The UK e-commerce market has long held a leading position globally. The country enjoys reasonable wealth, rapid technological innovation, and supermarkets and department stores joined the online shopping revolution early on. This early entry into e-commerce means the UK has long enjoyed an online shopping culture, which in turn has driven e-commerce innovation and a preference for high-tech among businesses and consumers.
Although many of the UK's leading e-commerce platforms are local sister sites of US parent companies, the local UK e-commerce market continues to thrive, thanks to numerous large retailers, a wide range of niche e-commerce sites, and excellent consumer market conditions: 95% of people are online, with an estimated 87% shopping online.
10 Top UK E-commerce Shopping Sites
As of December 2019, the UK's top 10 includes major US brands like Amazon and eBay, as well as major UK brands from the offline retail sector like Argos and John Lewis. Mixing these with e-commerce pure plays like Asos forms the typical composition of UK e-commerce.
Next, let's take a look at these 10 top UK e-commerce shopping sites to help you find the best deals.
Monthly Visitors: 220.7 million
Unsurprisingly, Amazon UK is the highest-ranking e-commerce website in the UK, ranking 4th across all categories in the UK and 42nd globally.
Starting as an online bookstore, Amazon has grown into a super e-commerce platform, leading most e-commerce categories from computers and electronics to books and literature, and TV and movie streaming.
2、eBay UK
Monthly Visitors: 146.3 million
eBay has long been a marketplace for buying and selling electronics, cars, fashion clothing, collectibles, sports equipment, digital cameras, baby products, coupons, and virtually anything else people love to buy online.
This extensive product range means it covers multiple categories like Amazon and attracts customers from a wide variety of demographics.
3、ASOS
Monthly Visitors: 33.75 million
Asos is a British online fashion and cosmetics retailer founded in 2000. It has since become a global darling of fashion e-commerce, ranking 5th in the global lifestyle/fashion and apparel category.
Today, Asos sells over 850 brands, has its own clothing and accessories lines, and ships to all 196 countries from its fulfillment centers in the UK, US, and EU. Its market is primarily young people from anywhere on the planet.
Monthly Visitors: 26.97 million
Currys PC World started as a computer store and expanded to become one of the UK's largest e-commerce sites, covering a wide range of TVs, washing machines, cookers, cameras, laptops, tablets, and more.
Through online and offline stores, they offer free home delivery as well as online booking and in-store pickup. They focus on the computer electronics and technology/consumer electronics category, ranking 9th in that category.
As the e-commerce market continues to develop, and those who have resisted begin to shift their shopping behavior online, it is the sites that best cater to all categories and demographics that will retain consumer spending. This includes sites offering products through affiliates or by expanding their own product lines.
5、Gumtree
Monthly Visitors: 14.85 million
Gumtree was the first site in the UK to offer free classified ads, allowing visitors to buy and sell everything from cars to property, and even find or offer jobs locally.
Today, Gumtree remains the UK's number one classified ads site, used by one in three adults each month. As a marketplace for buying and selling goods, or sharing jobs or apartments, it ranks highest in the marketplace category.
6、Argos
Estimated Monthly Visitors: 13.44 million
Argos is one of the UK's leading digital retailers, offering over 60,000 products online and in-store, covering toys, clothing, electronics, appliances, jewelry, gardening equipment, and more.
They partner with leading brands like Bose, Beats, Dyson, LEGO, Nespresso, and Samsung, attracting a wide range of customers across demographics.
Monthly Visitors: 11.03 million
John Lewis covers everything from new season trends in homewares, furniture, and fashion to beauty products, electronics, and even opticians and financial services.
Starting in the UK, the reach of this online and offline retail giant now extends to Australia and the Republic of Ireland. They attract customers across categories with their vast range of goods.
8、TESCO
Monthly Visitors: 9.346 million
Tesco is a British supermarket chain with 3,400 stores nationwide, and its e-commerce division is thriving, ranking first in the UK in the food and beverage/grocery category.
Beyond groceries, Tesco has expanded into clothing, banking, telecommunications, and more, making it a competitor in numerous categories and attracting customers from most demographics.
Monthly Visitors: 8.843 million
Marks & Spencer is a one-stop online department store offering customers a range of goods including clothing, home, furniture, beauty, food, wine, flowers, and gifts. They offer free delivery, store pickup, and returns services.
Fashion and clothing are highlights for Marks & Spencer, but they also venture into M&S Bank, M&S Energy, and M&S Opticians, making them a cross-market competitor.
10、ASDA
Monthly Visitors: 6.936 million
Asda is an e-commerce store offering fresh groceries and product lines; primarily clothing and home goods. They also offer insurance, all delivered to your door, saving both money and time.
Asda is a family-oriented e-commerce site catering to all their needs in one place. While they offer a range of goods, they rank highest in the food and beverage/grocery category, coming in second.
Summary
The top UK e-commerce players are a mix of marketplaces, department stores, and specialist retailers. As digital retail continues to mature, we can expect many of these sites to thrive. However, what remains to be seen is who will still be on the list in the coming years.
?