Top 20 ecommerce metrics & KPIs to grow your business in 2025

In 2025, ecommerce isn't just changing; it's speeding up.

AI powered personalization is transforming customer journeys, cookie-less analytics are redefining tracking rules, and omnichannel selling has blurred the distinction between "online" and "offline" sales.

In this environment, it's not a choice to measure the right numbers; it's survival.

Here's the catch: Not all measurements are equal. Store owners with too many dashboards in front of them try to track everything without an accurate plan, and end up ignoring the few truly impactful KPIs. The 2025 winners are the businesses that prioritize the most important metrics, contextualize them, and take action fast.

So the real question is: In an economy that's changing this rapidly, are you following the numbers that really matter for growth?

What is ecommerce metrics and KPIs?

Imagine driving your ecommerce business like operating a car.

Think about the metrics on the car's dashboard: speed, fuel level, temperature, mileage. You are aware of all of these while driving. KPIs (key performance indicators), however, are those specific metrics you monitor closely to arrive on schedule, such as your fuel gauge on a long drive and your GPS arrival time. All of those metrics are important, but you do not pay equal attention to all of them simultaneously, only those critical ones.

Ecommerce metrics are the raw, numerical data points that characterize how your store is running. They may be high level, such as total monthly visitors, or very nuanced, such as mobile checkout abandonment rate.

KPIs are a specific set of those metrics which specifically track progress toward your business objectives.

In brief, metrics measure activity, KPIs measure achievement. The secret is being aware of which set of numbers need your daily consideration and which can quietly wait in the background until you require them.

20 key ecommerce metrics to track your success

1. Impression

In ecommerce, an impression simply means how often your content, advert, or product listing appears on a person's screen, irrespective of whether they click on it or not. It's a view metric that tells you how often your brand is being looked at, not necessarily engaged with.

In 2025, appearances matter as AI-driven ad targeting and changing search algorithms turn every glimpse into a moment to influence purchase intent. For example, a B2B office furniture retailer might receive tens of thousands of impressions from LinkedIn ads, but only a handful will convert; hence, tracking impressions is also necessary alongside click through rates.

The takeaway? Impressions are the starting line of customer interaction, but they must be combined with performance metrics in order to create a complete picture of your marketing effect.

2. Reach

Reach calculates the total number of individual people who have viewed your content, ad, or campaign at least once; it's a measure of how far your message travels, not how often it's shown.

Big reach simply means that you're reaching beyond your existing customer bubble and finding yourself in front of new, attractive audiences; a primary driver of growth and lead generation. Put simply, reach is your online presence as a brand, and the more astute you are about where and to whom you reach, the higher the likelihood of converting awareness to dollars.

3. Engagement

In 2025, engagement is not just likes and comments; it's the sum of high-value actions your audience takes, from sharing a LinkedIn post to taking two additional minutes on your product page.

For example, if your new product launch video on Instagram is racking up hundreds of likes, dozens of comments, and a bang of clicks to your store, that's a definite sign your message struck a chord.

The real power comes when you track these interactions over a period of time, fine-tuning your approach so each post, ad, or page performs that much better in converting browsers into repeat customers.

4. Click-through rate

Click-through rate (CTR) is one of those simple-to-grasp metrics that can make or break your 2025 ecommerce marketing.

In short, it measures the amount of users that click your link once they've seen it, whether that's a Google search, an email campaign, or social ad. The formula is:

CTR = (Total Clicks ÷ Total Impressions) × 100

Why is it a big deal this year? As digital competition is at record highs, even a small jump in CTR can translate to a big jump in traffic, leads, and ultimately, money. A "good" CTR varies by channel, but for ecommerce ads, benchmarks are generally 2–3%, and top performers can hit 5% or more.

5. Average order value (AOV)

Average order value (AOV) refers to the average order size of a customer in a single transaction on your web store. It is a useful yet straightforward measure of customer spend.

In order to calculate average order value, the formula is:

AOV = Total Revenue / Total Number of Orders

For example, a B2B business with an average order value of $120 is performing above the industry benchmark of $100. Product bundling, pricing tiers, or even upsells can persuade spending without making the buyer feel pushed.

