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Ecommerce Benchmarks 2025: Key Metrics & Industry Data

Ecommerce Benchmarks 2025: Key Metrics & Industry Data

By 
Last Updated:  
February 26, 2026

Understanding how your online store performs compared to competitors is essential for growth. Ecommerce conversion rates globally hover around 1.9-2%, but this varies dramatically by industry, device, and channel. Whether you’re measuring conversion rates, average order value, or cart abandonment, knowing where you stand compared to the market helps you identify opportunities and set realistic goals.

This guide will provide the most current ecommerce metrics benchmarks across key metrics, break down performance by industry, and offer some practical steps to improve underperforming areas. 

What are ecommerce benchmarks?

Ecommerce benchmarks are standardized metrics that represent typical performance across online stores. They help you answer critical questions: Is a 2% conversion rate good? Should I be concerned about a 70% cart abandonment rate? How does my average order value compare to similar businesses?

These benchmarks serve as diagnostic tools rather than absolute targets. Your performance depends on factors including:

  • Industry vertical: Apparel stores convert differently than Pet Supplies retailers
  • Traffic quality: Paid ads will typically have lower conversion rates than email marketing
  • Seasonality: Holiday periods dramatically shift all metrics
  • Business model: B2B stores see higher AOVs but often lower conversion rates than B2C

Think of benchmarks as guardrails that help you identify funnel weaknesses and prioritize improvements. When your metrics fall significantly below industry benchmarks averages, you’ve found your opportunity for improvement.

Ecommerce conversion rate benchmarks

What this measures: The percentage of website visitors who complete a purchase. Calculate it by dividing total orders by total sessions, then multiply by 100. 

Current benchmark ranges

The global average ecommerce conversion rate stands at 1.9-2%, with Shopify stores typically achieving 2.5-3%. However, top performing shops significantly exceed these numbers:

  • Global average: 1.9-2%
  • Shopify average: 2.5-3%
  • Triple Whale 2025 median (for paid ads): 2.01%
  • Top 20% of stores: 3.2% and up
  • Top 10% of stores: 4.7% and up

How conversion rates vary

  • By device: Desktop users convert at 3.9% compared to mobile’s 1.8%. Even though mobile sessions account for 73% of traffic, mobile ecommerce statistics underperform compared to desktop conversion because of smaller screens, harder-to-complete forms, and browsing behavior.
  • By industry: The spread is quite large. Food & Beverage leads at 4.9%, Home Goods at 1.4%. High-consideration purchases will naturally convert slower than consumables.
  • By region: Americas lead globally at 3.14% conversion rate, outpacing other regions due to established ecommerce infrastructure and consumer confidence.

What this means for your business

If your conversion rate sits below 1.5%, you likely have significant friction in your funnel. Between 2-3% puts you in the average range where there’s room for improvement, but it’s not yet critical. Above 3.2% means you’re outperforming most competitors.

But, don’t panic if you’re below average, as context matters. A luxury brand converting at 1.2% might be performing excellently, while a beauty brand at the same rate needs urgent attention. 

How to improve conversion rate

  • Ramp up site speed. Slow websites increase abandonment rates by 75%. Compress images, leverage browser caching, and minimize redirects.
  • Optimize for mobile. With mobile traffic dominant but conversions lagging, focus on larger tap targets, simplified forms, and mobile payment options like Apple, Google, and Shop Pay. 
  • Add trust signals. Display security badges, customer reviews, and clear return policies. Trust badges and clear return policies reduce abandonment by up to 28%.
  • Simplify checkout. Reduce form fields, offer guest checkout, and show progress indicators. Every extra step costs you conversions.
  • Display transparent pricing. Show shipping costs and taxes early. According to the Baymard Institute, 48% of shoppers abandon due to unexpected costs at checkout.

Add-to-cart rate benchmarks

What this measures: The percentage of visitors who add at least one item to their cart. It’s a leading indicator of product appeal and site usability. 

