EcommerceGoogleAdsStatistics
Benchmarks from 75+ UK ecommerce brand audits. Real data on CPC, ROAS, POAS, return rates, and PMax spend allocation, updated quarterly.
JudeLuxe Performance Data
Verified performance metrics from our retained client portfolio and audit programme.
Average Profit Lift
94%
Across retained ecommerce clients, measured by contribution margin improvement within the first 90 days of POAS implementation.
Source: JudeLuxe Client Portfolio, Q1 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Client Retention Rate
98%
Annual retention across all retained Google Ads management clients since founding. Only 2 clients have churned in the agency's history.
Source: JudeLuxe Internal Data, March 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Wasted Spend Eliminated
£620k
Total wasted ad spend identified and reallocated across audits completed in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. Average of £8.2k per audit.
Source: JudeLuxe Audit Reports, 2025-2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Ecommerce Brands Audited
75+
Profit-first Google Ads audits for UK ecommerce brands spending £10k-£500k/month across fashion, beauty, home, pet, supplements, and food sectors.
Source: JudeLuxe Client Records, March 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Average POAS After 90 Days
4.2x
Average profit on ad spend across clients who have completed the full 90-day POAS implementation programme, up from an average starting POAS of 1.8x.
Source: JudeLuxe Performance Reports, Q1 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Budget Recovered from Brand Cannibalisation
33%
Percentage of total Google Ads spend recovered through PMax brand exclusions and branded search restructuring.
Source: JudeLuxe Audit Findings, 2025-2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
UK Ecommerce PPC Benchmarks (Q1 2026)
Aggregated data from ecommerce Google Ads accounts spending £10k-£500k per month.
UK Ecommerce Average CPC (Q1 2026)
£1.28
Average cost per click across UK ecommerce Google Ads accounts. Up 11% year-on-year, driven by increased competition and AI Mode reshaping search behaviour.
Source: JudeLuxe Benchmark Report, March 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
PMax Share of Ecommerce Ad Spend
71%
Performance Max now accounts for 71% of typical ecommerce Google Ads spend, up from 55% in Q1 2025. Brand cannibalisation within PMax continues to accelerate.
Source: JudeLuxe Benchmark Report, March 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Average UK Ecommerce ROAS
4.0x
Blended ROAS across UK ecommerce accounts spending £10k+/month. Down 6% year-on-year as CPCs rise and conversion rates plateau.
Source: JudeLuxe Benchmark Report, March 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
Average Fashion Return Rate
28-35%
Return rates for fashion and apparel ecommerce in the UK. At 35% returns, a campaign needs 6.2x ROAS to break even on a product with 25% margin.
Source: JudeLuxe Sector Analysis, 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
PMax Brand Search Cannibalisation
33%
Percentage of PMax conversions attributable to branded search queries. Up from 28% in Q4 2025, meaning one-third of PMax 'performance' is cannibalised brand traffic.
Source: JudeLuxe Benchmark Report, March 2026 analysis of 75+ UK ecommerce accounts
Timeframe: February 2026
POAS Benchmarks by Sector
Sector-specific profit and performance data. Break-even ROAS calculated using average margin after COGS, returns, and fulfilment.
| Sector | Avg POAS | Avg CPC | Return Rate | Break-Even ROAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion & Apparel | 2.1x | £1.45 | 28-35% | 5.2x |
| Beauty & Skincare | 3.2x | £1.12 | 8-12% | 3.1x |
| Home & Furniture | 2.8x | £0.98 | 15-22% | 3.8x |
| Health Supplements | 3.5x | £1.35 | 5-8% | 2.8x |
| Pet Supplies | 3.8x | £0.85 | 6-10% | 2.5x |
| Food & Beverage | 2.4x | £0.72 | 3-5% | 3.2x |
Source: JudeLuxe Benchmark Report, Q1 2026. Based on aggregated, anonymised data from retained client accounts and audit programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is POAS different from ROAS?
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) measures gross revenue against ad spend. POAS (Profit on Ad Spend) measures actual contribution margin after COGS, shipping, returns, and payment processing. A campaign showing 5x ROAS can be unprofitable if the products carry 15% margins and 30% return rates.
What is a good POAS for ecommerce?
A good POAS varies by sector and margin profile, but generally: below 1.0x means you are losing money on every sale, 1.0-2.0x covers costs but leaves little for growth, 2.0-4.0x is healthy for most ecommerce businesses, and above 4.0x indicates strong profit contribution from paid advertising.
How do you calculate break-even ROAS?
Divide 1 by your average contribution margin percentage. If your margin after COGS, shipping, returns, and payment processing is 25%, your break-even ROAS is 1 ÷ 0.25 = 4.0x. Any ROAS below this means every sale loses money, regardless of what the dashboard reports.
What percentage of PMax spend is wasted on brand cannibalisation?
Based on JudeLuxe audit data from Q1 2026, an average of 33% of PMax conversions come from branded search queries. Without brand exclusions, brands effectively pay for traffic they would have received organically, adding 20-40% unnecessary cost to their acquisition spend.
Want your brand's benchmarks?
Our profit-first audit compares your account against sector benchmarks and identifies exactly where spend is being wasted.
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March 2026 Update
Updated March 2026Latest platform changes and how we're adapting our approach:
- Updated CPC, POAS, and return rate benchmarks with Q1 2026 client portfolio data
- Added sector-specific break-even ROAS calculations
- Incorporated PMax brand cannibalisation metrics from latest audit cycle