The Ecommerce KPIs That Actually Move the Needle

Sales alone don't tell you how your Shopify business is doing. You also need to gauge customer satisfaction, return on investment (ROI), and operational performance, among other aspects. That's why tracking the right key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics is so important.

KPIs are measurements of performance or progress toward specific goals like profitability, customer satisfaction, or revenue growth. Metrics, on the other hand, are individual data points tied to business processes rather than strategic objectives.

Ecommerce KPIs and metrics work synergistically, turning raw data into actionable insights. By measuring both, you can determine what you do well, where you fall short, and what you can improve. For example, a high return rate might indicate issues like poor product quality, misleading descriptions, or inaccurate sizing.

For many entrepreneurs, the challenge lies in figuring out what numbers to track. To help you out, we've put together a list of metrics and KPIs for measuring ecommerce success. Let's get into it.

12 ecommerce KPIs and metrics to keep an eye on

As a business owner, you may already track sales volume, conversions, and other metrics or KPIs, but you're not seeing tangible results. Even worse, your customers abandon their carts or don't return for a second purchase.

The truth is that you won't get an answer by measuring vanity metrics like page views, registered users, bounce rate, or total sales. On their own, these numbers are meaningless and often create a false sense of success.

For instance, a high customer count says nothing about how your business is performing. You could have thousands of buyers who never return or place small orders that cost more to fulfill than they bring in.

That's why you should track the number of visitors or customers alongside other performance indicators like:

• Customer acquisition cost (CAC)
• Customer lifetime value (CLV)
• Average order value (AOV)
• Repeat purchase rate (RPR)
• Conversion rate

However, this doesn't mean you should monitor every KPI under the sun. Instead, focus on those key performance indicators and metrics that align with your business goals.

If, say, you're looking to increase customer retention, then tracking RPR, LTV, and churn rate would be far more insightful than measuring total sales. You'll also want to track Tickets Per Order (TPO), a metric that helps you understand and address customer pain points.

Moving forward, let's break down the most important ecommerce KPIs along with benchmark data and actionable insights. Benchmarks vary by industry and business type, but can give you an idea of where you’re at and how you stack up against the competition.

Revenue and conversion metrics

1. Conversion rate (CVR)

Use this metric to determine the percentage of customers who take specific actions in response to your marketing efforts. For example, they could make a purchase, start a free trial, or join your email list.

By tracking conversions, you can better gauge the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns. Simply use this formula:

Conversion rate = (Number of conversions / Total number of website visitors) x 100

Let's say you have 5,000 unique website visitors in a given month, and 200 have placed an order. That's a 4% conversion rate.

Conversion rate benchmarks

Per Dynamic Yield, a Mastercard company, the average ecommerce conversion rate is 3.18%. However, this figure can be as low as 1.19% or as high as 5.85%, depending on the industry, device, time of the year, and other factors.

For reference, the average CVR between March 2024 and March 2025 was 1.19% for online jewelry retailers, 1.26% for home and furniture retailers, 3.41% for ecommerce businesses selling customer goods, and 5.86% for those in the food and beverage industry.

Pro tip: Track your conversion rate alongside metrics that add context, such as average order value, customer acquisition cost, cart abandonment rate, and retention rate. For instance, if shoppers add items to their carts but leave without buying, you may need to optimize the checkout process.

2. Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

This ecommerce KPI measures how much your company spends to acquire one customer. It includes various expenses, from marketing and advertising costs to sales bonuses.

To calculate CAC, select a time frame (e.g., six months) and then use the formula below:

CAC = Marketing and sales expenses / Number of new customers

A high CAC means you're spending a lot of money to attract buyers, which could indicate inefficiencies in your marketing processes. For instance, you may target the wrong audience or push discounts that encourage spending but don't drive customer loyalty.

Customer acquisition cost benchmarks

The average CAC for ecommerce businesses is $21 to $377, depending on the industry. Healthy and beauty retailers spend around $127 to acquire a new customer, whereas clothing vendors have an average CAC of $129.

Pro tip: Measure CAC alongside customer lifetime value (CLV). Compare these figures and take strategic steps to keep your CAC lower than the revenue you expect to earn from a customer over their lifetime.

