Abstract Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Harrods all target up market consumers of fashion and other similar items. However an analysis of Harvey’s characteristics reveals that it is superior to its rivals. The suitability of its design and ambience to high-end users, its customer service, product selection, international presence, customer policy as well as its size are all in line with its market position. These qualities allow the firm to offer service qualities that top-end consumers look for in departmental stores. As such, it is better than Selfridges or Harrods. Introduction The department store industry has experienced tremendous changes over the years. Non-food retailers such as Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Harrods have been responsible for an industry turnaround after the recession. These department stores target top-end consumers; however, Harvey Nichols’ in-store designs, product selection, customer service, and overall atmosphere are better suited to the upmarket consumer than any of the three rivals. Why Harvey Nichols is better Harvey Nichols and Harrods both aim at providing a touch of class in their stores. Therefore, their designs ought to match this objective. Harrods has a retail theme-park feel that makes it better suited to foreign or overseas clients. On the other hand, Harvey Nichols has a more attractive feel that makes it look trendy. It has window displays that are dazzling to the eye as they are quite artistic (Blackhurst, 2001). This explains why many up-market customers would approach the business. Selfridges has an interesting look as well, however, Harvey Nichols is still more posh than the latter. In terms of the product offering, many customers feel that Harrods has the largest product choice among the three companies. However, Harvey Nichols stands out because of its unique product selections. One is likely to find the goods sold at Harrods or Selfridges in any other part of town. On the other hand, if one is looking for unique items, then Harvey Nichols is the department store of choice. Harvey has exclusive rights to sell certain product labels, and this gives it an edge over its other competitors. Top-end consumers are attracted to unique products even if they have to pay a premium for them. As a result, one may conclude that Harvey Nichols is better suited to meet the needs of its target market segment that the other two rivals combined. The items stocked at Harvey are deliberately selected because of their rarity in London. Some of the hottest fashion items are found in this department store. The company stocks products from key designers in the fashion industry. In order to give it an edge, the company also displays pieces from emerging designers. La Perla is one of the key labels that customers can get to enjoy from Harvey Nichols. This brand is responsible for the supply of lingerie, perfume and other accessories (Harvey Nichols, 2012). Most of the products go for relatively high prices because of their exclusivity. More often than not, Harvey Nichols is innovative about its product choices.Critics of Harvey Nichols claim that there is less to be found in this store as it is slightly smaller than the competing entities. However