In eCommerce, every channel is under pressure to perform. CPCs rise, attribution keeps shifting under our feet, and every quarter introduces a new ad format we apparently all need to “jump on”.

But the good news is that we finally have enough solid, reputable data to define what “healthy” looks like across the major performance channels. These 10 benchmarks will give you a realistic, defensible point of reference as you plan and optimise your eCommerce ad strategy in 2026.

Let’s start with the channel that still drives the bulk of paid eCommerce revenue for most brands: Meta.

1. Meta (Facebook + Instagram) CPMs & CPCs

Meta remains the most powerful paid social engine for eCommerce with its reach, predictable learning phases, and a creative canvas that pushes product discovery better than any other ad platform. Most eCommerce businesses rely on Meta for TOFU and MOFU demand generation because the cost structure is still friendlier than Google.

Benchmarks for 2026

• Meta CPM for eCommerce typically sits between £5 - £10
• (Source: AdMetrics)
• Average Meta CPC ranges £0.60 - £1.10
• (Source: Superads)

Why This Benchmark Matters

Meta sets the pace for upper and mid-funnel efficiency. If CPMs suddenly jump or CPCs drift above £1.20 for non-luxury products, it usually signals one of three things: audience overlap, weak creative testing, or too many learning phase resets. When Meta underperforms, it often reveals a creative or audience alignment issue before it reveals a media buying issue.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Use CPM as an early-warning signal for audience quality
• Judge creative fatigue by watching CPC drift week-to-week
• Base ROAS targets on blended revenue contribution, not last-click
• Test new creative formats every 14 - 28 days to maintain stable delivery

2. Google Ads CPC Benchmarks (Search & Shopping)

Google is a different beast entirely. Search intent is powerful, but eCommerce competition is dominated by Amazon, big-box retail, and aggressive aggregator brands. That means higher CPCs, stricter auction dynamics, and fewer “cheap wins”.

Still, Google captures demand in a way no other channel can. The trick is understanding the cost structure well enough to know when to push, and when to let Shopping carry more of the load.

Benchmark for 2026

• Average eCommerce CPC on Google Search sits around £0.90
• (Source: WordStream)

Why This Benchmark Matters

Understanding Google’s cost structure helps you avoid the classic trap: spending heavily on high-intent keywords that bring in clicks but can’t produce profitable CAC against Amazon-sized competition. Shopping ads are usually the stabiliser here with cheaper CPCs, broader reach, and predictable bottom-funnel impact.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Treat Shopping as your efficiency layer
• Use Search only for the highest-value products and margin-friendly queries
• Watch impression share “lost to rank”, a common issue for brands competing against Amazon
• Create separate Search campaigns for branded vs non-branded terms to avoid blended CPC distortion

3. Google Search & Shopping CTR Benchmarks

CTR reveals how often your product earns attention and how aligned your listings are with real intent.

Benchmarks for 2026

• Google Search CTR for eCommerce averages 2.6 - 4.7%
• eCommerce CTR in general typically averages at a lower 0.51%
• [(Source: WordStream)]((Source: WordStream))

Why This Benchmark Matters

CTR is often the first sign of mismatch between search terms and product data. Low CTR usually means weak product titles, uncompetitive pricing, or bidding too broadly. Fixing CTR issues early prevents wasting budget on impressions that never convert. CTR will also vary wildly depending on the search intent of your audience.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Audit titles & images before increasing bids
• Improve price competitiveness or add promotions for low-CTR products
• Split out poor-performing product groups so they don’t drag down stronger items

4. eCommerce Conversion Rate Benchmarks

Conversion rate is the foundational health signal for any eCommerce website. When CVR is low, almost every paid channel becomes artificially expensive, not because the traffic is bad, but because the on-site experience is creating friction.

Benchmarks for 2026

• Global eCommerce conversion rates range from 2.3 - 3.4%
• (Source: Statista)

Why This Benchmark Matters

Most brands panic about poor PPC performance when the real leak is happening on the site. If your CVR is below 2%, fixing paid media won’t solve the core issue. Strong CVR compounds every channel’s effectiveness.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Benchmark against industry peers before recalibrating CAC targets
• Use landing pages for paid traffic rather than sending users to PLPs
• Monitor mobile separately as its friction points are different from desktop

5. Add-to-Cart (ATC) Rate Benchmarks

ATC rate is a sharp diagnostic tool. It measures intent before checkout friction gets in the way.

