Top 100 lists

How our Top 100 lists work

Each Top 100 list ranks one group of companies, such as DTC brands, D2C companies in the USA, the biggest ecommerce companies or the best ecommerce websites. First, we build a long list from public data, industry reports and reader suggestions. Then we score each company against the criteria shown on its list and publish the order with notes on what sets each one apart.

For company size, we prefer verifiable sources, such as annual reports and public filings in the SEC’s EDGAR database. When a figure is an estimate, the list says so.

How to use these lists

Founders can study how leading brands position products, build communities and expand into new channels. Meanwhile, investors, agencies and software vendors can spot companies entering a growth phase. In addition, every list links to related rankings of the agencies and tools these brands use.

What makes a company eligible for our Top 100 lists

To qualify, a company must sell online under its own brand and show clear evidence of scale or growth. For example, that evidence can be revenue, funding, retail reach or audience size. However, we leave out companies that only resell other brands or that we cannot verify. Finally, each entry links to its own website, so you can check the details yourself. Likewise, we note the source behind every figure, and we mark estimates as estimates.

How often they change

We review every list each quarter. As a result, companies move up, move down or drop off as their results change, and new names join when they break out. If you think a company belongs on a list, suggest it through the Get listed page.