There’s little change at the very top of the latest quarterly IMRG-Hitwise Hot Shops List, with Amazon UK retaining the top spot, followed by Argos and Play.

Next is the big winner this quarter, however, moving up five places to number four. It is followed by Amazon.com at five, down one, Marks and Spencer which retained its number six slot and Tesco, which dropped two places to number seven. Thompson Holidays (8) and easyJet (10) are both new entrants to the top ten this quarter and are separated by Expedia, which fell one place to number nine.

The biggest movers this quarter were: Thomas Cook (16) moving up fourteen positions, while Odeon Cinemas (26), New Look (27) and First Choice (37) all moved up thirteen spots. Cineworld (30) jumped twelve places, Vue Entertainment (33) was up eleven, while Halfords (39) and John Lewis (18) both lifted their rankings by ten places.

Several brands fell significantly this quarter compared to last. Sainsbury’s (46) fell twenty-six places, Dell EMEA (38) slipped twenty-four, while Asda (36) moved down thirteen — although Asda Direct is also the only new entant to the top 50, in at number 48. Another fourteen moved down by less than ten places, with some moving only one or two positions.

“Consumers welcome high street brands’ continuing response to the normalization of internet in the retail mix, as the Hot Shops List shows,” says IMRG‘s CEO, James Roper. “Next at four edged up into its highest ever ranking this time, while B&Q at 17 was nine places higher than a year ago. New Look at 27, making its consecutive fourth appearance on the List, jumped thirteen places since May, while Halfords at 39 was up ten spots on the quarter, ranking for just the third time. Having debuted on the List this May, Homebase took the number 45 spot. Asda Direct, a new entrant, crept in at 48.”

“Most of the travel companies moved up the rankings this quarter, but this seasonal increase masks an annual decline in traffic to most of the sites,” adds Robin Goad, Hitwise‘s director of research. “The notable exception was The Trainline, which is benefiting from the boom in domestic travel and ‘staycations’. This trend has also proved beneficial to other companies providing cheaper entertainment options, including the cinema chains and LoveFilm.”

IMRG-Hitwise Hot Shops List: August 2009

1. Amazon UK
2. Argos
3. Play.com
4. Next
5. Amazon.com
6. Marks & Spencer
7. Tesco.com
8. Thomson Holidays
9. Expedia.co.uk
10. EasyJet
11. Apple
12. Ryanair
13. ASOS
14. Tesco Direct
15. Lastminute.com
16. Thomas Cook
17. B&Q
18. John Lewis
19. Debenhams
20. Littlewoods
21. HMV.co.uk
22. River Island
23. Currys
24. Ticketmaster
25. Topshop
26. Odeon Cinemas
27. New Look
28. Lovefilm
29. O2 Shop
30. Cineworld Cinemas
31. TravelRepublic.co.uk
32. Comet UK
33. Vue Entertainment
34. The TrainLine
35. British Airways
36. Asda
37. First Choice
38. Dell
39. Halfords
40. Screwfix Direct
41. PC World
42. Game
43. Ikea
44. Travelodge UK
45. Homebase
46. Sainsbury’s
47. Boots
48. Asda Direct
49. The Orange Shop
50. QVC UK

Related news

• IMRG and Hitwise launch annual Hot Shop 100 list
• Apple, John Lewis and Tesco Direct join the Hot Shops top ten
• IMRG-Hitwise Hot Shops List hots up
• Amazon, Argos, Play and Apple retain top spots in Hot Shops List
• Tesco and London 2012 headline latest Hot Shops list
• Next and Matalan climb in August’s Hot Shops list