Current benchmark ranges

The average add-to-cart rate is approximately 7.5%, though this will vary by category:

  • Global average: 6.5-7.5%
  • Healthy range: 5-10%
  • Strong performance: 8%+
  • Excellent performance: 10%+

Industry breakdown

Food & Beverage leads with 9.65-13.14%, while Apparel is around 6.33-7.12%. The lower price points of Food & Beverage products, plus frequent purchases, will drive the higher add-to-cart behavior, where products with higher consideration phases like Apparel will have lower add-to-cart rates.

What this means for your business

Add-to-cart rate below 5% signals an issue with product pages, whether it’s unclear pricing, poor imagery, or weak value propositions. Between 7-10% is healthy, indicating visitors find products appealing enough to consider purchasing. 

A low ATC rate combined with high bounce rates often means mismatched traffic. You’re attracting the wrong audience or setting incorrect expectations in your marketing.

How to improve add-to-cart rate

  • Enhance product imagery. Use high-quality photos from multiple angles. Add zoom functionality and lifestyle images displaying product use.
  • Clarify pricing upfront. Hide-and-seek pricing kills conversions. Display prices prominently along with any applicable discounts.
  • Leverage social proof. Visitors who interact with user-generated content convert at a 102.4% higher rate.
  • Optimize for speed. If your product page drags, mobile users are gone — usually back to Instagram or TikTok. Compress images and eliminate render-blocking resources.
  • Make the button obvious. Ensure your add-to-cart button stands out with contrasting colors and clear placement.

Cart abandonment benchmarks

What this measures: The percentage of shoppers who add items to their cart but leave without purchasing. 

Current benchmark ranges

Cart abandonment remains one of ecommerce’s biggest challenges. The average abandoned cart rate is 70.22%, with seven out of every ten customers bailing before making the sale. 

Shopping cart abandonment statistics are much higher on mobile (73-75%) devices than on desktop computers (65-68%). Since mobile devices have much higher traffic for stores than desktop experiences, optimizing the checkout experience is imperative.

Industry variations

The Beauty industry has the highest abandonment rate at 81.71%, while Pet Supplies is lowest at 53.06%. Higher-priced categories and those requiring more consideration naturally see more abandonment.

What this means for your business

If your abandonment rate exceeds 80%, friction exists in your checkout flow. Between 70-75% is average, but still represents massive opportunity. Below 65% indicates a well-optimized experience. 

Remember that not all abandonment is negative. Many users window shop, compare prices, or save items for later — normal browsing behavior that will inflate these numbers. 

How to improve abandonment rate

  • Remove unexpected costs. 48% of customers abandon due to extra costs like shipping fees or taxes. Display all-inclusive pricing or offer free shipping thresholds.
  • Streamline your checkout. Sites using one-page checkouts or express payment options see up to 21% better conversion than standard flows. 
  • Deploy recovery emails. Abandoned cart emails achieve 41.8% open rates and 10.7% conversion rates. Send a sequence of 2-3 emails to recover lost sales. 
  • Add exit-intent offers: Display a discount or free shipping offer when users attempt to leave. This can significantly reduce bounce rates, especially on mobile.

Average order value (AOV) benchmarks

What this measures: The average amount customers spend per transaction. Calculate it by dividing total revenue by number of orders. 

Current benchmark ranges

Average order values globally reached approximately $150-180 in 2025, representing a 5-8% growth over 2024. For Triple Whale brands, the median AOV for all of 2025 was $74.12 across paid advertising channels and represented an increase of 2.68% over 2024. 

Average order value also varies by device, with mobile orders ($137) pulling less dollar value than desktop users ($146-204). 

Industry breakdown

Average order value by industry varies dramatically by product category, with differences reflected in product pricing structures and purchase patterns. Luxury items naturally command higher order values, while pet supplies and beauty products see more frequent, smaller purchases.

What this means for your business

Your ideal AOV depends entirely on your product mix and pricing strategy. A low AOV isn’t inherently bad if margins are healthy and purchase frequency is high.

Focus on AOV improvements when advertising costs are rising — the median CPA for Meta ads was $38.19 in 2025 for over 30,000 Triple Whale brands in our dataset. Higher order values can help offset acquisition costs.

