Thu, 5th March 2009

Top 10 Pure-play Online UK Retailers

We are awash with tables showing the top online retailers that typically contain the large high street names and the big US-based players Amazon and eBay. But what about the UK pure play operators that are predominantly independently owned?

The list below was compiled by The Book Depository and cannot be described as definitive but it does include some interesting retailers. While some of them are household names like Ocado and ASOS there are some smaller lesser-known players such as M & M Direct and The Hut that are growing at a fair clip.

As the large multichannel retailers continue to look to develop their online divisions it is fair to say that there are many lessons they could learn from these pure play businesses. Although they do not have the marketing power and brand recognition of being part of a high street chain their websites, back-end infrastructures and keen focus on return on investments are attributes and disciplines that should be adopted by the bigger players. Top 10 UK pure play online retailers by turnover

1. Ocado £228m (2008)

2. Ebuyer (owned by Vida Capital Partners) £220m+

3. Dabs £200m (2008 owned by BT)

4. ASOS £81m (2008) Public

5. MandM Direct £70m

6. Net-a-porter £50m

7. The Book Depository £40m (2008)

8. Figleaves £30m (2008)

9. Abel & Cole £27.94m (2007) Phoenix Equity Partners stake

10. DVD.co.uk £17m (2007)

11. TheHut.com £14.1m (2008)*

12. Firebox £12m (2008)

13. IWOOT £10m (owned by Findel PLC)