Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Retail in United States

Key takeaways

• Based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks, cost per lead in Retail for the United States runs consistently above the global baseline: +55% on average across the past 12 months.
• Selected data shows a high in April ($69.48) and a low in July ($36.72), ending September at $44.08, down 33% from October’s starting point.
• Volatility is higher than the global trend (average month-to-month absolute change of $6.43 vs. $4.75 baseline), with the steepest declines from May to July.
• Seasonality is visible: elevated costs in October–November, a spring peak (April), and a pronounced summer trough (July). The global baseline peaks in November and drops sharply in September.

What we analyzed

This analysis looks at cost per lead trends for industry Retail and target country United States compared to the global trend. Figures are monthly medians.

Retail, United States: cost per lead trend highlights

• Average: $55.89
• High: $69.48 (April)
• Low: $36.72 (July)
• First-to-last change: from $65.90 (Oct) to $44.08 (Sep), a 33% decrease
• Volatility: average month-to-month absolute move of $6.43
• Notable movements:
• October to November: modest rise (+$0.70), followed by a December pullback to $57.77
• January softens to $53.08, then rebounds to $64.29 by March
• April marks the annual peak ($69.48), then a sustained decline: May ($59.69) → June ($46.52) → July ($36.72)
• Recovery into late summer: August ($42.82) and September ($44.08)

Seasonality in the United States Retail data shows elevated CPL in early Q4 (October–November), a spring peak, and the lowest costs in midsummer (July). Across the period, the second half (Apr–Sep) averages $49.88 vs. $61.90 in the first half (Oct–Mar), indicating a 19% lower run rate later in the year.

Comparison to the global baseline

• Baseline average: $36.04
• Baseline high/low: $41.58 (November) and $20.63 (September)
• First-to-last change: from $31.12 (Oct) to $20.63 (Sep), down 34%
• Volatility: average month-to-month absolute move of $4.75

Relative positioning:

• Overall, United States Retail CPL is +55% above the global average ($55.89 vs. $36.04).
• Peak comparison: April’s $69.48 is 67% above the global high of $41.58 (November).
• Trough comparison: July’s $36.72 is 78% above the global low ($20.63 in September).
• Month-by-month, United States Retail sits above market for 11 of 12 months; July is slightly below the global baseline (−5%). In September, United States Retail ($44.08) is more than double the global figure ($20.63), as the baseline falls to its 12‑month low.

Seasonality and volatility

• United States Retail: elevated in October–November, spring peak (April), and the lowest point in July, followed by a gradual late-summer recovery.
• Global baseline: a visible November bump and an unusually sharp September dip.
• Volatility: United States Retail shows larger swings than the global trend, especially in late spring to midsummer.

Understanding cost per lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Retail and United States helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.