If you have an online retailer, knowing industry-specific benchmarks is highly valuable. This information will help you improve your store performance and achieve maximum conversions.

This guide will examine eCommerce conversion rates by industry and reveal the secret of online success!

A fast, reliable, and secure website is key to increasing conversions. InMotion Hosting offers high-performance hosting solutions that keep your store running smoothly.

Understanding eCommerce Conversion Rate Benchmarks

The average conversion rate for eCommerce is about 2.5-3%^[1]. However, this figure varies by industry. The conversion rate is the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action. This could be anything from registering for a newsletter to requesting a demo.

Conversions in eCommerce are when a consumer:

• Makes a purchase (the most important conversion)
• Signs up for a newsletter to access special offers or other secondary conversions, which will likely result in an eventual purchase.

The formula for calculating the eCommerce conversion rate is:

Conversion Rate = (Total visitors / Conversions) × 100

Why do Industry-Specific Benchmarks Matter?

Conversion rates differ by industry. The reason is mainly differences in customer behavior, product type, and buying intention.

You can gain a competitive edge by comparing your store to industry-specific benchmarks. Here’s how:

Set an Achievable Goal

If you’re selling health and beauty products, a 5% conversion rate could be phenomenal. Yet, this rate is insufficient for the food and beverage industry. Understanding your field will help you set achievable targets.

Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Industry metrics can help you figure out whether your store is a success or a failure. For instance, a low conversion rate relative to the industry average indicates that there is something wrong with your site’s user experience, pricing, or checkout process. However, if it’s higher, your store is performing well.

Improve Marketing and Pricing Strategies

When companies know the relevant industry benchmarks, they can develop intelligent pricing, promotions, and marketing strategies. Customers, for example, generally do a lot of research before they buy electronics. Website owners who sell these types of products could therefore boost sales by offering product comparisons and financing.

Understand Consumer Behavior

The process of decision-making differs in each industry. For example:

• Fashion and apparel have a heavy reliance on visual content, speedy shipping times, and influencer marketing.
• Sales cycles for B2B (business-to-business) eCommerce tend to be longer and require trust.

With the knowledge of industry benchmarks, you can customize strategies to match consumer expectations.

Factors Affecting Conversion Rates

Industry type is not the sole factor affecting conversions. Other important factors include:

• Intuitive web design: In the world of eCommerce, intuitive web design results in a higher conversion rate. That means providing a straightforward checkout, smooth navigation, and most importantly, fast loading speeds. Given that 70% of people shop on mobile devices, a smooth mobile experience is another huge priority.
• Trust and credibility: Trustworthy websites achieve a high number of successful purchases. Some of the key trust signals are SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates, trusted payment options, customer reviews, and return policies.
• Pricing and discounts: One of the most important conversion drivers is pricing. Shoppers compare prices on multiple sites before making a purchase. Offering them discounts and loyalty programs may speed up their decision-making and reduce cart abandonment.

Additional factors affecting conversion rates are free shipping, refund policies, and easy and accessible customer assistance options (such as chat).

Industry-Specific Conversion Rate Benchmarks

Here is a more detailed look at conversion statistics by industry:

Fashion and Apparel

According to a November 2024 report, the average eCommerce conversion rate in the fashion, accessories, and apparel industry is 3.01%^[2]. This industry encompasses many sub-categories, each having different conversion rates:

• Men’s clothing: 0.8%
• Women’s clothing: 3.6%
• General footwear: 2.2%
• Sportswear: 2.8%
• Childwear: 2.1%

Health and Beauty

On average, the eCommerce conversion rate for the beauty and personal care industry is 4.55%, making it one of the top-performing eCommerce sectors.

Within health and beauty, the specific subcategories have different conversion rates:

• Beauty and skincare: 3.3%^[3]
• Health and wellness: 3.72%^[4]
• Cosmetics: 2.58%^[5]

Home and Garden

In 2021, the average conversion rate for home and garden eCommerce brands was about 1.86%. However, a more recent November 2024 report says the average conversion rate for the home and furniture industry is only 1.24%. These discrepancies result from differences in data-gathering methods, market conditions, and consumer behavior at different times.

The following are some performance metrics for subcategories of the home and garden sector:

• Home accessories: 1.55-2.34%
• Kitchen and home appliances: 1.72-3.00%^[6]
• Furniture: 7.1%^[7]

Food and Beverage

The food and drink sector boasts a healthy average conversion rate of 6.11% in eCommerce. Several factors determine this figure, including:

• Product necessity: Essential products, such as groceries, have high conversion rates because people need them all the time.
• Competitive pricing: Competitive pricing and attractive promotions can significantly boost conversion rates.
• Subscription models: Subscriptions for regular deliveries can increase customer retention and conversion rates.

