The Body Shop nabs top spot in e-commerce website rankings

The Body Shop is leading the way in customer web experience, according to the latest UK Digital Retail Index from Remarkable Commerce.

The cosmetics retailer achieved the highest score for its website in an analysis of 500 of the largest online players, which used four key metrics such as accessibility, search engine optimisation (SEO), user experience (UX) and site speed.

The UK Digital Retail Index is compiled with Google’s Lighthouse tool.

The Body Shop achieved a score of 381 out of 400, having gained full marks for its accessibility as well as 98 out of 100 for its SEO, surpassing big hitters such as Asos, which came 196th, and Amazon, which came 253rd.

Just behind, with a score of 372, was pet food and accessories retailer Jollyes, with outdoor apparel brand Regatta (366) completing the top three.

The top 10 best performing e-commerce sites were: 

1 - The Body Shop

2 - Jollyes

3 - Regatta

4 - Dunelm

5 - Moss Bros

6 - Swoon

7 - MKM

8 - Victoria Plum

9 - Craghoppers

10 - Warren James

Brad Houldsworth, Head of Product at Remarkable Commerce, says: “Online retailers know they operate in a competitive environment but as the Digital Retail Index shows, you don’t have to be a global player, or even come from an e-commerce background, to thrive online.”

“What sets the retailers with top performing websites apart is their commitment to SEO and continuous technical improvements that enhance user experiences. A scalable website that enables them to respond to demand during peak periods is critical for driving sales and building brand loyalty.”

He adds: “Shopper habits have now changed for good since the pandemic, shifting even further towards e-commerce, and retailers have to be ready for surges during peak periods, or they’ll get left behind.”

“While mid-sized retailers don’t have the same in-house technical skills as the biggest e-commerce companies, it’s still possible to compete with them if you have the right platform and regularly undertake performance checks.”