6. Sales conversion rate

If you're running an ecommerce business, there's one metric that will modestly tell you whether your marketing, product pages, and customer experience are actually converting: the sales conversion rate. In 2025's highly competitive ecommerce landscape, it's not merely a matter of driving traffic; it's about turning that traffic into paying customers. The formula is:

Conversion Rate = (Total Orders ÷ Total Visitors) × 100

Your sales conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who end up making a purchase. Simply put, if 100 people come into your shop and 3 buy, your conversion rate is 3%.

With personalization through AI, faster checkout experiences, and shifting consumer trust patterns, ecommerce consumers have higher expectations than ever. A store that is only "good enough" at converting may be leaving thousands in potential revenue on the table each month.

7. Customer lifetime value (CLV)

How valuable is a customer in the long term?

CLV provides you with a figure of how much money one customer will bring you throughout their entire lifetime with your business. It'll guide your planning for how much you spend in acquisition, retention, and customer service.

Here's the formula:

CLV = Average Purchase Value × Purchase Frequency × Customer Lifespan

Tracking CLV by segment can be a game changer. You’ll find that certain types of customers (like repeat buyers in a specific product category) are far more valuable than others, and that insight can guide everything from marketing spend to loyalty programs.

8. Refund and return rate

In online business, closing the sale is just half the fight. The ultimate test? Retaining it. 

The refund and return rate is a ratio of products sold that have been returned or requested to be refunded by the customers. In 2025, it is a make-or-break KPI when it comes to profitability, customer trust, and operational efficiency.

Refund & Return Rate = (Number of Returned or Refunded Orders ÷ Total Orders Shipped) × 100

If you receive 2,000 orders during the month and 120 of them return, that's a return rate of 6%.

While some returns are unavoidable, unusually high rates for your industry must be scrutinized. For example, the apparel industry might have a higher normal return percentage due to sizing issues while the B2B manufacturer industry might have a much lower normal rate. Here, there's no one-size-fits-all percent to point to.

Reviewing why returns happen and acting on patterns is the optimal method for lowering the number and protecting your margins.

9. Churn rate

You can have the best marketing funnel in the world, but if the customers continue churning out, your growth is sand-based. Churn rate comes into play here with a seemingly straightforward metric that tells you how many customers stop buying from you within a given time.

Churn Rate = (Customers Lost During Period ÷ Customers at Start of Period) × 100

For example, If you started the month with 500 engaged customers and ended with 460, your churn rate is 8%.

There is some churn that can't be avoided, but if your rate escalates or exceeds industry norms (usually 5–10% per month for B2C, 3–5% for B2B subscription), it is time to get into the reasons and take actions to improve retention.

10. Net promoter score (NPS)

How likely are your customers to recommend you?

NPS is an easy yet powerful indicator of loyalty. It's built around the following question: "On a scale of 0–10, how likely are you to recommend our store to a friend or colleague?"

• Promoters (9–10): Loyal regulars who'll keep buying and telling others.

• Passives (7–8): Happy but unenthusiastic.

• Detractors (0–6): Unhappy customers who can damage your brand through negative word-of-mouth.

You can calculate NPS by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters. A high NPS means your customers are happy enough to recommend you. That isn't just retention; that's love for your brand.

11. Repeat customer rate

Acquiring new customers is expensive. Keeping the ones you’ve already won? That’s where real profit lives.

The repeat customer rate tells you the percentage of purchasers who come back and make another purchase. In 2025, it is one of the best indicators of brand loyalty and long term future growth. The formula is:

Repeat Customer Rate = (Number of Returning Customers ÷ Total Customers) × 100

With ad costs increasing and competition a mere click away, retention has become a strategic weapon. Repeat customers spend more money, purchase with greater frequency, and bring in referrals.

For B2B ecommerce, a strong repeat rate can frequently suggest not just happiness, but confidence; a luxury in fields where contracts, bulk purchases, and long term supply agreements are at stake.

Track repeat rate alongside average order value (AOV) and view the combined revenue contribution of your loyal consumers.