Benchmarks for 2026

• Average global ATC rate is 6.34%
• (Source: DynamicYield)

Why This Benchmark Matters

If your ATC rate is low, the issue is usually product-page driven, not your ads. Good traffic will not compensate for weak product storytelling, confusing benefits, or slow mobile load times.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Rework product pages before increasing budgets
• Add social proof modules higher up the page
• Test different image sequences and value props for top sellers

6. Cost per Acquisition (CAC / CPA)

CAC is the clearest indicator of whether your paid channels are economically scalable. For eCommerce brands, CAC is shaped by a combination of media costs, conversion rate, AOV, margins, and repeat-purchase behaviour, not just ad performance. When CAC rises, it’s often a sign of funnel friction rather than inefficient spend.

Benchmark for 2026

• Statista’s retail marketing research shows CAC commonly ranging £25–£50 for online merchants, depending on category and margin structure.
• (Source: Statista)

Why This Benchmark Matters

CAC tells you whether your growth is profitable. If your CAC rises above your margins and LTV, you will struggle to scale sustainably, even if your ROAS looks healthy. Understanding your CAC relative to category benchmarks helps you identify whether the issue lies in media efficiency, landing page performance, or product economics.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Set CAC targets per category or product line based on margin, not account-wide
• Diagnose CAC issues by checking CVR, AOV and payback period before cutting spend
• Improve profitability by increasing AOV (bundles, upsells) rather than reducing acquisition
• Use lifecycle retention flows to improve payback speed and lower blended CAC

7. Email & SMS Revenue Contribution

Owned channels remain the quiet engines of profitability. They stabilise CAC and improve payback periods without relying on auctions.

Verified Benchmarks for 2026

• Email can contribute up to 27% of total revenue for many eCommerce brands
• (Source: Klaviyo Ecommerce Benchmarks)
• SMS typically contributes 3 - 8% depending on list maturity
• (Source: Klaviyo Ecommerce Benchmarks)

Why This Benchmark Matters

Paid channels become far more efficient when email and SMS are doing their job. A strong owned channel programme lowers your reliance on Meta and Google, especially during seasonal competition spikes.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Build automated flows before scaling acquisition
• Use PPC to build high-intent email lists during off-peak periods
• Track first-purchase-to-second-purchase timing to optimise retention

8. Customer Retention Benchmarks

Retention is what stabilises CAC and enables predictable scaling. Without retention, paid channels become progressively more expensive.

Verified Benchmarks for 2026

• Average returning customer rate for eCommerce sits around 25 - 30%
• (Source: Yotpo)

Why This Benchmark Matters

Strong retention cushions rising CPCs and creates a reliable LTV. Weak retention, on the other hand, makes every paid channel look worse than it is.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Compare retention by product line to identify true winners
• Drive second purchase campaigns through email/SMS instead of paid
• Use loyalty and subscription programmes to stabilise repeat rates

9. ROAS Benchmarks Across Channels

ROAS is a helpful directional number, but in 2026 it must be interpreted alongside blended CAC and margin data. Last-click ROAS continues to decline as attribution becomes more privacy-restricted.

Benchmarks for 2026

While a general rule of thumb is you should be seeing at least £3 back for every £1 spent on ads, unfortunately, it’s not always that clear cut and it will vary massively from industry to industry. Looking at some industry and platform stats on TrueProfit reports that:

• The average ROAS for Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) typically falls in the range of 2.5 - 4.0.
• While the average Google Ads ROAS sits between 4.0 - 8.0, due to its high-intent environment
• (Source: TrueProfit)

Why This Benchmark Matters

ROAS is no longer a standalone performance measure. With AI-driven attribution and cross-channel overlap, blended CAC and LTV matter more than platform-reported ROAS. ROAS on different platforms will also vary wildly depending on exactly what you are selling and to who.

How to Use This Benchmark

• Anchor decisions on incremental revenue, not last-click ROAS
• Split branded vs non-branded ROAS for clearer insight
• Prioritise scale on products with the strongest contribution margin

Final Thoughts

Benchmarks shouldn’t punish your performance team, they should orient you. They help you see whether you’re fighting the channel, the creative, the landing page, or simply the economics of your product.

These benchmarks give you a realistic foundation heading into 2026. If your numbers sit far outside these ranges, it’s rarely just the ads. It’s usually a mix of channel mix, creative quality, product-page experience, or tracking accuracy.

If you'd like a more detailed breakdown for your category or a PPC strategy that’s actually tailored to your economics, request a proposal from Lever Digital.

‍