Robbie Thain
Founder, CEO
AI-generated illustrative image. Not an official campaign image.
ChangeUp’s 2026 Experience Report ranks Costco as the top retail brand. Discover how these high consumer expectations impact field marketing and CPG execution.
On September 25 of 2026, ChangeUp released its 2026 Experience Report and ranked Costco first among retail brands. This second annual report displaced H-E-B from the leading spot to second place. The findings give retail and shopper-marketing teams a current benchmark for how consumers evaluate physical store experiences. The release of these rankings provides critical data for brands planning their upcoming physical activations.
Marketing leaders constantly search for retail environments that naturally encourage shopper interaction and trial. Identifying the top retail spaces helps companies allocate their promotional budgets more effectively across national campaigns. The shift in leadership from H-E-B to Costco signals evolving consumer preferences in large format retail settings. Brands must pay close attention to these consumer signals to maintain their competitive edge.
ChangeUp says it surveyed more than 6,500 consumers about 300-plus brands to compile this ranking. The agency gathered more than 400,000 data points by combining consumer survey research with AI-powered analysis of reviews and online conversations. This methodology allowed the researchers to measure both direct survey responses and broader consumer sentiment. The resulting dataset provides a detailed look at how shoppers perceive physical retail environments.
ChangeUp says its second annual report identifies 50 retail and 50 restaurant brands. The retail top 10 included Costco, H-E-B, Fleet Feet, and Vuori. Other leaders in the top tier were JD, Lush, Sam’s Club, and Wegmans. Buc-ee’s and Publix rounded out the top group of physical retail experiences.
ChangeUp says it assessed brands on eight dimensions. These metrics include memorability, return intent, novelty, and relevance. Supermarket News reports the study described Costco as performing above the retail average on all dimensions. ChangeUp reports that Costco notably scored higher in advocacy and novelty than it did in 2025.
The data collection process required immense scale to capture an accurate picture of consumer sentiment. Analyzing hundreds of thousands of data points ensures that the resulting ranks reflect real operational consistency rather than localized anomalies. Brands that rank highly in this report have demonstrated an ability to maintain strict quality standards across their entire physical footprint. This consistency is exactly what CPG marketers look for when planning their own multi-regional sampling campaigns.
Retail spaces are getting more competitive. Passive shelf placement rarely drives sustained velocity on its own. CPG marketers face intense pressure to prove event Return on Investment through qualified pipeline rather than just vanity metrics. Brands must capitalize on this engagement by deploying human centered in-store experiences that convert foot traffic into actual sales.
When consumers enter a highly rated environment like Costco, they are primed for interaction. We deliver carefully executed, face-to-face marketing experiences designed to capture attention and generate measurable sales pipeline. Over thirty years of specialized national execution experience has taught us that high-volume environments require rigorous operational control. A disorganized approach on the retail floor will completely squander the opportunity presented by a top-rated venue.
Costco operates on a unique model that inherently supports product discovery and physical interaction. The warehouse environment is uniquely suited for live demonstrations, hands-on sampling, and face-to-face consumer engagement. We manage end to end Costco roadshows that bring brands to shoppers through live demos, real conversations, and measurable sales impact. When a brand activates in a space that consumers already rate highly, the conversion potential increases significantly.
A separate 2026 U.S. survey conducted by The Harris Poll for the Out of Home Advertising Association of America supports the value of live engagement. The OAAA survey was conducted online in the United States on August 4 and August 5 of 2026. The research polled 2,015 adults ages 18 and older. The OAAA survey found that 89% of respondents said they would attend a live marketing event.
In that same survey, 80% of respondents said live events improve brand recall. Furthermore, 80% said in-person product experience increases consideration. More importantly, 40% of event attendees reported making a purchase. The data also showed 38% tried a sample, and 35% visited a website.
Live retail experiences connect digital and real-world touchpoints to spark brand conversations and turn customers into brand ambassadors. Consumers who attend live events clearly show a strong propensity to interact with products directly. This data confirms that well-planned roadshows are incredibly valuable tools for driving trial and product awareness. Capturing this audience requires turning passive audiences into active participants with live experiences that invite people to try and share.
