Hitwise published last week the new Special 2nd Edition of the IMRG-Hitwise Hot Shops List, which ranks by popularity, as indicated by visits, the top 50 UK e-retailers selling goods and services within the IMRG Index Classification. Since May 2006, there were 12 new entrants, 19 risers and 16 fallers. 3 companies retain the same position as 2 years ago. The list include Amazon UK, Apple Computer, Play.com, Tesco.com, Argos, and Amazon.com.
Key Highlights:
- Amazon retains the List’s top spot every time
- Seven of the original May 2006 top ten brands are still top ten
- Five of the top ten now have physical stores, up from three
- Twenty-three brands are within ten places of their May 2006 ranking
- Twenty-eight have high street stores, up from twenty-three in 2006
At number 1, Amazon’s dominance of the Hot Shops List has remained unchallenged every quarter since the List was first published, in May 2006. Apple Computer muscled into second place this time, its highest ranking to date, up from 7 last May and 10 in May 2006.
Play.com (3/ originally 5) held on to the third position it enjoyed in February, having risen one place each year. Tesco.com (4/4), at 4, pushed Argos (5/3) into its lowest ranking so far, down to number 5.
Seven of the original top ten retain membership of that elite group: Amazon UK (1/1), Apple Computer (2/10), Play.com (3/5), Tesco.com (4/4), Argos (5/3), Amazon.com (6/6) and easyJet (10/8). Joining them this May are Tesco Direct (8/NEW), Marks & Spencer (7/23) and Next (9/14).
Half of the top ten retailers now have physical stores, up from just three in May 2006. Twenty-eight of the fifty Hot Shops now have high street stores, up from twenty-three in 2006.
Leading the fastest climbers are Tesco Direct (8/NEW), which did not exist when the List was introduced, Marks & Spencer (7/23) and HMV (16/32), both of which climbed sixteen places during the two years, ASOS (18/50) up a massive thirty-two places, and ASDA (31/49) up eighteen spots.
Electrical and travel are the sectors most strongly represented on the List, with a dozen specialist vendors each. The top electrical retailers include Apple Computer (2/10), Dell (13/2), Currys (20/27), PC World (26/30) and Comet (28/22). Leading travel brands are easyJet (10/8), Thomson Holidays (11/13), Expedia (12/7), RyanAir (14/9), lastminute.com (17/12), British Airways (19/11), Thomas Cook (25/18) and First Choice (29/20).
Clothing is the fastest growing online shopping sector, with eight specialist retailers on the List including two of the biggest risers, Marks & Spencer (7/23) and ASOS (18/50), and two new-to-the-List high street heavyweights - Topshop (33) and River Island (34). Other hot apparel e-retailers are Next (9/14), John Lewis (15/20), Debenhams (30/36), Littlewoods (35/40) and QVCUK.com (36/29).
Grocery sales are also booming online. Tesco.com (4/4) continues to lead in this sector, while ASDA (31/49) is making strong headway, and Sainsbury’s (42/NEW) joined the List at 45 in November 2007 and has risen three places since then.
The twelve newcomers to the List since May 2006 are Tesco Direct (8), GAME (21), Ebuyer (24), Topshop (33), River Island (34), Sainsbury’s (42), Symantec Store (42), IKEA (44) Odeon Cinemas (45), Boots (46), TravelRepublic.co.uk (48) and Maplin (49).
Brands that originally appeared on the List but have since dropped off are MyTravel (17), bmibaby.com (25), XL.com (33), Tesco Electrical (34), Flybe.com (35), Packard Bell (38), Jet2 (39), InterContinental Hotels (42), Monarch Airlines (45) and Opodo (48).
The full Hot Shops List Report (with year-on-year comparisons) is available by emailing jannie.cahill@hitwise.com
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