The fast-paced world of online shopping requires businesses to constantly adapt to the changing market through data-driven decisions that are backed by smart analysis. This is where an ecommerce key performance indicator (KPI) dashboard comes into play. 

It's a vital platform that collects and visualizes essential data points - like sales, customer behavior, and inventory levels - to provide a snapshot of an online store's performance.

By offering real-time insights, an ecommerce metric dashboard enables businesses to monitor their progress, identify trends, and adjust strategies swiftly. This approach not only helps in optimizing daily operations but also in achieving long-term growth and success in the competitive ecommerce space.

‍What is an ecommerce KPI dashboard?

An ecommerce KPI dashboard is a data-driven resource that consolidates and displays key performance indicators crucial for monitoring and optimizing the performance of an online store. These dashboards provide a comprehensive overview of various metrics that reflect the health and success of an ecommerce business, enabling store owners and managers to make strategic decisions based on real-time data.

It displays various crucial indicators such as sales revenue, customer acquisition costs, conversion rates, and average order value, providing a snapshot of business performance.

For example, consider an online store that tracks monthly sales targets, customer feedback scores, and promotional campaign effectiveness through its KPI dashboard. This real-time data allows them to quickly identify trends, such as increased sales following a particular marketing campaign, or pinpoint areas needing improvement, like customer service.

By consolidating all critical data in one easy-to-view place, an ecommerce KPI dashboard simplifies the process of tracking progress and spotting trends. This allows for swift adjustments in strategies to ensure that the business remains competitive and responsive to market demands.

See it in action
Retail Management Dashboards

‍Why is it important to track ecommerce KPIs?

Global retail e-commerce has reached an estimated $5.8 trillion in sales in 2023 and is expected to grow by 39% to surpass $8 trillion by 2027. Tracking ecommerce KPIs is crucial for several reasons:

• Performance monitoring: KPIs provide a clear picture of how well your ecommerce business is performing, helping you track progress toward your goals.
• Integration of multiple data sources: These dashboards can integrate data from various sources like Shopify, Google Analytics, social media platforms, and other tools, providing a holistic view of the business's performance.
• Identifying trends and opportunities: Regularly monitoring KPIs helps identify trends and opportunities for growth, allowing businesses to capitalize on them promptly.
• Customization and user-specific views: Dashboards can be customized to display the most relevant KPIs for different users, such as executives, marketing directors, and analysts. This ensures that each user has access to the data they need to perform their roles effectively.
• Operational efficiency: KPIs highlight areas where operational improvements can be made, such as inventory management, order fulfillment, and customer service.
• Customer insights: Tracking KPIs related to customer behavior, such as conversion rates and customer lifetime value, provides insights into customer preferences and buying patterns.
• Marketing effectiveness: KPIs like return on advertising spend (ROAS) and customer acquisition cost (CAC) help evaluate the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and optimize marketing spend.
• Financial health: Financial KPIs, such as gross profit margin and average order value, provide insights into the financial health of the business, guiding pricing and cost management strategies.
• Goal setting and achievement: KPIs help set realistic and measurable goals, providing a benchmark for success and a way to measure progress over time

The most common ecommerce KPIs to track

Monitoring the right KPIs is crucial for understanding business performance and guiding strategic decisions. These metrics provide insights into various aspects of an online business, from sales effectiveness to customer satisfaction. Here are a few common KPIs to measure using ecommerce KPI dashboards:

1. Sales revenue

It is the total amount of money generated from sales of products or services before any deductions. Tracking this KPI gives businesses a clear picture of their top-line growth and is essential for assessing overall financial health.

Formula: Total revenue = Sum of all sales

Example: If an ecommerce store sells 100 items at $50 each, the total sales revenue would be 100 x $50 = $5000.

2. Cost of goods sold (COGS)

COGS represents the direct costs attributable to the production of a company's goods. This includes material and labor costs directly tied to product creation. Monitoring COGS helps businesses understand the cost-effectiveness of their production processes and manage their pricing strategies to improve profitability.

Formula: Cost of goods sold = Beginning inventory + (Purchase costs + Labor costs + Materials costs + Supplies costs + Miscellaneous costs) - Ending inventory

Example: Beginning inventory of $1000, plus purchase and other costs totaling $4000, minus an ending inventory of $1500 results in COGS of $1000 + $4000 - $1500 = $3500.

3. Conversion rate

It is a critical measure of the effectiveness of a website to convert visitors into customers. It reflects the percentage of visitors who take a desired action, providing insights into the success of marketing and site design. Improving conversion rates can significantly boost sales without increasing traffic.

