Topshop is the unchallenged retail queen of social network Facebook, according to a new index which finds that the brand has almost 50% more fans as its nearest rival. Topshop has 1.4m fans, according to the index, while second-placed New Look has 0.978m.
Also in the top six of the Channel Advisor Facebook UK Commerce Index are River Island, ASOS, Next and Net-A-Porter.
The index, launched this week, will track the success of more than 100 UK retailers on Facebook, and intends to chart the emergence of the social network as a sales channel. The inaugural index found that 13 of the top 25 retail brands on Facebook are fashion or clothing retailers.
UK retailers’ Facebook followings grew by an average of 16% in May 2011, the index found, though brands including Chemist Direct, Screwfix, Molton Brown and Sports Direct all grew at more than 40% and photography specialist saw its following grow by 135% thanks largely to its My Perfect Moment campaign.
James Scott, MD, EMEA, ChannelAdvisor commented: “With nearly 700 million users worldwide, Facebook has rapidly become one of the most important online channels for retailers. The ChannelAdvisor FCI will track the growth of Facebook as a retail channel and identify the brands and strategies that are resonating most with consumers.
“Our UK analysis has shown that, as in the USA, fashion brands are leading the way when it comes to engaging Facebook users with Topshop the obvious star performer. Only time will tell whether it and its high street rivals can maintain the fashion sector’s dominance in the coming months but, with more and more brands looking to develop an active Facebook community, it’s certainly going to be a competition worth keeping an eye on.”
Overall, the top 25 retailers in the UK by total fan count for May 2011 were:
1. Topshop
2. New look
3. River Island
4. ASOS
5. Next
6. Net-A-Porter.com
7. Marks and Spencer
8. Chain Reaction Cycles
9. JD Sports
10. Phones4U
11. GAME
12. Topman
13. Sainsbury’s
14. Dorothy Perkins
15. Argos
16. Harrods
17. TK Maxx
18. Joules
19. Carphone Warehouse
20. Superdrug
21. Monsoon
22. Miss Selfridge
23. Republic.co.uk
24. Amazon.co.uk
25. Debenhams
