Bookstores in United Kingdom:Which are searched most?
In September 2026, WHSmith was the most searched among bookstores in United Kingdom, with an estimated 165K branded searches and 61.2% estimated Share of Search within this set.
WHSmith61.2%
Blackwell's33.5%
Waterstones3.7%
Foyles1.6%
Follow bookstores and get free monthly updates on what changed
By continuing you'll get index updates and occasional product news from Brandwave. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Share of SearchLeaderboard
Compare the bookstores shoppers use. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for WHSmith, Blackwell's, Waterstones. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | WHSmith | Blackwell's | Waterstones | Foyles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 76.9% | 18.9% | 3.1% | 1.1% |
| Nov 2025 | 76.5% | 18.8% | 3.8% | 0.91% |
| Dec 2025 | 74.9% | 18.4% | 5.5% | 1.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 73.1% | 22% | 3.6% | 1.3% |
| Feb 2026 | 68.5% | 25.1% | 4.1% | 2.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 69.5% | 25.6% | 3.4% | 1.5% |
| Apr 2026 | 70.1% | 25.8% | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| May 2026 | 70.1% | 25.8% | 2.8% | 1.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 65.6% | 29.4% | 3.2% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 61.6% | 33.8% | 3% | 1.6% |
| Aug 2026 | 61.3% | 33.6% | 3% | 2% |
| Sep 2026 | 61.2% | 33.5% | 3.7% | 1.6% |
This month’s ranking, September 2026
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 61.2% | 165K | 0% | -0.2 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 33.5% | 90.5K | 0% | -0.1 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 3.7% | 9.9K | +22.2% | +0.7 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 1.6% | 4.4K | -18.5% | -0.4 points |
1.
WHSmith61.2%
Held 1st. 165K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.2 points.
33.5%
Held 2nd. 90.5K estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
3.7%
Held 3rd. 9.9K estimated branded searches, +22.2% vs prior month. Share +0.7 points.
4.
Foyles1.6%
Held 4th. 4.4K estimated branded searches, -18.5% vs prior month. Share -0.4 points.
Compare search popularity between leading brands
Which brand is most popular in search among bookstores in United Kingdom?
4 brands
In September 2026, WHSmith was the most searched among bookstores in United Kingdom, with an estimated 165K branded searches and 61.2% estimated Share of Search within this set. Blackwell's is in 2nd place, 27.6 percentage points behind at 33.5% Share of Search.
| Brand | Share of Search | Peak | Low | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WHSmith | 76.9% → 61.2% | 76.9%Oct 2025 | 61.2%Sep 2026 | 1st |
| Blackwell's | 18.9% → 33.5% | 33.8%Jul 2026 | 18.4%Dec 2025 | 2nd |
| Waterstones | 3.1% → 3.7% | 5.5%Dec 2025 | 2.8%Apr 2026 | 3rd |
| Foyles | 1.1% → 1.6% | 2.2%Feb 2026 | 0.91%Nov 2025 | 4th |
Each finding as a sentence
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, WHSmith’s estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom decreased from 76.9% to 61.2%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Blackwell's’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom increased from 18.9% to 33.5%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Waterstones’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom increased from 3.1% to 3.7%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Foyles’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom increased from 1.1% to 1.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Blackwell's’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom peaked at 33.8% in July 2026 and was lowest at 18.4% in December 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Waterstones’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom peaked at 5.5% in December 2025 and was lowest at 2.8% in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Foyles’ estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom peaked at 2.2% in February 2026 and was lowest at 0.91% in November 2025.
How did search popularity change for United Kingdom bookstores in September 2026?
3 changes
In September 2026, Waterstones gained estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom, from 3% to 3.7%.
WHSmith’s estimated Share of Search among bookstores in United Kingdom has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 65.6% to 61.2% in September 2026.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Foyles in United Kingdom fell 18.5% over 12 measured months, from 5.4K to 4.4K in September 2026.
See your own brand in this picture
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to your campaigns, spend and outcomes, so you can see what moved your numbers, not just that they moved.