According to TWICE’s fourth annual Top 25 CE E-tailers Report, produced with market research partner The Stevenson Company, the industry’s leading online lights together garnered $52.4 million in digital sales, representing a 15 percent increase from 2015. Here we present the top 10 names in the report; the full findings — with sales figures and breakout vs. overall retail sales — can be found here: http://bit.ly/2rA4cJk
No. 3, Best Buy: The No. 1 CE chain readily admits it dropped the ball on e-commerce, making it one of CEO Hubert Joly’s first orders of business to get the digital house in order. Our Take: The investments in web design, fulfillment and back-office systems have paid off in a smoother, more functional and far less frustrating online experience, which has helped raise digital’s share to 10 percent of total revenues.
No. 5, Newegg: The e-tailer recently unveiled a comprehensive e-commerce logistics platform to make it easier for third-party sellers to get products in customers’ hands quickly, and at the lowest possible cost. Our Take: Despite forays into adjunct product categories like healthcare and toys, the last remaining tech-specific pure play continues to service its core DIY PC constituency with bare-bones systems and motherboards.
No. 6, Dell: Michael Dell once flirted with the idea of creating his own retail infrastructure, but the concept didn’t extend beyond a couple of corporate showrooms and scattered airport kiosks. Our Take: It was best that Dell leave retail to the retailers, and limit direct sales to online and phone.
No. 8, Hewlett Packard: Top 25. Our Take: The manufacturer offers a compelling online experience for experienced and novice PC users alike with its broad selection, competitive prices and easy step-by-step custom configuration.
No. 9, Target: Target’s online operation began as a separate subsidiary and was soon farmed out to Amazon for fulfillment and other services – leaving it behind the eight ball when the two eventually parted ways. Our Take: Target is still playing e-commerce catchup, with recently promoted digital chief Jason Goldberger promising to “accelerate digital’s role” in making Target a target destination.
No. 10, Groupon: Talk about thinking outside the box: Groupon teamed with third-party sellers to help popularize the deal-of-the-day format. Our Take: But not all is virtual in Groupon’s world; its Groupon Goods division is a retailer unto itself, which warehouses and sells its own inventory.