12. Cart abandonment rate

Imagine customers approaching a physical store, piling their shopping cart with stuff, and then disappearing without checkout. That's what happens on the web; and you can measure it.

The cart abandonment rate shows the percentage of buyers who add products to the cart but don't complete the purchase.

Cart Abandonment Rate = ((Number of Completed Carts - Number of Completed Purchases) ÷ Number of Completed Carts) × 100

If 1,000 carts are initiated in a month and only 300 result in orders, your abandonment rate is 70%.

A high abandonment rate is not necessarily a cause for concern; industry standards can be 60–80%. But if your rate is creeping up toward the 95%–100% range, then that's worth worrying about. Confusing checkout procedures or other hurdles are likely prompting customers to abandon the purchase.

13. Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

Acquiring new customers is great, but do you know what it actually costs you? Custome r acquisition cost (CAC) tells you exactly that: how much you really have to spend in order to acquire one paying customer.

CAC = Total Sales & Marketing Expenditure ÷ Number of New Customers Acquired

If you have invested $10,000 in campaigns and gained 200 new customers: your CAC is $50.

High CAC isn't always a bad thing, especially when you're expanding into a new market or pushing for growth in the short term but if it's rising consistently without a corresponding increase in customer value, it's time to look at your campaigns, targeting, and conversion strategy.

14. Bounce rate & exit rate

They're sometimes mistakenly thought to be interchangeable, but they're actually tracking different things in an ecommerce store.

• Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who visit a page and bounce away without doing anything else.

• Exit rate is the percentage of visitors who leave your site from a particular page, regardless of how they arrived there.

High bounce rate on the landing page? That is a danger sign that your promotion is failing them. High exit rate on the checkout page? Red flag; maybe the shipping cost was an unpleasant surprise, or maybe the page loaded too slowly.

15. Cost per acquisition (CPA)

No matter how effective your marketing campaigns are, it’s essential to know how much you’re spending to drive a single desired action. Cost per acquisition (CPA) measures the total cost of getting one paying customer or achieving a specific conversion goal, such as a completed purchase or a qualified lead.

In ecommerce, CPA is a key performance indicator because it directly reflects the efficiency of your advertising spend. A lower CPA generally means you’re getting more value from your marketing budget, while a rising CPA could signal targeting issues, low ad relevance, or landing page friction.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) = Total Campaign Cost ÷ Number of Conversions

For example, if you spend $2,000 on an ad campaign and generate 80 purchases, your CPA is $25.

A “good” CPA varies by industry and product price point. High-ticket B2B products can sustain higher CPAs, while low margin consumer goods require lower CPAs to stay profitable. If your CPA is climbing without a matching increase in average order value or customer lifetime value, it’s time to refine your targeting, creatives, and conversion funnel.  

16. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)

Did the customer like what they got; yes or no?

CSAT works perfectly with a straightforward question: "How satisfied were you with your experience?" alongside a 1–5 (or 1–10, if you prefer) rating. It's perfect for monitoring short-term satisfaction at one-touch points like after checkout or after you've experienced a customer service interaction.

The magic of CSAT? It's fast, nimble, and can be adapted to your process. But sometimes it doesn't tell you the "why" associated with the score; pair it with more qualitative measures such as NPS or open-text answers.

17. Customer effort score (CES)

How easy do you make it for customers to get what they need?

Nobody wants trouble. CES measures the effort it took a customer to have something done, like order something, receive a response, or reach support. A sample is to score on a numerical scale of one to five, or emoticons that transition from frowning to smiling.

Imagine a customer walking through your service center without resolving their issue and descending into a 10-minute support call. Even if the rep was friendly, it wasn't a great experience. CES measures that sort of quiet rage. Less work, greater likelihood of keeping them.

18. Revenue per visitor (RPV)

You can be attracting thousands of visitors to your ecommerce site every day, but the question is: how much value does each visitor bring to your business? That is where revenue per visitor (RPV) enters the scene. It informs you about how much revenue, on average, every visitor is bringing in, and that makes it one of the most useful profitability measures for ecommerce.

