Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Marketplaces in Australia

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

Cost Per Purchase for Marketplaces in Australia

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads benchmarks: cost per purchase trends (Oct 2024–Aug 2025)

This analysis looks at cost per purchase trends for industry Marketplaces 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.

Key takeaways

  • Overall level: Australia’s Marketplaces average cost per purchase (111.81) is 2.27x above the global baseline (49.24), driven by extreme spikes between December and April.
  • Typical month: The selected median month (19.34) sits well below the baseline median (50.97), indicating most months are cheaper than global norms, aside from a short period of severe elevation.
  • Volatility: Month-to-month absolute change averages 485% in the selected series vs 4.7% in the baseline—an exceptionally volatile pattern with several outliers.
  • Seasonality: The global baseline shows a modest Q4/Q1 lift (notably December–February). Australia’s series shows a sharp spike starting in December, peaking in April, then reverting to low single/double digits by May–August.

Australia Marketplaces: in-series highlights

  • Average: 111.81 across 11 months; median: 19.34.
  • High/low: Peak in April 2025 at 375.01; low in October 2024 at 3.50.
  • First-to-last change: Up 30% from October (3.50) to August (4.57).
  • Notable spikes/dips:
  • November to December: +4,464% (4.35 to 198.60).
  • March to April: +47% (254.49 to 375.01).
  • April to May: −96.9% (375.01 to 11.55), followed by a continued normalization through August (4.57).
  • Volatility: Ten month-to-month moves include multiple >40% shifts, underscoring outlier-heavy dynamics.

Comparison with the global baseline

  • Baseline average: 49.24; median: 50.97.
  • Baseline high/low: Highest in February 2025 (53.89); lowest in November 2024 (43.19).
  • Baseline first-to-last change: −2% from October (46.67) to August (45.69).
  • Relative positioning by month:
  • Below market in most months: October (−92% vs baseline), November (−90%), May (−77%), June (−59%), July (−87%), August (−90%).
  • Above market during December–April: December (+3.9x), January (+3.3x), February (+3.4x), March (+4.8x), April (+7.3x).
  • Interpretation: On an average basis, the selected data reads “above market” due to five exceptionally high months. On a typical-month basis (median), Australia is “below average” relative to the global trend.

Seasonality and pattern read

  • Baseline seasonality is consistent with common Q4 holiday effects and early Q1 strength (December–February uptick).
  • Australia’s Marketplaces series mirrors a year-end/early-year surge but with outlier intensity (December–April), followed by a pronounced reversion from May onward.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Marketplaces 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 Marketplaces industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. 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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