CRO Key Metrics

Learn the 5 essential metrics every online store needs to track for steady growth and improved sales performance.

5 Key Things You Need to Watch for Your Online Store to Grow

Watching the right numbers helps you know how your online store is doing. It can also help you make things better. In this guide, we talk about five main KPIs that can help you grow your business in a steady way. We will also show you how to make these numbers better.

1. Low Conversion Rate

The conversion rate shows how good your website is at getting people to become customers or leads. It depends on what you want your website to do. This is one of the most important ways to see how your store is doing.

How It Works:

If one hundred people go to your site and five of them buy something, your rate is:

(5 ÷ 100) × 100 = 5%

What’s a Good Conversion Rate?

Average: 2.5%–3%

Top-performing sites: 5%–10%+

Why Conversion Rate Might Be Low:

1. Poor User Experience (UX):

Even if you have a great product, a messy layout, hard-to-use menus, or design that does not match can make people leave. When we made the mobile user experience better for Owen Brothers Catering, they got a 30% increase in the number of people who finished buying.

Fix It:

Use tools like Hotjar, Clarity, or Google Analytics. These help you find problems.
Make it easy to get around with clean menus and a clear layout.
Use the same fonts, spacing, and colours everywhere.
Put easy-to-see Calls to Action (CTAs) near the top of the page. Use colours that stand out.

Pro Tip: Always try A/B testing your changes. You can use tools like VWO, Optimizely, or Adobe Target for this.

2. Slow Load Times:

A 1-second delay can make conversions go down by 7%. Working on speed helped Amathus Drinks to get 12% more conversions.

Fix It:

Test how fast the site loads with Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.
Compress images with TinyPNG or ImageOptim.
Implement lazy loading for media.

Pro Tip: If your website loads slow on a phone, it can hurt your SEO and sales. Make sure your site loads fast on mobile.

3. Weak Value Proposition:

If your message is too broad, people will not connect with it. People want to know why you are the best choice.

Fix It:

Make product page headlines benefit-focused.
Talk about what makes your business stand out, like free shipping or promises that customers will be happy with what they get.

Pro Tip: Listen to what your customers say. Use their feedback to make your message better.

4. Missing Trust Signals:

No reviews, no feedback, and no trust. This is a big warning sign for people who want to buy.

Fix It:

Display verified reviews via Trustpilot or Yotpo.
Show security badges and clear return policies.

Pro Tip: Show user content to build trust and let people see others like your brand.

5. Weak or Hidden CTAs:

People often don’t know what to do next if it’s not clear.

Fix It:

Use call-to-action words that are strong. You can use Buy Now or Start Free Trial.
Make sure CTAs are at the top of the page. Put them again after you show the product details.

Pro Tip: Use CTAs that make people feel they need to act fast, like “Only 3 Left!” These help get more people to take action.

6. Irrelevant Traffic:

If the wrong people come to your site, they will not take action.

Fix It:

Make ad targeting better in Meta Ads, Google Ads, or LinkedIn.
Make sure the landing page copy matches where the visitor comes from or what they do.

Pro Tip: You can use UTM parameters to see where your best traffic comes from.

7. Poor Mobile Experience:

More than 60% of the people who visit sites use their phones. If your site is not good on mobiles, you can lose sales.

Fix It:

Test how your website works on different devices by using BrowserStack or Bing Mobile Test.
Prioritize mobile-first design.

Pro Tip: Fast sites that work well on phones help your SEO rank go up and get you more sales.

8. No Personalization:

When your site looks the same as others, people do not feel close to it.

Fix It:

Use tools such as Klaviyo or Nosto to make your recommendations and emails fit each person.

Pro Tip: Making things personal helps people buy more, stick around, and spend more each time.

Low Add-to-Cart Rate

Add-to-Cart Rate shows how many people put items in their shopping cart. This helps you see if your product pages are good and people like them.

Formula:

Example:

If 150 people out of 1,000 people add something to their cart:

(150 ÷ 1000) × 100 = 15%

Benchmarks:

Average: 8%–10%

Top performers: 11%–15%+

Why Add-to-Cart Rates Might Be Low?

1. Underwhelming Product Pages

You only have about 5 seconds to grab attention.

Fix It:

Use clear pictures and real-life videos.
Write benefit-focused product descriptions.
Tell stories that help people feel connected to buyers.

Pro Tip: Tools like Shogun or custom CMSs

can help you make good product pages.

2. No Social Proof

Shoppers trust other shoppers.

Fix It:

Add real customer reviews and ratings.
Feature user-generated content and bestsellers.

Pro Tip: You can use the free Google Reviews widget if you do not use any paid platforms.

3. Confusing Pricing or Hidden Fees

Unexpected charges at checkout = drop-offs.

Fix It:

Show the full price right away. Make sure to add the taxes and shipping costs.
Offer free shipping when they buy enough. You can also add a shipping calculator.

Pro Tip: Show the prices in a clear way to build trust. This can make people buy more.

High Checkout Abandonment Rate

Checkout Abandonment Rate shows how many people start to check out on a website but do not finish it. This can happen because there is some problem or extra step at the last part.