How to improve AOV

  • Implement product bundles. Create compelling package deals that offer a clear value to drive customers to add more products to their cart. 
  • Establish free shipping thresholds. 75% of customers prefer free shipping over fast shipping. If your AOV is around $35, bumping it to $50 encourages customers to add more items to get free shipping. 
  • Leverage cross-selling. Cross-selling alone generates 10-30% of ecommerce sales. Recommend complementary products at strategic touchpoints.
  • Offer Buy Now, Pay Later. BNPL options drive 40%+ improvements in AOV, and payment flexibility reduces price sensitivity. 

Channel benchmarks for ecommerce

Paid ads

Paid advertising faces rising costs, but remains essential for scaling. Some of the key paid ads median metrics for over 30,000 Triple Whale brands in 2025:

  • Click-through rate (CTR): 1.77% (+13.74% from 2024)
  • Conversion rate (CVR): 2.01% (-6.21%)
  • Cost per acquisition (CPA): $32.74 (+8.64% from 2024)

The mean cost per acquisition increased by +8.64%, making efficiency improvements critical. 

How to improve

  • Tighten audience targeting
  • Test ad creative continuously
  • Optimize landing pages
  • Consider retargeting campaigns that often convert higher than cold traffic

Ecommerce benchmarks by industry sector

When evaluating performance, it’s important to note how benchmarks differ by industry. Based on Triple Whale’s 2025 Ad Performance Benchmarks Report of over 33,000 brands representing $18.4B in ad spend, here’s how key metrics stack up across major verticals.

Why industries differ

AOV patterns reflect purchase behavior:

  • High AOV categories (Travel $126, Home & Garden $110, Automotive $111): Considered purchases with premium pricing power and infrequent replacement cycles. Higher transaction values support aggressive acquisition costs. 
  • Low AOV categories (Media $47, Books $52, Pet Supplies $59, Health & Beauty $60): Consumable products with high reorder rates or low-priced items. Lower transaction values require exceptional efficiency or strong LTV to achieve profitability.

Conversion rates separate need-based from want-based:

  • Top converters (Food & Beverage 2.73%, Health & Beauty 2.49%, Pet Supplies 2.45%): Essential or replenishment purchases where customers already know what they need. Emotional drivers and urgency reduce hesitation. 
  • Lower converters (Consumer Electronics 1.58%, Automotive 1.59%, Home & Garden 1.68%): High consideration purchases requiring research and comparison. Extended decision cycles suppress immediate conversion despite strong eventual ROAS.

CPM variance shows audience competition:

  • Expensive impressions (Health & Wellness $19.30, Health & Beauty $16.24, Pet Supplies $15.95): Affluent, high-LTV audiences with intense competitive bidding. Platforms charge premiums for demographics with proven purchasing power.
  • Affordable impressions (Apparel $10.93, Automotive $11.05, Books $11.15, Toys $11.11): Broad demographic appeal creates abundant inventory. Mass-market products avoid scarcity pricing. 

ROAS leaders combine high AOV with manageable costs:

  • Top performers (Automotive 2.08, Sports 2.85, Travel 2.81, Home & Garden 2.65): Maintain AOV/CPA ratios above 2.7x, which creates a margin cushion for profitable scaling.
  • Bottom performers (Media 1.25, Health & Wellness 1.60, Books 1.78): Struggle with ratios below 2.0x, where even perfect execution leaves minimal profit margin.

