The latest IMRG/Experian Hitwise Hot Shops List, which ranks the UK’s top 50 online retailers and travel sites, shows little change at the top. Overall, though, 16 stores moved up the ranking this quarter while 26 moved down and four remained static. There was also one new entrant and three merchants have re-entered the list.
At the top of the list Amazon.co.uk (1), Argos (2), Play (3) and Apple (4) all retain the same places as last quarter. Amazon.com (5), Tesco (6) and John Lewis (8) all moved up one place, with Easyjet (10) entering the top 10 by moving up two places. Marks & Spencer (7) fell two places and Next (9) dropped a single place.
The only new entrant on the list is Littlewoods’ Very.co.uk, in at number 34.
The biggest upwards movers this quarter were: Thomas Cook (15) moving up thirty one positions, British Airways (31) — up eleven places — and The Trainline (24) and Thomson Holidays (11), which both climbed ten spots.
Some brands also fell significantly this quarter compared to last. Ticketmaster (37) fell twenty one places, Sainsburys (41) & O2 Shop (47) both fell twelve spots, while Travelodge (46) fell nine places.
Carphone Warehouse, HP, QVCUK.com and Toys ‘R’ Us all fell out of the top 50 this quarter.
“This new Hot Shops List records retail traffic when online sales were growing at their lowest rate since records began a decade ago,” says James Roper, CEO of IMRG. “We expect significant fresh movement on the Hot Shops List this year as the economy begins to recover, pushing more trade online, and the next generation of innovations, such as mobile apps, kick in.”