Formula: Conversion Rate = (Number of conversions/Total visitors) x 100

Example: If 200 out of 5000 visitors make a purchase, the conversion rate is (200/5000) x 100 = 4%.

4. Average order value (AOV)

This metric tracks the average dollar amount spent each time a customer places an order over a defined period. By understanding AOV, businesses can strategize ways to encourage customers to spend more per transaction. This increases overall revenue through upselling or cross-selling strategies.

Formula: AOV = Total revenue/Number of orders

Example: If the total revenue is $5000 from 100 orders, then the AOV is $5000/100 = $50.

5. Customer acquisition cost (CAC)

It is the cost of convincing a customer to buy a product or service. This KPI helps businesses determine the return on investment of their marketing efforts and is crucial for evaluating the efficiency of acquisition strategies. Lowering CAC while maintaining revenue growth is key to achieving profitability.

Formula: CAC = Total marketing expenses/Number of new customers acquired

Example: If $1000 is spent to acquire 50 new customers, CAC = $1000/50 = $20.

6. Customer lifetime value (CLV)

This metric predicts the total revenue a business can expect from a single customer account throughout their relationship. It helps companies allocate resources effectively, foster relationships with high-value customers, and tailor marketing efforts to maximize retention and profitability.

Formula: CLV = Average value of sale x Number of repeat transactions x Average retention time
Example: If the average sale value is $50, with 5 repeat transactions and a retention time of 3 years, CLV = $50 x 5 x 3 = $750.

7. Cart abandonment rate

This rate measures the number of customers who add items to their shopping carts but do not complete the purchase. It highlights potential issues in the checkout process or customer hesitations. Reducing cart abandonment can directly increase conversion rates and sales.

Formula: Cart abandonment rate = (1 - [Number of completed purchases/Number of carts created]) x 100

Example: If 70 purchases are completed out of 200 carts created, the rate = (1 - [70/200]) x 100 = 65%.

8. Return on investment (ROI)

This measures the gain or loss generated on an investment relative to the money invested. It is used to evaluate an investment's efficiency or to compare the efficiencies of several different investments.

Formula: ROI = (Net profit/Cost of investment) x 100
Example: If the net profit from a campaign is $200 and the cost is $100, ROI = ($200/$100) x 100 = 200%.

9. Gross margin

This KPI expresses the difference between revenue and COGS as a percentage of revenue. It indicates how much a company earns, considering the costs associated with producing and selling its goods and services. A higher gross margin implies a more financially healthy operating environment.

Formula: Gross Margin = ([Revenue - COGS]/Revenue) x 100

Example: If revenue is $5000 and COGS is $3500, gross margin = ([$5000 - $3500]/$5000) x 100 = 30%.

10. Net promoter score (NPS)

It assesses customer satisfaction and loyalty by asking customers how likely they are to recommend a company’s products or services to others. It categorizes customers into promoters and detractors. NPS is a strong predictor of future business growth and customer loyalty patterns.

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Formula: NPS = % of Promoters - % of Detractors

Example: If 70% are promoters and 10% are detractors, NPS = 70% - 10% = 60.

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Related Read: 6 Best Ecommerce Analytics Tools: A Comprehensive Guide

Simplifying ecommerce KPI dashboard creation with DataBrain

DataBrain offers a robust platform for creating and monitoring ecommerce KPI dashboards, providing a range of features that streamline the process and enhance the effectiveness of data-driven decision-making. Here’s how DataBrain simplifies ecommerce metrics dashboard creation:

• Embedded analytics: Integrate real-time embedded analytics dashboards into your ecommerce platform, allowing seamless data visualization and analysis without the need to switch between multiple tools.
  
  
• Customizable dashboards: Create custom dashboards tailored to their needs using intuitive drag-and-drop functionality. This feature allows for easily adding various KPIs and metrics relevant to ecommerce operations.
  
  
• Interactive visualizations: Supports a wide range of interactive visualizations, such as charts, graphs, and maps, which help in better understanding and analyzing key performance indicators.
  
  
• Real-time notifications: Provides real-time notifications for any significant changes in KPIs, such as when a metric falls short of a set goal. It ensures that users can respond promptly to any issues or opportunities.
  
  
• Enhanced collaboration: Share dashboards and reports easily with team members to foster better collaboration and ensure everyone is on the same page regarding business performance and strategy.

Take your ecommerce business to the next level with DataBrain. Start optimizing your operations with a tailored KPI dashboard today!