B2B eCommerce

B2B (business-to-business) sales are typically more complicated than B2C (business-to-consumer) transactions, with more decision-makers, longer sales cycles, and bigger deals. As a result, this sector has a much lower conversion rate, with only 2.68% on average across sectors ^[8].

The following are general B2B industry average conversion rates:

• B2B SaaS (Software as a Service): 1.1%
• Legal services: 7.4%
• Manufacturing: 2.1%
• Construction: 1.9%
• Biotech: 1.8%
• Financial Services: 1.9%
• IT (Information Technology) and Managed Services: 1.5%
• Health care: 3-4%
• Education and training: 2.5-5%
• Real Estate: 2–4%

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eCommerce Conversion Rate Comparison Chart

Common Conversion Rate Bottlenecks and Solutions

Conversion rates are particularly important in eCommerce. Unfortunately, several bottlenecks can reduce these rates.

Below, we dive into three primary bottlenecks, alongside actionable solutions:

1. Server-Side Issues

Server-side issues, such as slow response time, poor hosting, and downtime, are major conversion killers. If a server cannot function well in peak periods or is often down, users will likely abandon the site. The result? Lost sales!

Solution:

• Use scalable hosting solutions – Choose a cloud host with auto-scaling options to deal with traffic surges efficiently.
• Use a content delivery network (CDN) – Distribute content across global edge servers to speed up delivery and reduce latency.
• Increase database performance – Apply caching strategies (e.g. Redis, Memcached), normalize the database tables, and use indexing for faster queries.
• Monitor and maintain uptime – Use tools like NewRelic, Pingdom, or UptimeRobot to monitor server health and proactively address downtime risks.

2. Security Concerns

Consumers are growing increasingly worried about the safety of their personal and payment data. Any sign of insecurity, such as cyberattacks, payment fraud, or weak authentication mechanisms, can stop customers from hitting the ‘Buy’ button.

Solutions:

• Use secure hosting providers – Choose hosting services with built-in DDoS (distributed denial of service) protection, web application firewalls (WAF), and automatic security updates.
• Use HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) and SSL/TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption – Secure all transactions that happen on your site by implementing SSL/TLS protocols.
• Require strong authentication – Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for customer logins and administrative access, and deploy CAPTCHA in order to prevent bot attacks.
• Security audits – Regularly scan for security vulnerabilities and new software versions using automated scanning tools (for example, Sucuri, Qualys, or OpenVAS).
• Enable fraud prevention mechanisms – Implement AI-driven fraud detection tools like Signifyd or Riskified to identify and prevent fraudulent transactions.

3. Performance Problems

Performance issues like slow loading times and unresponsive pages can reduce conversion rates. According to studies, even a one-second delay can decrease conversions by 7%^[9].

These issues arise from hosting inefficiencies, unoptimized code, or excessive third-party scripts.

Solution:

• Optimize images and media – Use next-gen formats like WebP, lazy loading, and compression tools (e.g., TinyPNG, ImageOptim) to reduce file sizes.
• Minify and defer JavaScript/CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) – Reduce file sizes with tools like UglifyJS, and defer non-essential scripts to improve first contentful paint (FCP).
• Implement caching strategies – Utilize object caching (e.g., Redis, Memcached), browser caching, and page caching (e.g., WP Rocket for WordPress).
• Reduce third-party scripts – Audit and remove unnecessary analytics, tracking, and marketing scripts that increase page load times.
• Enable Gzip or Brotli compression – Compress resources to reduce bandwidth usage and speed up content delivery.

Future Trends in eCommerce Conversion Optimization

The eCommerce landscape is always changing, so it’s important to keep abreast of the latest developments and trends. The following are the future trends in eCommerce conversion optimization:

Emerging Technologies

As eCommerce develops, new technologies are emerging that help businesses optimize their conversion rate. These include:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

AI-powered recommendation engines analyze customer behavior to deliver personalized product suggestions. ML algorithms, meanwhile, enable companies to predict customer preferences, automatically generate and operate real-time help chatbots, and dynamically optimize pricing strategies.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

AR and VR technologies improve the online shopping experience by enabling customers to see products in real-world settings before buying. Fashion, furniture, and beauty companies are already using augmented reality (AR) virtual try-ons that reduce uncertainty and increase conversion rates.

Vocal Commerce

Voice commerce is picking up steam as more people begin to use voice assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri. Businesses, too, are adapting their eCommerce platforms for voice search and facilitating smooth voice-based transactions.

Blockchain For Secure Transactions

Blockchain is improving transparency and security in eCommerce. Decentralized payment systems, smart contracts, and fraud prevention mechanisms are generating trust among online customers and thereby increasing conversion rates.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

PWAs combine web and mobile app experiences. They load quickly, work offline, and deliver an app-like user experience. This, as a result, leads to better user engagement and higher conversion rates.