Aim for a CLV to CAC ratio of 3:1 or, even better, 4:1. This means you'd earn $3–$4 for every dollar spent acquiring a customer.

3. Average order value (AOV)

Do you know how much your customers spend per order? Use this formula to get an estimate:

Average order value = Revenue / Number of orders over a specific period

Let's assume you made $10,000 in sales and received 60 orders in a given month. Your average order value is $166.60.

Based on this figure, you can optimize your marketing and pricing strategies, forecast revenue, and increase profits. Plus, you'll gain a better understanding of your customers' purchase habits, which can help you identify trends or patterns and encourage higher spending per order.

Average order value benchmarks

According to Dynamic Yield, American ecommerce brands have an average order value of $272. Globally, online businesses in the jewelry industry earn the most per order ($376), while beauty retailers have the lowest AOV ($72).

Pro tip: Maximize your average order value by upselling or cross-selling products. You could also offer discounts or free shipping for purchases over a certain amount. If, say, your AOV is $150, waive shipping fees for orders over $200 to incentivize customers to spend more.

4. Return on investment (ROI)

In ecommerce, ROI measures how much profit you make from marketing and advertising campaigns or other investments. The higher this percentage, the better your profit margin.

The formula for calculating ecommerce ROI during a specific period is:

ROI = [(Net profit - Investment) / Investment] x 100

If, say, you spend $10,000 on marketing, advertising, and other business activities in a given month and make $15,000 in sales, your ROI is 50%.

By measuring ROI alongside other metrics, you can identify which channels, campaigns, or tools drive profit and which ones don’t. Leverage this data to optimize your marketing efforts, cut unnecessary expenses, and allocate resources more efficiently.

Ecommerce ROI benchmarks

Aim for a return on investment of 200%–300%. That's $2 to $3 in profit for every dollar spent.

Pro tip: For accurate insights, track your ROI by marketing channel, campaign, and activity, such as search engine optimization (SEO). With this approach, you'll be better able to tell what works and what doesn't, and how to maximize profitability.

Operational metrics

5. Return rate

In 2023, U.S. consumers returned 14.5% of their purchases, resulting in $744 billion worth of merchandise sent back to vendors. As a business owner, it's essential to keep an eye on your return rate and take action before it starts eating into your margins.

This KPI measures the percentage of goods returned by customers. It’s calculated using the formula:

Return rate = (Number of items returned / Number of items sold over a specific period) x 100

A high return rate could indicate poor customer satisfaction due to product quality issues, inaccurate sizing, or problems with shipping and packaging. Sometimes, it's a sign of return fraud, one of the biggest ecommerce loss drivers.

If left unaddressed, these issues can lead to operational challenges and diminished profits. Worse, frequent returns due to product defects, unmet expectations, or a frustrating post-purchase experience could damage your reputation.

Return rate benchmarks

The average return rate in the retail industry is 16.9%. This figure is around 21% higher for ecommerce brands, depending on the industry and types of products.

Pro tip: If you use OpenDesk, measure Tickets Per Order to determine the root cause of customer dissatisfaction and product returns. For example, if shoppers return their orders due to quality issues, you can identify and address this problem before it affects more customers.

6. Cart abandonment rate (CAR)

The abandonment rate tells you how many customers add products to their shopping carts but leave without buying. Their reasons may vary from security concerns and hidden fees to a complicated checkout process.

To calculate this metric, divide the number of completed orders by the number of shopping carts created, then multiply by 100.

CAR = (Completed purchases / Initiated transactions) x 100

Cart abandonment rate benchmarks

According to Baymard Institute, ecommerce businesses have an average cart abandonment rate of 70.19%.

Globally, this figure is highest for brands selling luxury items or jewelry (79.56% in March 2025) and lowest for companies offering consumer goods (58.69% in March 2025), per Dynamic Yield.

Pro tip: Nearly 40% of consumers abandon their carts due to the fees incurred at checkout, reports Baymard Institute. With that in mind, disclose the cost of shipping and other services on the product page or create an FAQ section covering these aspects. Take it a step further by offering free delivery, especially since 66% of U.S. consumers now expect it for all online purchases.

