- Data intelligence platform Similarweb has identified the Top 100 UK eCommerce brands for H2 2022
- The cost-of-living crisis drastically impacted the ecommerce landscape, with over 70% of Similarweb’s Top 100 brands experiencing declining traffic
- Travel and experiences bucked the trend as consumers sought to venture out the house after the pandemic
13 March 2023: A major new study has revealed the leading eCommerce websites in the UK during H2 2022, as well as the prevailing trends that have shaped the e-commerce industry.
Data intelligence platform Similarweb, in partnership with E-Commerce Nation, analysed a variety of factors, including year-on-year traffic change, bounce rates, pages per visit, and visit duration, to compile its prestigious list of the Top 100 UK e-commerce sites in H2 2022.
The Top 10 UK ecommerce sites identified by Similarweb were:
- Amazon with 340.19 million monthly visitors, 7 minutes average visit time and a 32.01% bounce rate.
- eBay with 223.92 million monthly visits, 9 minutes average visit time and a 27.43% bounce rate.
- Argos with 56.78 million monthly visits, 5 minutes average visit time and a 40.22% bounce rate.
- Etsy with 48.77 million monthly visits, 6 minutes average visit time and a 42.39% bounce rate.
- Next with 38.06 million monthly visits, 6 minutes average visit time and a 37.07% bounce rate.
- Booking with 36.29 million monthly visits, 8 minutes average visit time and a 33.60% bounce rate.
- Amazon Global with 30.59 million monthly visits, 5 minutes average visit time and a 44.66% bounce rate.
- Tesco with 30.39 million monthly visits, 7 minutes average visit time and a 38.22% bounce rate.
- Marks and Spencers with 30.26 million monthly visits, 5 minutes average visit time and 35.61% bounce rate.
- Asda with 30.04 million monthly visits, 6 minutes average visit time and a 37.89% bounce rate.
eCommerce trends for H2 2022
Throughout the process of analysing the eCommerce sector and identifying the Top 100 brands, Similarweb unveiled a number of trends that influenced the overall industry.
Major trends identified by Similarweb analysts include:
- The cost-of-living crisis caused an industry decline: The eCommerce industry faced a challenging year in 2022 due to various economic factors, including rising inflation and energy crisis. As a result,73% of the brands within the Top 100 experienced a decline in their year-on-year traffic, highlighting the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on consumer spending.
- Travel prevailed: Despite the economic challenges faced by consumers, travel emerged as a popular choice for those seeking a break from their routines. Booking showed a 10% YoY traffic increase and similarly, Airbnb and TUI saw their traffic rise by 7% and 34%, respectively.
- Online food shopping returns to pre-pandemic levels: While online food shopping saw a surge during the pandemic, as people sought to avoid crowded supermarkets, the trend has slowed down as life returned to normal. This is reflected in the declining traffic to major online retailers like Tesco (down 12% YoY) and Asda (down 7% YoY) in the latter half of 2022 compared to the previous year.
- Experiences over possessions: As pandemic restrictions eased, consumers craved experiences that would create lasting memories. This led to an increase in traffic to popular event and travel sites, such as Ticketmaster (up 14% YoY), National Express (up 39% YoY), and Trainline (up 2% YoY). Whether it was attending concerts or exploring new cities, people showed a preference for experiences over material possessions.
Inès Durand, Senior Digital Strategy Consultant at Similarweb, said about the list and trends: “The eCommerce landscape faced significant challenges in 2022, with the UK’s biggest marketplaces, including Amazon, eBay, and Argos, experiencing a decline in traffic for the second consecutive year. This trend was likely due to the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and high inflation, which reached a 41-year high, causing the UK marketplaces to dip below pre-pandemic levels.
“Despite these challenges, it’s not all doom and gloom for the industry. With inflation expected to decline in the near future and economic prospects perhaps looking brighter than in 2022, many will be hoping to see a turning point and for a return to growing web performances and, by extension, sales.”
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