Topic: Amazon on top of UK's web market

[Clive]

Amazon is the most popular online marketplace in the UK, according to figures released by web-monitoring firm Hitwise.

In conjunction with the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), Hitwise has released its Hot Shops list, which ranks the most-visited online retails stores in the UK.

The list is published quarterly and is based on data taken from April 2008.

Amazon, which has been first in the rankings of every Hot Shops list since May 2006, keeps its top spot ahead of Apple, Play.com, Tesco.com and Argos.

However, there are some new players entering the list including Marks & Spencer and Next.

"Over the last two years traditional high-street stores have significantly improved their online presence, and the Hot Shops list has reflected this change in the market," said Robin Goad of Hitwise.

"It's the sheer range of retailers in the list - from sellers of the latest high-tech gadgets to grocery and DIY stores - that illustrates just how central online retail has become to so many people's lives," Goad continued.


www.hitwise.co.uk
www.imrg.org

[Simon]

I favour Play over Amazon, mainly because the postage is included ("free") on Play, whereas with Amazon, you can sometimes get a bit of a shock at the checkout, when you thought you had a bargain.