High consumer expectations create a direct downstream effect on field marketing execution. You cannot just drop a folding table in an aisle and expect strong retail sell-through. Structuring a national sampling tour requires end to end integrated services from permitting to CRM reporting. Brands must elevate their execution standards to match the high expectations shoppers bring into venues like Costco.
Trained brand ambassadors must drive in-store sales through real conversations and product trials that match the retailer's distinct vibe. A disorganized demo setup quickly creates scattered attention and poor booth flow. Managing finite product inventory during high-volume sampling events demands precise logistics so every activation stays on schedule. We store your sampling product and event gear, then ship, track, and coordinate delivery nationwide to maintain flawless operations.
Executing this level of precision requires deep expertise in handling complex logistics and staffing requirements. Our team recently managed a campaign where a Director of Brand Strategy in the CPG snack division shared their feedback. They stated: "The Makai team turned our product launch into a sensory event that shoppers still talk about. From creative storytelling to flawless in-store execution, they made snack time unforgettable. We couldn't have asked for a stronger partner."
Our team created an in-store experience that left a lasting impression on consumers and became a memorable brand moment. That outcome required strict adherence to operational protocols and logistics management. Brands must map out everything from cold storage requirements to the precise floor footprint flow to ensure success. Every detail must align with high consumer standards to improve retail sell-through and generate tangible pipeline.
Navigating complex event logistics, permits, and staffing is often the hardest part of scaling a successful retail program. Regional differences in health department regulations can derail a sampling tour before the first product is ever poured. A flawless activation requires proactive planning to secure all necessary clearances well in advance of the launch date. We navigate these complex event logistics to protect your field data and ensure a seamless execution that respects the retailer's operational guidelines.
Meeting consumer expectations is a moving target that demands continuous operational refinement. ChangeUp CEO Lee Carpenter said consumers are becoming more selective and that brands must keep giving people reasons to choose them. He noted that consumers still want to spend on experiences but have raised their expectations for each trip. This shift means that CPG brands must work harder to earn attention on the retail floor.
Carpenter also stated that brands can lose ground even if they simply repeat what worked the prior year. Competing experiences frequently improve. This means relevance requires consistent adaptation to keep shoppers interested and engaged. A physical activation must continually introduce fresh elements to maintain consumer attention and avoid feeling outdated.
Brands planning activations for the remainder of the year must evaluate their operational playbooks carefully. Stagnant promotional strategies will fail to capture the interest of selective shoppers who expect premium interactions. Incorporating a well-planned experiential customer journey helps ensure your field marketing efforts stay relevant. Operational excellence is the only way to meet these rising standards without causing chaos on the event floor.
For beverage and snack brands, this means moving beyond simple product handouts and building genuine emotional connections. Consumers walking down the aisles are bombarded with visual noise and competing offers. Capturing their attention requires a disciplined approach to engagement marketing that turns audiences into active participants. We turn audiences into participants with live and digital experiences that invite people to try, share, and act.
Securing retail space is only the first step in the modern CPG lifecycle. Consumers demand engaging, memorable, and novel interactions every time they walk through the doors of top-rated retailers. If your target buyers are expecting a premium interaction, your field execution must deliver one without fail. Success requires careful planning, flawless logistics, and trained brand ambassadors who understand how to drive conversions.
Is your field marketing infrastructure disciplined enough to execute high-impact retail experiences that consistently convert shoppers into buyers?
Deploying brand activations in top-rated retail environments demands precise logistical oversight on the event floor. Makai prevents the common issue of low quality leads from crowded trade shows by actively managing staff performance and activation details. Through our Consumer Events service, we design memorable live experiences that bring brands and people together through interaction, emotion, and engagement.
30 Years Experiential & Retail Activation Partner for CPG & Beverage Brands | Multi-Market Demos, Roadshows & Costco/Club Programs That Actually Sell