7. Inventory turnover

This operational ecommerce metric measures how quickly a business sells and replaces its inventory within a given period. While there are several ways to calculate inventory turnover, you can use a simple formula like:

Inventory turnover ratio = Cost of goods sold (COGS) / Average inventory, where:

• COGS is the total cost of selling a product or service.
• Average inventory is the mean value of your inventory over a specific period.

The result can help you determine how well your business is managing inventory and, in some cases, pinpoint problem areas, such as poor demand forecasting.

A high turnover indicates that your products are selling fast and you're effectively managing stock levels. Conversely, a low turnover can signal overstocking, weak sales, or insufficient demand.

Inventory turnover benchmarks

The average inventory turnover in retail is 9.77 (Q1 2025), meaning retail businesses restock their inventories nine to 10 times per year. If you're a Shopify business owner, you can expect an inventory ratio of around 10.19.

Like other ecommerce KPIs, this number varies by industry and sector. For example, the average inventory turnover was 4.38 for clothing retailers, 10.3 for computer hardware vendors, and 7 for technology companies in the last quarter of 2024.

Pro tip: Use Shopify's built-in inventory reports for more accurate sales forecasts. Leverage these insights to identify your top-selling items, spot slow movers, and optimize inventory levels accordingly.

Customer metrics

8. Customer retention rate (CRR)

Customer retention rate is one of the most important KPIs because it tells you how many shoppers stick with your brand and drive repeat business. Simply put, it measures customer loyalty.

To calculate CRR, write down the following numbers:

• Customers at the start of a given period (S)
• Customers at the end of the period (E)
• New customers acquired during that period (N)

Next, use this formula:

Customer retention rate = [(E - N) / S] x 100

Let's suppose you have 250 customers on March 1. By the end of April of the same year, you acquire another 50 customers and lose 15. Your CRR is 94%, meaning your customer churn rate is 6%.

Measuring CRR in relation to other KPIs like customer satisfaction score (CSAT), AOV, or CLV can provide insights into the buyer experience, purchase behavior, and other aspects.

For instance, a strong retention rate but low CSAT could signal that while customers are sticking around, their overall experience is lacking. Perhaps they keep returning out of necessity or because they haven't found a better alternative.

Track Tickets Per Order to identify the issues they face, then address those problems to improve their experience with your brand.

Customer retention benchmarks

According to a 2024 report, the average CRR is 18% for fashion and apparel brands, 25% for food and beverage vendors, and 20% for health and beauty companies.

Supplement brands have the highest customer retention rate (43%). At the opposite end are companies selling furniture and other home goods, with an average CRR of only 15%.

Pro tip: Create personalized shopping experiences to boost customer retention and drive sales. For example, customize your website content, email messages, and product recommendations based on buyer behavior, preferences, location, and other factors.

In one survey, 61% of consumers said they would spend more with companies delivering personalized interactions. Perhaps not surprisingly, 62% would walk away from a brand that fails to do so, per Statista research.

9. Customer lifetime value (CLV)

CLV estimates how much a customer will spend with your brand over the course of the relationship. This forward-looking metric is closely tied to average order value, retention rate, and purchase frequency, helping businesses optimize their marketing spend.

For instance, you can tell which customers generate the most revenue over time. With these insights, you can fine-tune your marketing efforts, personalize your promotions, and adjust pricing strategies to increase profits.

One way to calculate CLV is to multiply the average transaction size by the number of transactions and the retention period, as shown below:

CLV = Average order value x Number of purchases x Retention period

If a customer spends around $50 per order, makes 10 purchases per year, and stays with your business for five years, their CLV is $2,500.

Customer lifetime value benchmarks

The average customer lifetime value in the ecommerce sector is $300 to $1,200. However, this metric is usually calculated in relation to CAC, not as a standalone number.

Pro tip: Use CLV data to segment your audience based on spending habits. Next, tailor your marketing campaigns to high-value customers to increase sales and engagement.

Customer experience KPIs

10. Net Promoter Score℠ (NPS®)

Have you ever ordered from an ecommerce website that asked you, "How likely are you to recommend our brand or products?" If so, that question was followed by a 10-point Likert scale, where you could rate your response from "Not likely at all” (0) to "Extremely likely" (10).

This practice allows businesses to determine their Net Promoter Score℠, a metric used to measure customer loyalty. The NPS® can provide insights into buyer preferences, uncover areas for improvement, and help you spot early signs of churn.