Industry Shifts

Consumer expectations and industry trends constantly reshape the eCommerce environment. Key factors that affect lead conversion rates are:

• Sustainability: Growing numbers of eco-conscious consumers are adopting sustainable and ethical shopping. Brands that promote responsible sourcing, carbon-neutral shipping, and recyclable packaging experience higher levels of engagement and conversions.
• Buy now, pay later (BNPL) Options: Flexible payment options such as BNPL are making online shopping accessible to all segments of the population. eCommerce sites that offer BNPL typically see a 30-50% increase in conversion rates – shoppers are more likely to buy something online when they don’t need to pay upfront^[10].

Mobile Commerce Evolution

Mobile commerce (m-commerce) continues to grow as consumers increasingly rely on smartphones for online shopping. The convenience of mobile devices, coupled with improvements in payment security and user experience, has fueled this trend.

In 2023, 72% of global eCommerce sales were made through mobile devices, and this figure is expected to climb to nearly 88% by 2027^[11]. The widespread adoption of 5G networks, faster load times, and AI-driven personalization will further enhance mobile shopping experiences.

Wrapping Up

eCommerce conversion rates offer deep insights into customer behavior and the effectiveness of online sales strategies across various industries. By understanding this metric, you can tailor your strategies to optimize the customer journey, improve user experiences, and ultimately drive more sales.

One of the most critical factors in eCommerce success is website performance. A fast, reliable, and secure hosting provider ensures seamless user experiences, reducing bounce rates and increasing conversions. InMotion Hosting offers high-performance eCommerce hosting solutions with optimized speed, advanced security, and 24/7 support, helping businesses maintain a competitive edge. Power your eCommerce success with hosting that converts through high-performance business plans. Contact InMotion Hosting today!

References

1. Kumar, V Vineet. “What’s a Good Average Ecommerce Conversion Rate in 2025? – Shopify.” Shopify, 8 Nov. 2024, www.shopify.com/blog/ecommerce-conversion-rate.
2. “Ecommerce Conversion Rate by Industry [Updated Nov 2024].” Oberlo, 5 Nov. 2024, www.oberlo.com/statistics/ecommerce-conversion-rate-by-industry.
3. Bosze, Abigail. “Average Ecommerce Conversion Rates (by Industry).” Doofinder, 17 Mar. 2025, www.doofinder.com/en/statistics/ecommerce-conversion-rate.
4. “Ecommerce Market Data and Ecommerce Benchmarks for the Health and Wellbeing Market.” Ecommerce Market Data and Ecommerce Benchmarks for the Health and Wellbeing Market for March 2025, IRP, Mar. 2025, www.irpcommerce.com/en/gb/ecommercemarketdata.aspx?Market=2.
5. Blanckenberg, Nicole. “ECommerce Conversion Rates per Niche [Benchmarks].” Advertising and Marketing Blog by StoreYa, 30 May 2024, blog.storeya.com/2021/02/ecommerce-conversion-rates-per-niche/.
6. Patindol, Jeanette. “Ecommerce Conversion Rates for 2024: Toptal®.” Toptal External Blogs Blog, Toptal, 23 Sept. 2024, www.toptal.com/external-blogs/growth-collective/ecommerce-conversion-rates/.
7. Thomas, Andrew. “What Is a Good Ecommerce Conversion Rate? Industry Benchmarks for 2025.” Blubolt eCommerce, blubolt.com/insights/what-is-a-good-ecommerce-conversion-rate-2025. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
8. Oboidhe, Precious. “B2B Conversion Rates in Numbers: Our Data + Benchmarks.” Belkins, 14 Mar. 2024, belkins.io/blog/lead-generation-conversion.
9. O’Bryne, Alex. “A 1 Second Delay on Your Page Load Can Cause a 7% Reduction in Conversions. How Do You Solve It?” Shopify Plus Agency, 22 Feb. 2023, www.wemakewebsites.com/blog/improve-page-load-speed-increase-conversion.
10. Bucha, Swati. “Growth Statistics for BNPL Conversion Rate for E-Commerce Corporations & Startups.” Skeps Home, 2 May 2022, www.skeps.com/blog/growth-statistics-for-bnpl-conversion-rate-for-e-commerce-corporations-and-startups-skp.
11. Fatima, Sehar. “70+ Online Shopping Statistics – 2025 Report to Consider – Inbeat Agency.” 70+ Online Shopping Statistics – 2025 Report to Consider – inBeat Agency, 10 Apr. 2025, inbeat.agency/blog/online-shopping-statistics.