 20 years and never have had an issue and have always been a good provider. I absolutely love my Droid turbo phone. It is quite the power house. As for Apple products I am not fond of them in that my wife has a Ipad and I find it counter intuitive in operation to all the programs I have used at work and found the transition to Android based similar enough to Microsoft products easier.
ESI says
My son watched the Apple “show” (or whatever you call their new product launch) yesterday. They are the only company that can say something like “and we have two colors of black” and everyone falls over themselves talking about how great they both are.
Ugh.
That said, I have an iPhone and it’s ok — as good as my Android phone before it and as good as the Blackberry before that.
Coopersmith says
We are agnostic with the church of Apple evangelists…. Apple is a good product but the price is not worth it to me… I guess that is how they can afford a new $5 billion dollar headquarters in Cupertio CA…
DIY$ says
If you lived in the South, Publix would certainly be on the list. They are an employee owned grocery store chain throughout the southeast US with amazing customer service. They aren’t always the cheapest, but their slogan ‘where shopping is a pleasure’ is true.
ESI says
I like Publix too. We shopped there when we stayed at a condo near Disney. They were pricey but we were out-of-towners. I think if we’d had the chance to learn the system, we could have saved more.
Our comparison is King Soopers (yes, that’s a grocery store) owned by Kroger. They do a good job of being friendly and a “local” store despite being owned by a HUGE company. I’ll probably write a post on haw to save money there as you can save a ton if you work it right.
Donna Sako says
Amazon definitely is on my list-on the top. No Costco near me. But I do have a BJ’s Warehouse Store which is, I am told, like Costco. And It is my second favorite store.
I may be looking in Vanguard.
I agree with Subaru. But I need a dealership near me and Ford is the one I chose. Why? In the 70’s I took a powder puff mechanics course I & II at the college I attended as electives. The Ford Dealership taught the course and made a huge positive impression on me. I have had very good luck with Ford. My current car was bought new in 2003 and still is working great. It also helps that I personally know the owners of the dealership.
I have used Quicken ever since they existed. And yes, I love it.
I have stayed at Hampton Inns and yes they are great as well.
Sears Appliances is another of my favorites. I used to work for them in the catalogue department when I was starting out. So I do have personal knowledge of just how good they are. I gave my eldest son my old Kenmore clothes washer. I bought it before he was born. It is STILL running well and my son is 39. I have had a great many positive experiences from Sears.
Kitchen Aide replaced my 24 year old dishwasher for free with a new machine because the part they warranted for 25 years broke and they had no longer made the part. So I got a $1000 dishwasher and it installed for free.
ESI says
We did Sears appliances for years and always liked them.
Craftsman tools too.
Not much else at Sears though…
MA Thornton says
I love Amazon, Hampton Inn and Vanguard. A Costco store is not easily accessible; but I do own their stock. I have had good luck with Zingerman’s for open house events and their sales on olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They have great customer service; but it is not cheap. I also like Shinola. I was tired of watch bands wearing out; so I investigated and bought a Shinola. Well, a screw came out the first time I wore it and the band came off ; so I contacted them and they fixed the screw and replaced the band; and didn’t charge me anything. They are also not cheap. I do look favorably on companies whose telephone customer service I can understand.
K D says
We joined COSTCO in February and I’m not sure we’ll keep our membership. It is less convenient than SAM’S Club. We did save on rental cars a couple of times this summer by booking through COSTCO Travel, so it may be worth keeping a basic membership.
We have been using Amazon for many years and find it worthwhile to pay for Prime (with prime you don’t order unnecessary items to qualify for free shipping). We have had items delivered the same day a few times and have used it to order items for elderly relatives many times.
I have had the same Honda for almost fourteen years. The dealership is great so I will seriously consider another Honda when it is time to replace my current vehicle. I know that Thomas Stanley wrote about engineers buying Toyotas but the dealership where we live does not have a good reputation (and they own the local Subaru and Mazda dealerships as well). We like to use them for service so are less interested in those brands.
I’m sure there are more brands I love but nothing comes to mind at the moment.
ESI says
How is Costco less convenient than Sam’s? Do you mean the location?
We had Costco for years in Michigan and loved it. Then moved to Oklahoma and all they had was Sam’s. It was like a dirty, larger version of Walmart and we hated it. Glad to be back in CO and have Costco.
Memories says
Chick Fil A – good food and always great service!
Honda – My wife’s Accord went well over 200k miles (just replaced last year with a Odyssey) and had my Pilot for 7+ years now.
Costco, Amazon and Quicken are all on my list too.
ESI says
I like CFA too.
We get the calendar cards each year for everyone in our family. Nothing beats free food for a year!!!!
Scott says
Count me in with Amazon,Vanguard and Toyota. I use Prime and I love it, although I cringe every time I read an article about what it’s like to work at those warehouses.
The nearest Costco is 60+ miles away and I live alone, so their benefits aren’t really clear to me. Do I sign-up to get a year’s worth of paper towels? I keep meaning to go out there and see what they’ve got that would make it worth the drive and expenses.
I love my Toyota dealership, and I love my Camry. As I work from home, I don’t drive it much, and I plan on it running at least another 10 years. It’s paid off, and I take care of it.
Someone said upthread something about the new iPhone/Apple news from yesterday and I agree. The other brand I love is TING, which I use for my cell service. It runs over wireless and my bills are $20-30 p/month. Their message forums are super helpful. People write in with questions and ideas. The once or twice I’ve called their customer service has been fantastic. I have an iPhone 4s, and I plan on using it until it dies, and then replacing it with something cheap. I can spend too much money on a phone, or put that money into a vacation fund. I know which serves me better.
ESI says
My parents visited us in June and we took them to Costco. They loved it so much they joined the closest one to their home — 2 hours away!!!
I plan to use my phone until it dies as well. My kids on the other hand are chomping at the bit to get the iPhone 7. They both have jobs and it’s their money but…ugh.
JayCeezy says
ESI, get out of my head! 6 of 7 are my brands, too! Here are my adds….
In-N-Out Burger – for those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation will do.
Stihl – chainsaws and power equipment. Not sold in big-box stores, costs a little more but when you buy from a hardware or independent store you develop a relationship; for $1 I’ve spent at my store, they have given me an additional $2 in skills and pro-tips. Products are bullet-proof so the guarantees are great. Cool swag, and the kind of brand loyalty that nudged me to buy a $140 laser-etched oak slab logo barstool.
ESI says
Ha! Maybe we are the same person! 馃檪
Bruin says
Honda.
On my third Honda Accord. Traded 1984 with only 118k miles for 1995 and kicked myself for not holding onto it longer. Gave 1995 away with 230k after buying 2010 (now 79k). Bought Pilot in 2003; still driving – 285k miles. Love Honda. No problems to speak of. Can’t see changing.
Vanguard
Great customer service. Great costs.
American Express
Outstanding customer service. My card has no annual fees but gives 5% on gas, groceries, and drug stores and 1% everywhere else. I use Fidelity Visa 2% other places, but customer service (Elan) is terrible.
Chick-fil-a
Always great food. Always attentive staff.
Regarding Quicken…
Like others, I have some gripes about Quicken (e.g., always prompting me to buy new version) but I continue to use it due to years of experience and no strong competitor, I guess, so not the strong brand loyalty I once had.