How to interpret and apply ecommerce benchmarks

  • Evaluate your performance. Start by comparing your metrics to your specific industry vertical, not global averages. A 1.5% conversion rate is concerning for Beauty, but strong for Consumer Electronics).
  • Look at the full funnel, not isolated metrics. High traffic with low add-to-cart might signal product page issues, where high add-to-cart with poor conversion points to checkout problems.
  • Consider your traffic sources. Sites driving high volumes from ads or blog posts typically show lower conversion rates than those relying on email or repeat customers.
  • Prioritize based on impact. Focus improvements where you’re furthest below benchmarks and where changes offer the biggest revenue potential:
    • Conversion rate below 1.5%: Critical priority — deal with fundamental trust, pricing, or checkout issues
    • Add-to-cart rate below 5%: High priority — product pages need work
    • Abandonment rate above 80%: Medium priority — checkout friction or pricing concerns
    • AOV below industry average: Lower priority unless margins are very thin

When benchmarks don’t apply

Benchmarks lose relevance in certain situations:

  • New stores: Early-stage businesses often underperform benchmarks while building brand awareness and refining product-market fit.
  • Niche markets: Highly specialized products may show different patterns than broader categories. 
  • Heavy content sites: Blogs and educational content naturally show lower conversion rates. Segment this traffic separately.
  • Seasonal businesses: Compare to your own historical performance during similar periods, not annual averages.

Key takeaways

1. Conversion rates remain stable, but context-dependent

  • Global averages sit at 1.9-2%, with Shopify stores performing slightly better at 2.5-3%
  • Top performers reach 3.2-4.7%, proving significant upside exists
  • Industry is a factor, with Food & Beverage converting at 2.73% while Consumer Electronics converts at 1.58%

2. Add-to-cart rates signal product page effectiveness

  • The 6.5-7.5% global benchmark reveals most visitors don’t even begin checkout
  • Apparel leads at 7.12%
  • Focus on improving ATC rates has compounding benefits since every additional cart means more conversion opportunities 

3. Cart abandonment is massive but recoverable

  • At 70.22% average abandonment, approximately $18 billion in revenue remains on the table annually
  • Mobile abandonment hits 79-85% versus desktop’s 67-70%
  • Recovery emails and transparent pricing represent immediate opportunities to improve

4. AOV varies 5x across industries

  • Transaction values fundamentally determine unit economics
  • High AOV categories (Travel $126, Home & Garden $110, Automotive $111) support aggressive acquisition costs that low AOV categories can’t sustain

5. Compare within your vertical, not against global averages

  • A 1.5% conversion rate signals problems for Food & Beverage, but represents strong performance for Consumer Electronics (1.58%) or any category with a more expensive product and longer consideration phase

Ready to move beyond guessing and start optimizing with confidence? Triple Whale provides real-time analytics and benchmarking tools specifically designed for ecommerce businesses. Track your KPIs against industry standards, identify improvement opportunities, and measure the impact of your optimizations — all in one platform.

Ecommerce benchmarks FAQs

What is considered a good ecommerce conversion rate for my industry?

It depends on your vertical. Food & Beverage can expect 4.9%, while Home & Garden typically sees 1.4%. The global average sits at 1.9-2%, but context matters more than hitting a specific number. Focus on beating your own baseline.

What is the average cart abandonment rate in 2025?

The average cart abandonment rate is 70.22%, though this varies by device and industry. Mobile has higher abandonment rates at 79-85% versus desktop’s 67-70%. Beauty & Personal Care sees rates above 80%, while Pet Supplies is 53%. Cart abandonment rate is influenced by industry and industries with frequent repurchase behavior or smaller cart values likely get abandoned more often.

How do ecommerce benchmarks vary by industry?

Dramatically. Conversion rates span from 0.9% in Luxury & Jewelry to 6.22% in Food & Beverage. AOV ranges from $68 in Pet Care to over $350 in Luxury. High-consideration purchases naturally show lower conversion rates but higher order values, while consumables convert quickly with smaller basket sizes. 

How can I improve KPIs if my store is below ecommerce benchmarks?

Start with your biggest gaps. If conversion rate is low, optimize checkout flow and add trust signals. Poor add-to-cart rate means improving product pages with better imagery and clearer pricing. High abandonment calls for transparent pricing and recovery emails. Test changes systematically and measure results against your baseline, not just industry averages.

Component Sales
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Data & Benchmarks

Ecommerce Benchmarks 2025: Key Metrics & Industry Data

Last Updated: 
February 26, 2026

Understanding how your online store performs compared to competitors is essential for growth. Ecommerce conversion rates globally hover around 1.9-2%, but this varies dramatically by industry, device, and channel. Whether you’re measuring conversion rates, average order value, or cart abandonment, knowing where you stand compared to the market helps you identify opportunities and set realistic goals.

