Clothing the fastest online sector

The IMRG / Hitwise Hot Shops List is now three years old and clothing is the fastest growing sector according to its data. New for May 2009 the company has launched an Annual Top 100. 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. Argos has moved into second place this time, its highest annual May ranking to date up from 5 last May and 3 in May 2007 & 2006, although it has been at number 2 in other quarters in the past.

Six of the original top ten retain membership of that elite group: Amazon UK (1/1), Argos (2/3), Play.com (3/5), Amazon.com (4/6), Tesco.com (5/4), Expedia.co.uk (8/7). Joining them this May are Marks & Spencer (6/23 ) Epson UK (7/NEW), Next (9/14) and ASOS (10/50).

Only four of the top ten retailers have physical stores, down from five in May 2008. Twenty-eight of the fifty Hot Shops have high street stores, up from twenty-three in 2006.

Leading the fastest climbers are ASOS (10/50), Marks & Spencer (6/23) and Epson UK (7/NEW) who did not feature in the top 50 in May 2006. In addition Littlewoods moved up to 19 from 40.

Clothing is the fastest growing online shopping sector, with eight specialist retailers on the List including two of the biggest risers, Marks & Spencer (6/23) and ASOS (10/50), and three new-to-the-List high street brands - Topshop (21/NEW) and River Island (24/NEW) and New Look (40/NEW).

The IMRG / Hitwise Hot Shops List provides a unique perspective on how the e-retail market leaders are performing in terms of attracting visitors to their websites.

Image: online shopping