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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for E-commerce in Australia

See how your purchase costs compare. Explore ecommerce conversion cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Purchase for E-commerce in Australia

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • E-commerce cost-per-purchase in Australia averaged 38.44 over the last 12 months, about 19–20% below the global baseline average of 47.82 (below market).
  • Highest month in Australia was April 2025 at 46.57; the lowest was September 2025 at 13.49, a sharp one-month dip. Excluding this outlier, the typical range ran roughly 33.67–46.57.
  • Month-to-month volatility in Australia averaged about 9–10% (excluding September), versus roughly 5% for the global baseline (excluding its September drop), indicating slightly higher variability.
  • From October 2024 to September 2025, Australia fell 68% overall, while the global series declined 31%.
  • Seasonality diverged: the global trend rose from December through February, while Australia softened in December–February and then peaked March–April; costs also lifted into August before an unusually steep September drop.

What this analysis covers

This analysis looks at cost-per-purchase trends for industry E-commerce and target country Australia compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Australia E-commerce: overview of selected data

  • Average and median:
  • Average cost-per-purchase: 38.44.
  • Median: 40.77, reinforcing that Australia generally ran below the global level.
  • Highs and lows:
  • High: 46.57 (April 2025).
  • Low: 13.49 (September 2025). This single-month decline stands out relative to the rest of the series.
  • Trend and change:
  • First to last month: 42.42 (October 2024) to 13.49 (September 2025), a 68% decrease.
  • Notable dips/spikes:
  • December 2024 fell to 37.32 (−10.9% vs. November).
  • Consecutive rises in March and April 2025 (+17.8% and +17.4% MoM respectively), culminating in the annual high.
  • August 2025 climbed to 44.53 before a −69.7% drop in September.
  • Volatility:
  • Average absolute MoM change: about 15% including September; approximately 9–10% excluding September, indicating moderate variability most of the year.

How Australia compares to the global baseline

  • Level comparison:
  • Australia averaged 38.44 vs. the global 47.82, putting Australia about 19–20% below average (below market).
  • Median comparison: 40.77 (Australia) vs. 48.96 (global).
  • Highs and lows:
  • Global high: 53.89 (February 2025), above Australia’s high of 46.57.
  • Global low: 32.29 (September 2025), still well above Australia’s 13.49 low.
  • Volatility and trajectory:
  • Global average absolute MoM change ~7% (≈4.7% excluding its September dip), lower and steadier than Australia’s.
  • Global trend typically elevated in Q4 and into Q1 (December–February), then tapered through mid-year before a noticeable September decline (−29% MoM).
  • Australia diverged from this seasonality: it softened in December–February, peaked March–April, and rose into August before a much sharper September correction.

Seasonal patterns to note

  • Global costs typically increase in Q4 and remain elevated into Q1 around major shopping periods.
  • Australia’s E-commerce costs in this period were more subdued in December–February, with the main peak arriving later (March–April), indicating a shifted seasonal pattern relative to the global benchmark.

Understanding cost-per-purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry E-commerce and Australia helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the E-commerce industry, Facebook ad costs can be varied, with peaks during holiday seasons and competitive product categories. For campaigns targeting Australia, advertisers typically see good engagement rates despite moderate costs. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

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The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

Australia Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 27Australia Day (observed)
Apr 18‑21Easter weekend
Apr 25Anzac Day
Jun 9King's Birthday
Oct 6Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late December (Christmas and Boxing Day), Early December (Cyber Monday), January (Back-to-school), May (Mother's Day)

Potential Advertising Impact

Ad costs could spike around major holidays, especially Easter, Anzac Day, and Christmas. Increased budgets and earlier scheduling may be necessary. Retailers should consider planning promotions around back-to-school and Mother's Day to maximize campaign effectiveness.

What's a healthy cost per purchase for ecommerce brands?

It depends on your product price and margins. Most brands aim for $10 to $50. For higher-ticket products, a higher CPA may be acceptable as long as you're maintaining a strong return on ad spend.

How does product price impact CPA benchmarks?

Higher-priced products typically have a higher CPA because people take longer to convert. That's not necessarily a problem if your margin can support it. You should measure CPA in context with AOV and LTV.

Why are my purchase costs going up despite stable ROAS?

Your AOV may be increasing, which helps maintain ROAS even if CPA rises. You could also be facing higher CPMs, lower conversion rates, or creative fatigue.

Should I use manual bidding to control CPA more effectively?

Manual bidding can help if you're struggling to stay within target CPA. It's best used by experienced advertisers who can monitor performance and adjust regularly. It gives more control, but also requires more effort.

How do I scale spend without letting CPA skyrocket?

Increase budget gradually, rotate creative often, and avoid overlapping audiences. Scaling too quickly can lead to audience saturation and rising CPAs.

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