This guide will provide the most current ecommerce metrics benchmarks across key metrics, break down performance by industry, and offer some practical steps to improve underperforming areas. 

What are ecommerce benchmarks?

Ecommerce benchmarks are standardized metrics that represent typical performance across online stores. They help you answer critical questions: Is a 2% conversion rate good? Should I be concerned about a 70% cart abandonment rate? How does my average order value compare to similar businesses?

These benchmarks serve as diagnostic tools rather than absolute targets. Your performance depends on factors including:

  • Industry vertical: Apparel stores convert differently than Pet Supplies retailers
  • Traffic quality: Paid ads will typically have lower conversion rates than email marketing
  • Seasonality: Holiday periods dramatically shift all metrics
  • Business model: B2B stores see higher AOVs but often lower conversion rates than B2C

Think of benchmarks as guardrails that help you identify funnel weaknesses and prioritize improvements. When your metrics fall significantly below industry benchmarks averages, you’ve found your opportunity for improvement.

Ecommerce conversion rate benchmarks

What this measures: The percentage of website visitors who complete a purchase. Calculate it by dividing total orders by total sessions, then multiply by 100. 

Current benchmark ranges

The global average ecommerce conversion rate stands at 1.9-2%, with Shopify stores typically achieving 2.5-3%. However, top performing shops significantly exceed these numbers:

  • Global average: 1.9-2%
  • Shopify average: 2.5-3%
  • Triple Whale 2025 median (for paid ads): 2.01%
  • Top 20% of stores: 3.2% and up
  • Top 10% of stores: 4.7% and up

How conversion rates vary

  • By device: Desktop users convert at 3.9% compared to mobile’s 1.8%. Even though mobile sessions account for 73% of traffic, mobile ecommerce statistics underperform compared to desktop conversion because of smaller screens, harder-to-complete forms, and browsing behavior.
  • By industry: The spread is quite large. Food & Beverage leads at 4.9%, Home Goods at 1.4%. High-consideration purchases will naturally convert slower than consumables.
  • By region: Americas lead globally at 3.14% conversion rate, outpacing other regions due to established ecommerce infrastructure and consumer confidence.

What this means for your business

If your conversion rate sits below 1.5%, you likely have significant friction in your funnel. Between 2-3% puts you in the average range where there’s room for improvement, but it’s not yet critical. Above 3.2% means you’re outperforming most competitors.

But, don’t panic if you’re below average, as context matters. A luxury brand converting at 1.2% might be performing excellently, while a beauty brand at the same rate needs urgent attention. 

How to improve conversion rate

  • Ramp up site speed. Slow websites increase abandonment rates by 75%. Compress images, leverage browser caching, and minimize redirects.
  • Optimize for mobile. With mobile traffic dominant but conversions lagging, focus on larger tap targets, simplified forms, and mobile payment options like Apple, Google, and Shop Pay. 
  • Add trust signals. Display security badges, customer reviews, and clear return policies. Trust badges and clear return policies reduce abandonment by up to 28%.
  • Simplify checkout. Reduce form fields, offer guest checkout, and show progress indicators. Every extra step costs you conversions.
  • Display transparent pricing. Show shipping costs and taxes early. According to the Baymard Institute, 48% of shoppers abandon due to unexpected costs at checkout.

Add-to-cart rate benchmarks

What this measures: The percentage of visitors who add at least one item to their cart. It’s a leading indicator of product appeal and site usability. 

Current benchmark ranges

The average add-to-cart rate is approximately 7.5%, though this will vary by category:

  • Global average: 6.5-7.5%
  • Healthy range: 5-10%
  • Strong performance: 8%+
  • Excellent performance: 10%+

Industry breakdown

Food & Beverage leads with 9.65-13.14%, while Apparel is around 6.33-7.12%. The lower price points of Food & Beverage products, plus frequent purchases, will drive the higher add-to-cart behavior, where products with higher consideration phases like Apparel will have lower add-to-cart rates.

