The 8 ecommerce metrics that actually matter (and the ones that just feel good)

Nico Bértolo · 2026-10-15

In short

• Visits, followers and platform ROAS mislead when read alone. What pays the bills is the margin left after ads and shipping.
• Four numbers cover almost everything: revenue per visitor, CAC, contribution margin and repeat purchase rate.
• Split every metric by device and by channel: averages hide exactly where sales are lost.

Shopify, Meta and Google Analytics show dozens of numbers, each telling a different story. These are the eight metrics we track with our brands and the decision each one drives.

• Conversion rate: orders ÷ sessions.
• Average order value: revenue ÷ orders.
• Revenue per visitor: revenue ÷ sessions, the best metric to judge a change.
• CAC: marketing spend ÷ new customers, using Shopify’s new customers, not platform-attributed conversions.
• MER: total store revenue ÷ total ad spend, the honest version of ROAS.
• Contribution margin: revenue minus product cost, shipping, payment fees and ads.
• Repeat purchase rate: customers with 2+ orders ÷ all customers over 12 months.
• LTV: margin a customer leaves over the whole relationship; 3:1 LTV/CAC is usually healthy.

Not sure which number to look at first? We review your Shopify and ad data and show you where sales are being lost, with figures. Book a call

Turning over more isn’t growth. Growth is keeping more margin after ads and shipping.

Nico Bértolo, 224

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ROAS and MER?

ROAS is the revenue a platform attributes to itself per euro spent on it. MER divides total store revenue by total ad spend, independent of each platform’s attribution.

What is a good LTV to CAC ratio?

A ratio of 3:1 or higher is usually considered healthy. Below 1, every new customer costs money.