Formula:

[(Started Checkout – Completed Checkout) ÷ Started Checkout] × 100

Top Reasons People Abandon Checkout:

1. Hidden Fees

Extra fees such as shipping or tax added at the end make people not want to buy. It can stop them from finishing the purchase.

Fix It:

Be transparent about total costs early on.
Show the free shipping amount on your product and cart pages.

2. Forced Account Creation

Asking people to make an account before they buy makes some go away.

Fix It:

Offer guest checkout options.
For B2B, have people make an account after they buy for the first time.

3. Complicated or Slow Checkout

A long or confusing process frustrates buyers.

Fix It:

Keep checkout to 2–3 simple steps.
Use progress indicators.
Allow people to use one-click choices like Apple Pay or PayPal.

4. Limited Payment Options

If people can't pay the way they like, they might not buy.

Fix It:

Offer credit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Buy Now Pay Next Time (BNPL) choices.
Ensure all payment methods work on mobile.

5. Lack of Trust

If people do not feel safe, they will not finish the buy.

Fix It:

Use SSL certificates and HTTPS.
Display trust badges and clear return policies.

6. Technical Errors

Problems or errors with the site can stop a sale when you need it the most.

Fix It:

Regularly test the checkout flow.
Monitor error reports in analytics.

Pro Tip: Try using tools like Google Optimize or VWO. You can test different versions of your checkout experience with these.

Low Average Order Value (AOV)

Average Order Value shows how much people usually pay when they buy something. If you raise AOV, your shop can earn more money, and you do not have to get more visitors.

Why AOV Might Be Low:

1. No Upsells or Cross-Sells

There are some easy ways to make each basket bigger that people often miss.

Fix It:

Use “frequently bought together” suggestions.
Highlight add-ons or upgrades on product pages.

2. No Product Bundling

Bundles make shopping easier and increase spend.

Fix It:

Create themed bundles with slight discounts.

Pro Tip: Show bundles during holidays or when there is a new product.

3. No Purchase Incentives

People need a reason to spend more.

Fix It:

Offer free shipping above a certain amount.
Use tiered discounts like “Spend £50, Save 10%.”

4. Weak Product Pages

Poor design means users won’t browse more.

Fix It:

Make the layout better and show related products under the main description.

5. No Loyalty or Rewards Program

No incentive to return = missed long-term value.

Fix It:

Start a rewards program that gives nice things to people who buy often.

Example: Sephora's Beauty Insider program makes people spend more each time with points and gifts.

Low Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)

Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) shows how much money a business can get from one customer in all the time they stay with you. Raising CLV is a good way to keep your business growing. It is less costly to keep your old customers than get new ones all the time. If your CLV goes up, you can work on strong ties with customers instead of just single sales.

What Causes Low CLV?

Lack of Customer Retention Strategy: If you do not have a plan to keep customers coming back, they can go away after they buy something for the first time. If there are no good reasons for them to shop with you again, people will go to other stores.

Poor Post-Purchase Experience: If the time after someone buys something is not good — like slow shipping, hard-to-understand returns, or no help from support — it can hurt how people feel. This can lead to less people buying again.
No Personal Touch: If you do not make the experience special for each person, it can be hard to grow loyalty. People want to feel important and treated in a way that suits them. They do not like to feel like just another sale.
Limited Product Ecosystem: If your store does not have a lot of products or related items that get people to come back and buy again, they may not return after they have bought what they needed at first.

Common Solutions to Increase CLV:

Retention Emails: Setting up automatic email messages is a good way to help your customers feel cared for. You can send follow-up emails to thank them for buying from you. You may also suggest other things they might like based on what they got. Or you could give a discount for their next order.

Loyalty Programs: Making a rewards program, like Sephora’s Beauty Insider, helps customers want to come back and buy again. You can give perks like discounts, special offers, or free gifts.
Post-Purchase Support: Make sure people have a smooth and pleasant time after they buy something. Give them easy returns, fast delivery, and great help when they need it. Solutions such as AfterShip or Narvar are available for your support in tracking and simplifying returns.
Make your offers fit each customer by using tools like Nosto or Klaviyo. You can put your customers into groups by looking at what they like, what they have looked at, or what they have bought before. Then, send them special deals or product ideas that fit them best.
Subscription Models: Dollar Shave Club shows how subscription plans can help increase CLV. They send their products to people on a regular basis. You can have the same type of service for things people need all the time. This helps customers buy from you again and again.

Final Thoughts

Keeping track of important numbers such as Conversion Rate, Add-to-Cart Rate, Checkout Abandonment Rate, Average Order Value (AOV), and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is key if you want to know how your online store is doing. By watching these numbers, you can see what needs to change and make things better for users. This also helps make buying easier and helps customers feel happier and more loyal.

When you work on these things — making your website easier to use, speeding up how fast your pages load, making your value clear, talking to your customers in a way that feels personal, and helping with any problems they have — you will get better results. Your site will bring in more people. It will turn those people into buyers. It will get people to come back and spend more money over time.

Want to Optimize Your Ecommerce Strategy?

If you want to take your eCommerce business up a notch, we can help. Download our Optimization Checklist to begin. You can also talk to our team if you like things more personal. If you have trouble with more sales, better site use, or keeping customers, we are here for you at each step.