Ace Hardware Ranks Among Top Brands on Forbes 2026 Best Customer Service List

Ace Hardware has received multiple national recognitions recently, including placement on Forbes’ 2026 Best Customer Service list, and a 2025 Ecommerce UX Award from the Baymard Institute for its digital shopping experience.

In the Forbes ranking, Ace placed No. 36 overall among more than 3,500 brands evaluated, putting the retailer in the top 2 percent of companies measured for customer service. The list is based on consumer feedback collected over a 12-month period, with customers rating brands on factors such as helpfulness, speed, range of services and how well issues are resolved. The annual ranking, produced in partnership with customer-insights firm HundredX, evaluates brands across industries based on more than 158,000 consumer responses submitted over the past year. Participants rated companies on criteria including helpfulness, speed, range of services and problem resolution. 

Ace also ranked as one of the highest-placed home improvement and hardware retailers on the list.

“To be recognized by Forbes and, more importantly, by customers themselves, is a powerful validation of what makes Ace different,” said Kim Lefko, chief marketing officer at Ace Hardware. “Being helpful isn’t just a promise; it’s our standard. Our red-vested heroes are trusted neighbors in the communities they serve, and this recognition reflects the pride they take in that role.”

This past December, Ace was also named a 2025 Ecommerce UX Award winner by the Baymard Institute, earning Top 1 percent performance for desktop ecommerce in the home and hardware category. The award recognizes retailers whose websites deliver high-quality user experiences based on usability testing and benchmarking against hundreds of user-experience guidelines.

The Baymard recognition reflects Ace’s continued investment in its online platform, including efforts to make it easier for customers to find products, navigate information and complete purchases.

The annual ranking, produced in partnership with customer-insights firm HundredX, evaluates brands across industries based on more than 158,000 consumer responses submitted over the past year. Participants rated companies on criteria including helpfulness, speed, range of services and problem resolution. Out of more than 3,500 brands reviewed, only 300 earned placement on the list, placing Ace Hardware in the top 2 percent of evaluated companies.

Ace stood out among retail peers as one of the highest-ranked home improvement and hardware brands, reinforcing the role that local store expertise and customer interaction play in the overall service experience.

“To be recognized by Forbes and, more importantly, by customers themselves, is a powerful validation of what makes Ace different,” said Kim Lefko, chief marketing officer at Ace Hardware. “Being helpful isn’t just a promise; it’s our standard. Our red-vested heroes are trusted neighbors in the communities they serve, and this recognition reflects the pride they take in that role.”

Ace has in recent years emphasized associate training, service initiatives and customer experience programs designed to strengthen interactions at the local level. As part of that effort, thousands of associates earned Product Knowledge badges in 2025, and the company continued its “Service So Good, It’s Guaranteed” promise, which assures customers they will find what they need in stores or have it delivered at no charge.

The Forbes Best Customer Service rankings underscore the importance consumers place on brands that combine product availability with knowledgeable support and resolution when challenges arise — key elements for retailers and cooperatives operating with local ownership at the center of their business model.