To calculate the NPS, ask your customers to respond to a simple question, like:

Based on your recent purchase, how likely are you to recommend us to a friend?

Next, group them into three categories based on the rating provided:

• Promoters (9–10): These customers are satisfied with your brand and would recommend it to others.
• Passives (7–8): These respondents feel positive about your business but may or may not recommend it.
• Detractors (0–6): Customers who give ratings of 0 to 6 are unhappy with your brand or products.

Now use this formula to determine the Net Promoter Score:

NPS = % of promoters - % of detractors

Net Promoter Score Benchmarks

According to SurveyMonkey data, most retailers have a Net Promoter Score of 36 to 74, with the average being 57.

A good NPS is 1 to 30 or higher, meaning you have more promoters (aka happy customers) than detractors. Ideally, aim for a score above 50.

Pro tip: Run NPS surveys to assess different aspects of the customer experience, such as post-purchase satisfaction, support interactions, and delivery speed. For further insights, ask follow-up questions like "How can we improve your experience?" or “What do you like most about [our brand/products/services]?”

11. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)

One of the KPIs you should measure when gauging customer satisfaction is CSAT. Its value can help you determine how shoppers feel about your brand, products, services, or specific aspects, such as the checkout process.

First, ask your customers, "How satisfied are you with the product received?" "How would you rate your experience with our support team?" or something along these lines.

Include a five-point Likert scale, where 1 means "very dissatisfied" and 5 indicates the highest satisfaction level. Feel free to use emojis, star ratings, or other symbols instead of numbers.

Next, divide the number of satisfied customers (ratings of 4 and 5) by the number of responses, then multiply the result by 100.

CSAT = (Number of satisfied customers / Number of responses) x 100

Customer satisfaction score benchmarks

The average CSAT for online retailers is 79, but this figure varies based on industry and focus area, such as website performance (82), shipping options (80), or customer support (77).

Pro tip: Send CSAT surveys immediately after a customer interaction to capture fresh, accurate feedback. If you run a subscription-based business, do it quarterly or more often to identify early signs of churn.

12. Tickets Per Order (TPO)

Tickets Per Order is a customer experience metric that tracks the number of support tickets generated per order. Available to OpenDesk users, this metric helps them proactively improve their products and services.

By tracking TPO, ecommerce businesses can identify areas where customers struggle and address those issues before they escalate. The tickets are automatically categorized by topic and urgency, so you can easily pinpoint friction points.

Let's say you notice a spike in the number of tickets related to a discount code. Perhaps the code doesn't work, or your customers are confused about how to apply it.

TPO can help you detect and fix this issue before the negative reviews start rolling in. The result? Higher customer satisfaction, increased sales, and a lower cart abandonment rate.

Use the formula below to calculate Tickets Per Order:

TPO = (Number of order-related tickets / Number of orders) x 100

For instance, if you sell 200 T-shirts in a given month and receive 15 support tickets about those purchases, your TPO is 7.5%. That may not seem like much, but, at a closer look, you realize that 10 tickets are related to shipping delays.

CSAT, NPS, and other ecommerce KPIs don't provide this level of insight. They may reveal how your customers feel about your products or services, but not why they feel that way.

Tickets Per Order benchmarks

TPO is a new metric built into the OpenDesk analytics dashboard. At this point, there are no benchmarks for what constitutes a good TPO, but, in general, a lower value indicates fewer customer issues per order.

Pro tip: Track TPO monthly, as well as after major events like product launches or seasonal sales. You'll also want to check it out when there's a spike in product returns, customer churn, or cart abandonment.

Measure ecommerce success with the right KPIs

No single metric or KPI can measure the success of your Shopify business. That's why you should track a mix of key performance indicators that align with strategic objectives like revenue growth, customer retention, and operational efficiency.

With OpenDesk, you can closely monitor Tickets Per Order and other ecommerce KPIs that move the needle. What's more, our platform brings all your inboxes into one place, making it easier to manage and address support inquiries.

You can auto-draft responses, prioritize time-sensitive messages, and gain real-time insights into customers’ pain points. There's also the option to train OpenDesk's AI to answer common inquiries on your behalf.

Track the most important ecommerce metrics with OpenDesk. Sign up for a free trial today.