Welcome to the second RetailX Growth 2000 (G2K) report. Building on our research for the RetailX UK Top500 (RXUK Top500, formerly the InternetRetailing UK Top500), which assesses the largest UK ecommerce and multichannel retailers, it offers a unique performance-based perspective on 2,000 challenger retailers that, while they lack the outright scale of larger competitors, together make up a significant and dynamic part of the overall market.
As we outline in our context feature, the UK retail sector is characterised by the diversity of businesses. Some of these retailers, such as Balenciaga, Chanel and Timberland, represent the UK presence of leading international fashion and footwear brands. Elsewhere in the G2K, there are specialist companies that bring a depth and expertise to what they do that often cannot be matched by larger retailers. The list also finds room for vibrant startups making the most of the digital revolution, as well as those retailers that are growing out from regional bases.
Some of these retailers will, in time, rank within the RXUK Top500. Those that, for example, sell to hobbyists may find their growth limited by the size of their markets. What unites both kinds of business is that, looking across the G2K, we find they offer examples of innovative practice that other retailers would do well to mimic, and which we spotlight in a series of case studies that begins on page 22. We also highlight which retailers within the G2K perform best within four key performance areas: Search & Checkout, Mobile, Delivery and Social.
Looking ahead
As with last year, the list is revealing, showing which retailers are not just coping but also thriving at a time when economic uncertainty is making it tough for many companies. As the Brexit saga rumbles on and ecommerce continues to reshape retail, further difficulties lie ahead, which is why we intend to expand our coverage of challenger retailers.
We welcome your suggestions on how best we can do this. Please do get in touch via research@retailx.net
Ian Jindal
Editor-In-Chief
