Consumer online searches for fashion accessories took a turn in April, with the number of queries using the term ‘Jewellery’ dropping 18 per cent on January levels, reveals the latest fashion retail-related data from leading independent digital marketing agency, Greenlight.
Meanwhile searches for ‘Lingerie’ dominated and maintained the lead.
According to Greenlight’s report ‘Fashion – Issue 13’, which profiles UK consumer online search behaviour, there were 3.4 million searches made online for womenswear, menswear and fashion accessories in April.
The accessories subsector accounted for 18 per cent (600,088) of fashion retail-related searches, second only to womenswear which accounted for the largest share with 56 per cent.
‘Lingerie’ was the most popular accessories-related search term. It was queried 90,500 times and accounted for a 15 per share of online searches. ‘Jewellery’ followed with 74,000. However, search volumes for the term were down 16,500 on January.
‘Earrings’ and ‘Bracelets’ also took a hit with April search volumes totalling 12,100 a piece compared to 14,800 each in January.
And Jewellery wasn’t the only accessories casualty. Search volumes for ‘Bags’ and ‘Handbags’ which in April totalled 40,500 a piece, were down 19 per cent on their January volume.
‘Hats’ were pretty much the only fashion accessory item to enjoy a significant rise, pulling in 27,100 searches in April – a 22 per cent jump on January levels, compliments perhaps of the April showers.
Table 1: Top 10 Fashion Accessories Search Terms (January 2012 and April 2012)
| Search Term | Number of searches
(January 2012) |
% Share
(January 2012) |
Number of Searches
(April 2012) |
% Share
(April 2012) |
| Lingerie | 90,500 | 14% | 90,500 | 15% |
| Jewellery | 90,500 | 14% | 74,000 | 12% |
| Bags | 49,500 | 8% | 40,500 | 7% |
| Handbags | 49,500 | 8% | 40,500 | 7% |
| Sunglasses | 27,100 | 4% | 27,100 | 5% |
| Hats | 22,200 | 3% | 27,100 | 5% |
| Umbrella | 22,200 | 3% | 14,800 | 2% |
| Rings | 14,800 | 2% | 14,800 | 2% |
| Earrings | 14,800 | 2% | 12,100 | 2% |
| Bracelets | 14,800 | 2% | 12,100 | 2% |
| Other Keywords | 263,733 | 40% | 246,588 | 41% |
Source: Greenlight
Greenlight’s report also revealed the twenty most visible fashion retail-related sites. Overall, ASOS was the most visible website in the natural search* listings, achieving a 55% share of voice. Debenhams followed in second place with 45% then House of Fraser with 26%.
In the accessories subsector, Amazon was the most visible retailer, achieving a 50% share of visibility in natural search. Debenhams came in second with a 43% share of voice.
Table 2: Most visible websites for accessories (April 2012)
| No. | Domain | Reached volume | Missed volume | Percentage reached |
| 1 | amazon.co.uk | 299,011 | 301,077 | 50% |
| 2 | debenhams.com | 259,545 | 340,543 | 43% |
| 3 | wikipedia.org | 254,371 | 345,717 | 42% |
| 4 | asos.com | 220,579 | 379,509 | 37% |
| 5 | ernestjones.co.uk | 127,755 | 472,333 | 21% |
Source: Greenlight