Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Retail in New Zealand

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

Cost Per Purchase for Retail 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 Retail 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.
  • Overall level: Retail in New Zealand averaged $28.71 cost per purchase across Oct 2024–Aug 2025, about 42% below the global baseline average of $49.24 (same months).
  • Volatility: New Zealand showed high month-to-month volatility (average absolute change ~27%), versus a steadier global trend (~4.7%).
  • Seasonality: The global series rose into December (typical Q4 pressure), while New Zealand moved in the opposite direction, dropping sharply through Q4 and hitting a new low in August 2025.

Selected trend overview

  • Average: $28.71 across 11 months.
  • High/low: Highest in Oct 2024 at $74.20; lowest in Aug 2025 at $11.82.
  • First-to-last change: Down 84% from Oct 2024 to Aug 2025.
  • Volatility: Large swings, including:
  • Oct to Nov: -45%.
  • Nov to Dec: -51%.
  • Feb to Mar: +57%.
  • Jul to Aug: -52%.
  • Notable periods:
  • Q4 2024 decline: $74.20 (Oct) → $40.73 (Nov) → $19.95 (Dec).
  • Stabilization in mid-2025: Mar–Jul mostly in the mid-$20s.
  • New trough in Aug 2025: $11.82.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Average level: New Zealand Retail at $28.71 vs global $49.24 (below market by ~42%).
  • High/low: Global ranged from $43.19 (Nov 2024) to $53.89 (Feb 2025), a far tighter band than New Zealand.
  • First-to-last change: Global slipped modestly (-2% from Oct 2024 to Aug 2025), indicating stability versus New Zealand’s pronounced decline.
  • Volatility: Global month-to-month moves were small (avg ~4.7%), while New Zealand’s were over 5x larger.
  • Relative positioning by month:
  • Oct 2024: New Zealand above market (+59% vs global).
  • Nov 2024: Slightly below market (-6%).
  • Dec 2024–Aug 2025: Persistently below market, typically 46%–74% lower than global.

Seasonality signals

  • Global pattern: Rising costs into December, elevated through Q1, easing into mid-year—consistent with holiday and post-holiday dynamics.
  • New Zealand Retail: Divergent Q4 with steep declines into December, mid-year stabilization, and a notable August dip—placing recent months well below average and below overall trends.

Monthly highlights

  • Peak: Oct 2024 at $74.20 (only month meaningfully above global).
  • Lowest point: Aug 2025 at $11.82 (74% below global that month).
  • Mid-year consistency: Apr–Jul 2025 hovered around $23–$26, indicating a temporary consolidation before the August drop.

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