What this means for your business

Add-to-cart rate below 5% signals an issue with product pages, whether it’s unclear pricing, poor imagery, or weak value propositions. Between 7-10% is healthy, indicating visitors find products appealing enough to consider purchasing. 

A low ATC rate combined with high bounce rates often means mismatched traffic. You’re attracting the wrong audience or setting incorrect expectations in your marketing.

How to improve add-to-cart rate

  • Enhance product imagery. Use high-quality photos from multiple angles. Add zoom functionality and lifestyle images displaying product use.
  • Clarify pricing upfront. Hide-and-seek pricing kills conversions. Display prices prominently along with any applicable discounts.
  • Leverage social proof. Visitors who interact with user-generated content convert at a 102.4% higher rate.
  • Optimize for speed. If your product page drags, mobile users are gone — usually back to Instagram or TikTok. Compress images and eliminate render-blocking resources.
  • Make the button obvious. Ensure your add-to-cart button stands out with contrasting colors and clear placement.

Cart abandonment benchmarks

What this measures: The percentage of shoppers who add items to their cart but leave without purchasing. 

Current benchmark ranges

Cart abandonment remains one of ecommerce’s biggest challenges. The average abandoned cart rate is 70.22%, with seven out of every ten customers bailing before making the sale. 

Shopping cart abandonment statistics are much higher on mobile (73-75%) devices than on desktop computers (65-68%). Since mobile devices have much higher traffic for stores than desktop experiences, optimizing the checkout experience is imperative.

Industry variations

The Beauty industry has the highest abandonment rate at 81.71%, while Pet Supplies is lowest at 53.06%. Higher-priced categories and those requiring more consideration naturally see more abandonment.

What this means for your business

If your abandonment rate exceeds 80%, friction exists in your checkout flow. Between 70-75% is average, but still represents massive opportunity. Below 65% indicates a well-optimized experience. 

Remember that not all abandonment is negative. Many users window shop, compare prices, or save items for later — normal browsing behavior that will inflate these numbers. 

How to improve abandonment rate

  • Remove unexpected costs. 48% of customers abandon due to extra costs like shipping fees or taxes. Display all-inclusive pricing or offer free shipping thresholds.
  • Streamline your checkout. Sites using one-page checkouts or express payment options see up to 21% better conversion than standard flows. 
  • Deploy recovery emails. Abandoned cart emails achieve 41.8% open rates and 10.7% conversion rates. Send a sequence of 2-3 emails to recover lost sales. 
  • Add exit-intent offers: Display a discount or free shipping offer when users attempt to leave. This can significantly reduce bounce rates, especially on mobile.

Average order value (AOV) benchmarks

What this measures: The average amount customers spend per transaction. Calculate it by dividing total revenue by number of orders. 

Current benchmark ranges

Average order values globally reached approximately $150-180 in 2025, representing a 5-8% growth over 2024. For Triple Whale brands, the median AOV for all of 2025 was $74.12 across paid advertising channels and represented an increase of 2.68% over 2024. 

Average order value also varies by device, with mobile orders ($137) pulling less dollar value than desktop users ($146-204). 

Industry breakdown

Average order value by industry varies dramatically by product category, with differences reflected in product pricing structures and purchase patterns. Luxury items naturally command higher order values, while pet supplies and beauty products see more frequent, smaller purchases.

What this means for your business

Your ideal AOV depends entirely on your product mix and pricing strategy. A low AOV isn’t inherently bad if margins are healthy and purchase frequency is high.

Focus on AOV improvements when advertising costs are rising — the median CPA for Meta ads was $38.19 in 2025 for over 30,000 Triple Whale brands in our dataset. Higher order values can help offset acquisition costs.

