Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for E-commerce in New Zealand

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

Cost Per Purchase for E-commerce in New Zealand

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-purchase trends for industry E-commerce and target country New Zealand compared to the global trend; the analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • On average, New Zealand E-commerce cost-per-purchase sits about 21% below the global baseline (37.63 vs 47.82).
  • Volatility is higher locally: average absolute month-over-month change is ~15% in New Zealand versus ~7% globally.
  • Seasonality differs: the global series peaks in December–February, while New Zealand softens through December, then rebounds March–August before a sharp September drop in both series.
  • Only August is briefly above market (46.19 vs 45.69); most months are below the global level.

Overview of the selected trend

Period covered: Oct 2024–Sep 2025 for E-commerce in New Zealand.

  • Average: 37.63
  • High: 46.19 (Aug 2025)
  • Low: 18.65 (Sep 2025)
  • Range: 27.54
  • Change from first to last month: -51.9% (38.75 in Oct 2024 to 18.65 in Sep 2025)

Monthly movement highlights:

  • Q4 2024 edged down from October to December (38.75 → 36.15 → 34.93).
  • Notable swings:
  • +26.2% from February to March (31.63 → 39.90)
  • +11.0% March to April (39.90 → 44.30)
  • -59.6% August to September (46.19 → 18.65), the largest single-month drop in the period
  • Average absolute month-over-month change: ~15.2%, indicating meaningful volatility.

Global baseline snapshot

  • Average: 47.82
  • High: 53.89 (Feb 2025)
  • Low: 32.29 (Sep 2025)
  • Range: 21.60
  • Change from first to last month: -30.8% (46.67 in Oct 2024 to 32.29 in Sep 2025)

Seasonality and moves:

  • Strong holiday/Q1 uplift: +19.3% from November to December; elevated into January–February.
  • Broad cooling into mid-year, then a sharp -29.3% dip in September.
  • Average absolute month-over-month change: ~7.0%.

How New Zealand compares with the baseline

  • Overall level: Below market on average by ~21%.
  • Peaks and troughs:
  • Peak comparison: 46.19 (NZ, Aug) vs 53.89 (global, Feb). NZ peak remains ~14% under the global peak.
  • Low comparison: 18.65 (NZ, Sep) vs 32.29 (global, Sep), placing New Zealand ~42% below the global level in September.
  • Monthly positioning:
  • Mostly below global each month; the clearest gaps appear in December (34.93 vs 51.53, ~32% below) and September (~42% below).
  • August is the only month marginally above global (+1.1%).

Seasonality and pattern notes

  • Global costs typically rise in Q4 and remain elevated into January–February, reflecting holiday and post-holiday demand.
  • New Zealand’s E-commerce costs were softer in Q4 2024, then strengthened March–August, indicating a later build in cost pressure.
  • Both series saw a pronounced drop in September 2025.

Understanding cost-per-purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry E-commerce and New Zealand 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 New Zealand, 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.

New Zealand Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 2Day after New Year's Day
Feb 6Waitangi Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday
Apr 25ANZAC Day
Jun 2King's Birthday
Jun 20Matariki
Oct 27Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November–early December (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), Christmas season (Boxing Day sales), Mid‑year promotions (Matariki in June), Back-to-school (late January/early February)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise around Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day as public events increase media consumption. Matariki is new public holiday with growing awareness—advertising may see elevated competition. Late November–December Black Friday/Cyber Monday could drive ad costs significantly. Regional anniversary holidays may cause local inventory shifts.

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.