You have just launched your online store and you are overwhelmed by the data available in your dashboard ? Don't panic. Here are the 10 KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that you absolutely must follow — and only these to start. The 10 essential KPIs 1. Turnover (Income) The most obvious, but also the most misleading when read alone. Follow it in trend (week after week) rather than in absolute value. Steady growth of 10-15% per month is a great sign for a young store. 2. Number of orders More stable than turnover (less sensitive to exceptionally large or small orders), the number of orders is a better indicator of the health of your acquisition. 3. Conversion rate The percentage of visitors who purchase. This is your queen metric. Check out our complete guide to conversion rate to understand the benchmarks and levers for improvement. 4. Average order value (AOV) How much each customer spends on average. Discover 8 strategies to increase it . 5. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) How much you spend on marketing to get a customer. Formula: Marketing expenses / Number of new customers . If your CAC is higher than your average basket, you are losing money on each sale. 6. Traffic by source Where do your visitors come from? Organic, paid, social, direct, email. Identify your most profitable sources and double down on them. 7. Cart abandonment rate On average, 70% of baskets are abandoned in e-commerce. If your rate is significantly higher, this is a red flag (delivery costs, overly complex checkout, lack of confidence). 8. Return rate A high return rate may indicate a problem with product quality, misleading description or sizing (in fashion). Monitor it closely — it directly impacts your net margin. 9. Lifetime Value (LTV) The total value a customer generates over their entire relationship with your store. Simplified formula: Average basket × Purchase frequency × Customer lifetime . Your LTV must be at least 3x higher than your CAC. 10. Net Promoter Score (NPS) On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are your customers to recommend you? An NPS above 50 is excellent. This is your best indicator of satisfaction and future word-of-mouth. How to track them easily Most of these KPIs are available directly in your Shopify dashboard . For others (CAC, LTV, NPS), you will need additional tools or simple manual calculations. Practical advice: create a weekly 15-minute ritual to review your 10 KPIs. Write them down in a simple table. Trends over 4-8 weeks will tell you exactly what is working and what needs improvement. Present your KPIs If you work with an agency, a consultant, or if you are looking for investors, the way you present your KPIs matters a lot. A visual dashboard is always more impactful than a spreadsheet. Check out our guides on how to impress with data And how to convince investors to go further.
You have just launched your online store and you are overwhelmed by the data available in your dashboard? Don't panic. Here are the 10 KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that you absolutely must follow — and only these to start.
The 10 essential KPIs
1. Turnover (Income)
The most obvious, but also the most misleading when read alone. Follow it in trend (week after week) rather than in absolute value. Steady growth of 10-15% per month is a great sign for a young store.
2. Number of orders
More stable than turnover (less sensitive to exceptionally large or small orders), the number of orders is a better indicator of the health of your acquisition.
3. Conversion rate
The percentage of visitors who purchase. This is your queen metric. Check out our complete guide to conversion rate to understand the benchmarks and levers for improvement.
4. Average order value (AOV)
How much each customer spends on average. Discover 8 strategies to increase it.
5. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
How much you spend on marketing to get a customer. Formula: Marketing expenses / Number of new customers. If your CAC is higher than your average basket, you are losing money on each sale.
6. Traffic by source
Where do your visitors come from? Organic, paid, social, direct, email. Identify your most profitable sources and double down on them.
7. Cart abandonment rate
On average, 70% of baskets are abandoned in e-commerce. If your rate is significantly higher, this is a red flag (delivery costs, overly complex checkout, lack of confidence).
8. Return rate
A high return rate may indicate a problem with product quality, misleading description or sizing (in fashion). Monitor it closely — it directly impacts your net margin.
9. Lifetime Value (LTV)
The total value a customer generates over their entire relationship with your store. Simplified formula: Average basket × Purchase frequency × Customer lifetime. Your LTV must be at least 3x higher than your CAC.
10. Net Promoter Score (NPS)
On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are your customers to recommend you? An NPS above 50 is excellent. This is your best indicator of satisfaction and future word-of-mouth.
How to track them easily
Most of these KPIs are available directly in your Shopify dashboard. For others (CAC, LTV, NPS), you will need additional tools or simple manual calculations.
Practical advice: create a weekly 15-minute ritual to review your 10 KPIs. Write them down in a simple table. Trends over 4-8 weeks will tell you exactly what is working and what needs improvement.
Present your KPIs
If you work with an agency, a consultant, or if you are looking for investors, the way you present your KPIs matters a lot. A visual dashboard is always more impactful than a spreadsheet.
Check out our guides on how to impress with data And how to convince investors to go further.