How to improve AOV

  • Implement product bundles. Create compelling package deals that offer a clear value to drive customers to add more products to their cart. 
  • Establish free shipping thresholds. 75% of customers prefer free shipping over fast shipping. If your AOV is around $35, bumping it to $50 encourages customers to add more items to get free shipping. 
  • Leverage cross-selling. Cross-selling alone generates 10-30% of ecommerce sales. Recommend complementary products at strategic touchpoints.
  • Offer Buy Now, Pay Later. BNPL options drive 40%+ improvements in AOV, and payment flexibility reduces price sensitivity. 

Channel benchmarks for ecommerce

Paid ads

Paid advertising faces rising costs, but remains essential for scaling. Some of the key paid ads median metrics for over 30,000 Triple Whale brands in 2025:

  • Click-through rate (CTR): 1.77% (+13.74% from 2024)
  • Conversion rate (CVR): 2.01% (-6.21%)
  • Cost per acquisition (CPA): $32.74 (+8.64% from 2024)

The mean cost per acquisition increased by +8.64%, making efficiency improvements critical. 

How to improve

  • Tighten audience targeting
  • Test ad creative continuously
  • Optimize landing pages
  • Consider retargeting campaigns that often convert higher than cold traffic

Ecommerce benchmarks by industry sector

When evaluating performance, it’s important to note how benchmarks differ by industry. Based on Triple Whale’s 2025 Ad Performance Benchmarks Report of over 33,000 brands representing $18.4B in ad spend, here’s how key metrics stack up across major verticals.

Why industries differ

AOV patterns reflect purchase behavior:

  • High AOV categories (Travel $126, Home & Garden $110, Automotive $111): Considered purchases with premium pricing power and infrequent replacement cycles. Higher transaction values support aggressive acquisition costs. 
  • Low AOV categories (Media $47, Books $52, Pet Supplies $59, Health & Beauty $60): Consumable products with high reorder rates or low-priced items. Lower transaction values require exceptional efficiency or strong LTV to achieve profitability.

Conversion rates separate need-based from want-based:

  • Top converters (Food & Beverage 2.73%, Health & Beauty 2.49%, Pet Supplies 2.45%): Essential or replenishment purchases where customers already know what they need. Emotional drivers and urgency reduce hesitation. 
  • Lower converters (Consumer Electronics 1.58%, Automotive 1.59%, Home & Garden 1.68%): High consideration purchases requiring research and comparison. Extended decision cycles suppress immediate conversion despite strong eventual ROAS.

CPM variance shows audience competition:

  • Expensive impressions (Health & Wellness $19.30, Health & Beauty $16.24, Pet Supplies $15.95): Affluent, high-LTV audiences with intense competitive bidding. Platforms charge premiums for demographics with proven purchasing power.
  • Affordable impressions (Apparel $10.93, Automotive $11.05, Books $11.15, Toys $11.11): Broad demographic appeal creates abundant inventory. Mass-market products avoid scarcity pricing. 

ROAS leaders combine high AOV with manageable costs:

  • Top performers (Automotive 2.08, Sports 2.85, Travel 2.81, Home & Garden 2.65): Maintain AOV/CPA ratios above 2.7x, which creates a margin cushion for profitable scaling.
  • Bottom performers (Media 1.25, Health & Wellness 1.60, Books 1.78): Struggle with ratios below 2.0x, where even perfect execution leaves minimal profit margin.

How to interpret and apply ecommerce benchmarks

  • Evaluate your performance. Start by comparing your metrics to your specific industry vertical, not global averages. A 1.5% conversion rate is concerning for Beauty, but strong for Consumer Electronics).
  • Look at the full funnel, not isolated metrics. High traffic with low add-to-cart might signal product page issues, where high add-to-cart with poor conversion points to checkout problems.
  • Consider your traffic sources. Sites driving high volumes from ads or blog posts typically show lower conversion rates than those relying on email or repeat customers.
  • Prioritize based on impact. Focus improvements where you’re furthest below benchmarks and where changes offer the biggest revenue potential:
    • Conversion rate below 1.5%: Critical priority — deal with fundamental trust, pricing, or checkout issues
    • Add-to-cart rate below 5%: High priority — product pages need work
    • Abandonment rate above 80%: Medium priority — checkout friction or pricing concerns
    • AOV below industry average: Lower priority unless margins are very thin

When benchmarks don’t apply

Benchmarks lose relevance in certain situations:

  • New stores: Early-stage businesses often underperform benchmarks while building brand awareness and refining product-market fit.
  • Niche markets: Highly specialized products may show different patterns than broader categories. 
  • Heavy content sites: Blogs and educational content naturally show lower conversion rates. Segment this traffic separately.
  • Seasonal businesses: Compare to your own historical performance during similar periods, not annual averages.