RPV is determined by dividing your total revenue by total visitors over some period of time:

Revenue Per Visitor = Total Revenue ÷ Total Visitors

If your web site makes $50,000 in a month from 20,000 visitors, for instance, your RPV is $2.50.

Industry standards differ, but in B2B ecommerce even a tiny boost in RPV will have an enormous effect on revenue, particularly when handling high ticket orders or repeat customers. If your RPV is not rising, you might need to fine-tune pricing, upselling methods, or site experience so you can extract more from the same traffic.

19. Time to purchase

In ecommerce, speed is important but timing is important as well.

Time to buy is the amount of time it takes for a visitor to become a paying customer once they are initially exposed to your company. It's simply the duration of the buying process.

The measurement is established by tracking the period (or hours, in the case of fast-moving products) from the first visit to a customer's final order. For example, if one of your customers discovers your store on Monday and places his or her first order on Friday, the time to purchase is four days.

For B2C, it could be a matter of minutes or an hour. For B2B ecommerce, it could be weeks or months, with research, approval, and planning required for bulk buys. Measuring it allows you to optimize remarketing campaigns, alter content for each buyer's journey stage, and find out where leads are getting stuck.

20. Website traffic (sessions)

You can have the most polished product catalog and frictionless checkout, but without visitors, you're better off with a store in the desert.

Sessions of website traffic tell you how frequently users are actively using your website. It's not a vanity metric; it's where you start getting a sense of whether your marketing and sales funnel are functioning well.

In 2025, traffic sources are more numerous than ever: organic search, paid search, social media, email, affiliate links, and even AI-driven discovery. Having your eye not only on quantity but also on the source of your sessions allows you to know which channels are bringing you the most engaged, high-value visitors.

How often should you check ecommerce metrics?

There’s no one size fits all rule for checking ecommerce metrics. The right frequency depends on your store size, growth stage, and the goals you’ve set. But having a structured review schedule can make all the difference between reacting to issues and anticipating them.

Here’s a practical breakdown of when to track specific ecommerce KPIs so you’re not drowning in data but also never missing a critical signal.

Daily

Daily tracking is your early warning system. It’s what helps you catch opportunities or problems before they snowball.

Let’s say your traffic suddenly drops by 40%; is it a server issue? A broken link from a major ad campaign? Or maybe you’ve just been penalized by a search algorithm update? The sooner you spot it, the faster you can fix it.

Weekly

Weekly review allows you to take a step back from day-to-day noise and observe trends unfolding. You're searching for indicators of campaign performance, product momentum, and shifts in customer behavior.

For instance, if your customer acquisition cost has been increasing steadily over three weeks, your ads are probably drifting out of performance. That's your signal to adjust your targeting or creative.

Monthly

Monthly reviews reveal whether your strategies are paying off in the bigger picture. Instead of just reacting, you’re analyzing; making decisions about pricing, promotions, or new product investments.

For example, tracking customer lifetime value monthly can highlight if your retention strategies are working, or if customers are disappearing after their first purchase.

Annual

Yearly evaluations are less about firefighting and more about steering the ship. This is where you connect internal performance with external realities, market shifts, economic changes, and competitor moves.

You’ll want to compare year-over-year growth, profitability, and customer base expansion. These insights help set (or reset) your strategic goals for the next cycle.

Conclusion

Understanding the distinction between ecommerce metrics and KPIs is what allows you to make intelligent, profitable choices. Metrics provide you with the numbers, but KPIs inform you which of those numbers actually lead to true change toward your business objectives.

They are both helpful, but they serve different purposes in guiding your course.

In today's fast-paced, competitive marketplace, monitoring your ecommerce metrics is no longer a choice. It's the difference between acting blindly and propelling your growth ahead of the curve. Those who succeed are not merely observing numbers going up and down; they're decoding those signals, seeing trends coming before others, and acting quickly.

Measure, but more importantly, do something with what you measure. If your cart abandonment rate is rising, examine your checkout flow. If your customer lifetime value is falling, revisit retention.

The winners in ecommerce aren’t those who measure the most, but those who act the fastest.