Running an ecommerce store isn’t just about having great products—it’s about understanding the data that drives your business forward. Knowing which metrics matter and how to apply them is what separates successful ecommerce brands from the ones drowning in dashboards and vanity numbers.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through 25 ecommerce metrics that actually help you increase revenue, make smarter decisions, and maximise profitability. If you’re serious about growing your online store, these are the metrics you need to understand, track, and take action on.
What Are Ecommerce Metrics and Why Do They Matter?
Ecommerce metrics are quantifiable measures that help you evaluate the performance of your online store. When tracked properly, they offer actionable insights that allow you to optimise marketing, customer experience, conversion rates, and ultimately, drive more sales.
Too many ecommerce business owners focus on surface-level numbers like followers or likes, while ignoring deeper, revenue-generating insights like customer acquisition cost (CAC) or average order value (AOV).
Let’s change that.
The 5 Categories of Ecommerce Metrics You Should Track
We’ve broken these key ecommerce metrics down into five actionable categories:
1. Traffic Metrics (Understand Where Visitors Come From)
These ecommerce KPIs help you understand who’s visiting your store and how they got there.
- Website Sessions – Total number of visits over a given time period.
- Unique Visitors – How many individual users have visited your site.
- Bounce Rate – The percentage of users who leave without taking action.
- Traffic Sources – Breakdown by source: organic search, paid ads, direct, social, referral.
- Mobile vs. Desktop Users – Understanding how people browse your site and optimising UX accordingly.
2. Conversion Metrics (Turn Visitors Into Buyers)
These ecommerce conversion rate metrics help identify drop-off points and areas for improvement.
- Conversion Rate – The percentage of visitors who complete a purchase.
- Add-to-Cart Rate – How many visitors add products to their cart.
- Cart Abandonment Rate – Percentage of users who add items to cart but never complete checkout.
- Checkout Abandonment Rate – Drop-off rate during the final checkout stage.
- Funnel Drop-Off Points – Identifying which stage of the sales funnel causes the most friction.
3. Revenue Metrics (Know If You’re Actually Profitable)
If you’re not tracking these, you’re flying blind.
- Average Order Value (AOV) – Revenue divided by the number of orders—helps optimise upselling strategies.
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV or LTV) – How much a customer is expected to spend over their entire relationship with your brand.
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) – Revenue generated for every pound spent on ads.
- Net Profit Margin – Total profit after all costs are deducted.
- Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) – How much you spend to acquire a new customer.
4. Retention Metrics (Keep Customers Coming Back)
Retention is cheaper than acquisition. Track these to boost loyalty.
- Repeat Purchase Rate – Percentage of customers who return to buy again.
- Subscription Renewal Rate – Critical if you offer recurring products or services.
- Email Open Rate – Are people engaging with your retention campaigns?
- Email Click Rate – More important than open rate—shows actual interest.
- Refund & Return Rate – Frequent returns may indicate product or service issues.
5. Brand Experience Metrics (What Customers Really Think)
These metrics give you insight into brand perception and customer satisfaction.
- Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) – Direct feedback post-purchase.
- Net Promoter Score (NPS) – Measures likelihood of a customer recommending your brand.
- On-Site Search Terms – What your customers are actually looking for.
- Social Media Engagement Rate – Measure of how often users interact with your content.
- Average Response Time (Customer Support) – Faster response times = happier customers.
Final Thoughts: Use Your Metrics to Drive Sales
Tracking metrics isn’t about feeling productive. It’s about being productive. These ecommerce KPIs help you answer the question: Are we growing, and why or why not?
Instead of obsessing over vanity numbers, start focusing on insights that can actually increase revenue and improve your store’s performance.
Need help translating these metrics into real growth? APE Marketing offers data-backed ecommerce strategies that turn your numbers into action.
Let’s make your store more than just functional—let’s make it profitable.
