Internet Retailer Updates Hot 100 eCommerce Sites For 2008
Earlier today, Internet Retailer announced an update to their Hot 100 List for 2008. This years Hot List features 100 different retailers where last years list only featured 50 sites. It would be hard for me to list only 50 (as it must have been for them), I am glad they bumped the number to 100, sounds better too.
By limiting ourselves to 50, it was becoming difficult to recognize all the outstanding sites that are in operation today. The market is expanding and the number of pace-setting sites is growing along with it.
It’s shaping up to be quite a year for Online sellers and there are many new sites on the list to keep your eye on in the year 2008. Some of my favorites from 2007 include Amazon, Cabelas, REI, Macy’s, PacSun, Walmart and many more. This year, those 6 eTailers made the list once again, along with 94 more hot eCommerce sites. Many of the sites are ones that I personally use to shop from both Online and Offline.
Hot 100 List Categories & Percent Graph:
Hot 100 List Sorted & Categorized:
Department Stores (3%)
Shopping/Products (4%)
Jewelry/Cosmetics (4%)
Books/Music/Media (9%)
- Abebooks.com
- Audible.com
- BarnesandNoble.com
- eCampus.com
- FYE.com
- Indigo Books & Music
- Netflix
- ShopNBC.com
- ShopPBS.org
Electronics (10%)
- Abt.com
- Apple.com
- Dell.com
- HPShopping.com
- Palm
- PCConnection.com
- PCUniverse.com
- SonyStyle.com
- TigerDirect
- YourElectronicWarehouse.com
Outdoor/Sports (11%)
- Altrec Inc.
- BestKiteboarding.com
- Bodybuilding.com
- Cabela’s
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Golfballs.com
- Moosejaw Mountaineering
- Patagonia
- REI
- Swell
- Working Person’s Store
Clothing/Apparel/Shoes (17%)
- 6pm.com
- Abercrombie & Fitch
- AE.com
- Anthropologie
- BrooksBrothers.com
- Coach.com
- Gap
- Guess Jeans
- JCrew.com
- Karmaloop.com
- Nike.com
- Nine West
- PacSun.com
- Rampage.com
- Skechers
- Timberland
- Undergear
Gifts/Collectibles/Occasions (17%)
- 1-800-Flowers.com
- AmericanGreetings.com
- American Stationery
- Art.com
- Café Press
- DavidsBridal.com
- Delightful Deliveries Inc.
- GiftTree.com
- Harry & David
- KLWines.com
- Lake Champlain Chocolates
- LillianVernon.com
- MyMMs.com
- Romanicos.com
- Shutterfly
- Vivaterra.com
- Wine.com
Hardware/Home/Office (25%)
- Ace Hardware
- Bulbs.com
- Costco.com
- Crate and Barrel
- Diapers.com
- Drs. Foster and Smith
- Drugstore.com
- FoodNetworkStore.com
- Home Depot
- Levenger
- Lowe’s
- NetShops.com
- Oneida
- PetsUnited LLC (Network of Sites)
- View PlumberSurplus.com or Read Our Store Spotlight
- PowerEquipmentDirect
- RepairClinic.com
- Restoration Hardware
- Rockler.com
- View Stacks and Stacks or Read Our Store Spotlight
- Step2.com
- VeraBradley.com
- Vivre.com
- Walmart.com
- Williams-Sonoma
Article Motivation:
There are a couple of things that tend to bug me a little about these lists created by IR. For one, they are listing sites alphabetically, which is better than random, but still doesn’t do me any good unless I know the name of the site I am looking for, or at least what letter it starts with. Another thing that gets to me is that IR doesn’t link to any of the sites directly from the list. That is too bad, since I use guides like this to find new places to shop, new stores to blog about and a whole lot more, but always find myself having to copy and paste names into Google in order to physically visit the site I am interested in exploring. Lastly, it’s hard when there are different names on the list than the url or logo of the retailer. For instance, abt.com (on the list) is really abtelectronics.com (in the browser). This inconsistency makes it harder for me to remember the brands and keep them in my mind as ONE thing.
Due to these few things, I decided to put a different kind of list together that is categorized, alphabetically listed and graphed by category percent. I also linked to every one of the 100 hot sites so you don’t have to copy and paste them into Google. For now, I haven’t fixed up the consistency with anchor texts, urls and logos, but when I find some time I will take care of that too.
Here’s what Kurt T. Peters, Editor in Chief, had to say about the 2008 Hot 100…
We are pleased to recognize The Hot 100 for 2008. They reflect the best of what retailers can do online. Retailers in our Hot 100 represent the range of online retailing, from small to large, and include chains, catalogers, online-only merchants and brand name manufacturers. They have in common the willingness to innovate and set the standards in online retailing for what the rest of the industry should be doing.
Overall, I found the list to be a great resource for both shoppers and industry professionals who strive to make their site more like the 100 hottest in retail. Examining the sites here can certainly give merchants a better look at improving their processes and helps shoppers to discover new stores.
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14 Reader Comments & Links
Add a new comment...Comment posted by Rajan
May 16, 2008 @ 11:07 pm
Its really great informative article…every one should must read.
Comment posted by Erik
June 14, 2008 @ 8:50 am
Lists like these are very misleading. The only sites shown are the sites that answer a questionnaire that includes information that some companies do not want to have published so their competitors can see (like sales totals). So if you do not completely fill out the forms, your websites (which are doing better than many on the list) are ignored on the lists.
Comment posted by eCopt
June 23, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
@ Rajan - Appreciate the kind words, thanks for dropping by our eCommerce blog.
Comment posted by eCopt
June 23, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
@ Erik - You’re right on many points Erik. It’s hard to determine the criteria for such lists and whether or not there’s any room for biased or unbiased data. I am not exactly sure what steps IR takes to combat incomplete fields or missing data, or whether they have certain criteria they judge by. It would be interesting to know what they look for, what they request and what’s taken into consideration when determining the ordering.
Comment posted by Hiren
June 24, 2008 @ 9:16 pm
Yes Rajan, I have read this article and its really informative.
Comment posted by Extrajewel
July 10, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
While it is true that the above list is not the bible, it gives a fairly accurate view of the ratings in each category. These sites are also the largest advertisers online and offline. The point that, ‘… if you do not answer the questionnaire…’ is well taken but meaningless. How can one rate anything or anyone if complete information is not available? These lists if taken in the right perspective, help everyone. The sellers will get good recognition and the buyers will get reliable seller information. The issue of not wanting to disclose information is strange. If the survey did not have any information except a survey form (filled by the seller) to do the rating, what would happen if a seller inflated his sales figures 10 times to come on top of the list?
Comment posted by eCopt
July 11, 2008 @ 9:47 am
@ Extrajewel - Well said. Perspective is key and we should always remember that when sifting through information, especially online. I’m glad you stated that. I sort of always viewed this type of list as a special reward for hard working, well managed sellers that spend tons in advertising. Basically, a form of recognition among the industry.
Many of the sites make the list due to their brand or time online alone and probably wouldn’t need to fill out anything to make the grade. Whether the list is full of salt grains or not, like you said, it’s still full of valuable information that anyone from shoppers and consumers to manufacturers and distributors to the sellers themselves can use.
Comment posted by Josh
January 3, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
yea i was suprise not to see tycromedia.com on there and like somebody else said before this list is kidna misleading.
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