IKEA tops ecommerce for best customer experience in 2025

A new study has revealed that in 2025, home and living company IKEA will provide the best customer experience for e-commerce shoppers.

The Retail Ranking report conducted by Refined Commerce evaluated 100 of the largest ecommerce sites in the UK across 12 sub-sectors, assessing factors such as page speed, responsiveness, accessibility, and visibility on Google. IKEA emerged as the leader with the least jumpiness on site, quick responsiveness to user interactions, and only one accessibility issue identified during the analysis.

Page speed is critical for customers who expect swift and seamless browsing experiences, particularly when making last-minute purchases. The evaluation noted that IKEA's website displayed superior performance regarding cumulative layout shift (CLS) and interaction to next paint (INP) scores.

Following IKEA in performance is ecommerce operator Amazon. Amazon, which began as a bookseller, was noted for having one of the highest domain ratings among the sites analysed, coming in just behind Apple. This high domain rating suggests that Amazon is likely to appear prominently in Google search results for various product queries.

House of Fraser is the only fashion and apparel site in the top ten, ranking eighth. Known for its luxury clothing and home furnishings, House of Fraser was recognised for having one of the fastest loading speeds on mobile and desktop platforms.

Warhammer, formerly Games Workshop, secured ninth place with only one accessibility issue, similar to other platforms like eBay, Apple, and Next.

The Body Shop and My Protein were the two health, beauty, and cosmetics sites that made it to the top ten. They were noted for offering quick responsiveness and low latency while shopping.

According to the study, the top ten websites for ecommerce experience are IKEA, Amazon, Dell, The Body Shop, MyProtein, Etsy, eBay, House of Fraser, Warhammer, and Game.co.uk.

The study identified the toys, hobbies, books, media, and entertainment sectors as the best performers in providing quality shopping experiences. Conversely, pet and food and beverage supplies ranked at the bottom for customer experience among the analysed sectors.

Rowan Burgess, Director at Refined Commerce, emphasised the importance of website performance features during peak shopping periods. "During busy shopping periods, websites must be fast, stable and accessible to meet customer expectations - both on desktop and on mobile. Accessibility is especially vital during peak shopping times to ensure all customers, including those with disabilities, can browse and purchase without any barriers. Features like screen reader compatibility, proper alt text for images, clear navigation and keyboard functionality aren't just good practice - they're essential."

Burgess also stressed the significance of strong Google visibility, "Meanwhile, strong visibility on Google ensures sites appear prominently in search results, capturing high-intent shoppers and driving organic traffic. Without these elements, e-commerce businesses risk losing potential sales to competitors offering a smoother, more reliable, and visible online experience."