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

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

Cost Per Purchase for E-commerce in Italy

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads cost per purchase benchmarks: E-commerce in Italy vs global

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

Key takeaways

  • Overall level: Italy’s E-commerce median cost per purchase averaged 43.14, about 9.8% below the global baseline (47.82) — generally below market.
  • Direction of travel: From Oct-2024 to Sep-2025, Italy declined 21.5% (43.05 to 33.79), while the global baseline fell 30.8% (46.67 to 32.29).
  • Volatility: Italy showed much higher month-to-month volatility (average absolute change 10.20) than the baseline (3.25) — roughly 3.1x more movement.
  • Seasonal patterns: Costs rose into Q4 (holiday period), Italy dipped in Q1, troughed in June, and spiked in August. The global series peaked in Q1 and eased through late summer.

Italy E-commerce: time-series highlights (selected data)

  • Average: 43.14; median: 41.78.
  • High: 66.48 in Aug-2025; low: 30.16 in Jun-2025 (peak-to-trough spread: 36.32).
  • Quarterly profile:
  • Q4-2024: 44.85
  • Q1-2025: 39.74
  • Q2-2025: 40.81
  • Q3-2025: 47.17
  • Notable moves:
  • Dec-2024 up to 46.55 (+9.7% vs Oct).
  • Jun-2025 low at 30.16.
  • Aug-2025 spike to 66.48, followed by a sharp reset to 33.79 in Sep-2025.

Global baseline: context

  • Average: 47.82; median: 48.96.
  • High: 53.89 in Feb-2025; low: 32.29 in Sep-2025.
  • Volatility remained modest for most of the period, with a pronounced drop in Sep-2025.
  • Quarterly profile:
  • Q4-2024: 47.13
  • Q1-2025: 52.94 (peak)
  • Q2-2025: 49.83
  • Q3-2025: 41.39

Relative positioning vs global

  • Mostly below market: Italy was below the global median in 9 of 12 months.
  • Above market months:
  • Nov-2024: +4% vs baseline (44.94 vs 43.19)
  • Aug-2025: +45.5% (66.48 vs 45.69)
  • Sep-2025: +4.6% (33.79 vs 32.29)
  • Largest below-market gaps:
  • Jun-2025: -35.8% (30.16 vs 46.96)
  • Feb-2025: -28.9% (38.31 vs 53.89)
  • Mar-2025: -23.3% (40.38 vs 52.61)
  • Seasonal framing:
  • Q4 uplift is visible in both series, consistent with holiday-driven cost pressure.
  • The baseline peaks in Q1, while Italy softens in Q1, rebounds in April, and surges in August.

Monthly highlights

  • Highs/lows: Aug-2025 (66.48) and Jun-2025 (30.16) define the period’s extremes for Italy.
  • Fastest swings: Jul→Aug (+25.25) and Aug→Sep (-32.70) underline the elevated volatility.
  • End-of-period: Italy finishes slightly above the global baseline in Sep-2025 despite a sharp month-over-month drop.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry E-commerce and Italy 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 Italy, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. 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.

Italy Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 6Epiphany
Apr 20Easter Sunday
Apr 21Easter Monday
Apr 25Liberation Day
May 1Labour Day
Jun 2Republic Day
Aug 15Ferragosto
Nov 1All Saints' Day
Dec 8Immaculate Conception
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26St. Stephen's Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), Christmas & post‑Christmas sales (late December), Ferragosto (mid‑August) summer tourism, Back‑to‑school (September)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might increase during spring holidays when Italians engage in travel or leisure. Ferragosto may see travel and hospitality ads face high competition while retail CPMs dip. Late November and December see ad demand surges. 'Ponte' long weekends could affect ad pacing with stronger performance on adjacent weekdays.

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.