Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the “empirical characteristics” of the “top” journals in services marketing by assessing selected journals with respect to: the proportion of “empirical” versus “non-empirical” contributions; the proportion of national versus international research data; the geographical origin of research data; and the geographical affiliations of the authors whose articles are published. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of “top” journals in services marketing is selected on the basis of expert opinion. The selection includes the International Journal of Service Industry Management (IJSIM), the Journal of Services Marketing (JSM), the Journal of Service Research (JSR), Managing Service Quality (MSQ), and the Service Industries Journal (SIJ). The study considers all contributions (a total of 1,189) published in these journals over a six-year period from 2000 to 2005, with particular emphasis on the “empirical” studies (a subtotal of 870). Findings – The authors contend that there is in part a troublesome and challenging “ethnocentricity” in some of the examined journals. Research limitations/implications – This is the first assessment of the “empirical characteristics” of “top” journals in services marketing. Practical implications – The study provides valuable insights into the nature of academic publishing in the area of services marketing. Originality/value – Scholars will benefit from insights into the “empirical characteristics” of the “top” journals in services marketing. In particular, scholars can note the particular features of individual journals. Further studies of the “empirical characteristics” of individual research journals are required in other sub-disciplines of marketing.