Key takeaways

1. Conversion rates remain stable, but context-dependent

  • Global averages sit at 1.9-2%, with Shopify stores performing slightly better at 2.5-3%
  • Top performers reach 3.2-4.7%, proving significant upside exists
  • Industry is a factor, with Food & Beverage converting at 2.73% while Consumer Electronics converts at 1.58%

2. Add-to-cart rates signal product page effectiveness

  • The 6.5-7.5% global benchmark reveals most visitors don’t even begin checkout
  • Apparel leads at 7.12%
  • Focus on improving ATC rates has compounding benefits since every additional cart means more conversion opportunities 

3. Cart abandonment is massive but recoverable

  • At 70.22% average abandonment, approximately $18 billion in revenue remains on the table annually
  • Mobile abandonment hits 79-85% versus desktop’s 67-70%
  • Recovery emails and transparent pricing represent immediate opportunities to improve

4. AOV varies 5x across industries

  • Transaction values fundamentally determine unit economics
  • High AOV categories (Travel $126, Home & Garden $110, Automotive $111) support aggressive acquisition costs that low AOV categories can’t sustain

5. Compare within your vertical, not against global averages

  • A 1.5% conversion rate signals problems for Food & Beverage, but represents strong performance for Consumer Electronics (1.58%) or any category with a more expensive product and longer consideration phase

Ready to move beyond guessing and start optimizing with confidence? Triple Whale provides real-time analytics and benchmarking tools specifically designed for ecommerce businesses. Track your KPIs against industry standards, identify improvement opportunities, and measure the impact of your optimizations — all in one platform.

Ecommerce benchmarks FAQs

What is considered a good ecommerce conversion rate for my industry?

It depends on your vertical. Food & Beverage can expect 4.9%, while Home & Garden typically sees 1.4%. The global average sits at 1.9-2%, but context matters more than hitting a specific number. Focus on beating your own baseline.

What is the average cart abandonment rate in 2025?

The average cart abandonment rate is 70.22%, though this varies by device and industry. Mobile has higher abandonment rates at 79-85% versus desktop’s 67-70%. Beauty & Personal Care sees rates above 80%, while Pet Supplies is 53%. Cart abandonment rate is influenced by industry and industries with frequent repurchase behavior or smaller cart values likely get abandoned more often.

How do ecommerce benchmarks vary by industry?

Dramatically. Conversion rates span from 0.9% in Luxury & Jewelry to 6.22% in Food & Beverage. AOV ranges from $68 in Pet Care to over $350 in Luxury. High-consideration purchases naturally show lower conversion rates but higher order values, while consumables convert quickly with smaller basket sizes. 

How can I improve KPIs if my store is below ecommerce benchmarks?

Start with your biggest gaps. If conversion rate is low, optimize checkout flow and add trust signals. Poor add-to-cart rate means improving product pages with better imagery and clearer pricing. High abandonment calls for transparent pricing and recovery emails. Test changes systematically and measure results against your baseline, not just industry averages.

Allie Mistakidis

Allie Mistakidis is a Content Writer at Triple Whale, silversmith at Aloraflora Jewelry, and retail store co-owner at Whiskeyjack Boutique in Windsor, ON, Canada. She has a Masters degree in plumage evolution in birds, and spent several years doing technical support, including at Shopify. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.

Body Copy: The following benchmarks compare advertising metrics from April 1-17 to the previous period. Considering President Trump first unveiled 
his tariffs on April 2, the timing corresponds with potential changes in advertising behavior among ecommerce brands (though it isn’t necessarily correlated).

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