DTC E-commerce Benchmarks Explorer
Contribution margin, MER, CAC payback, AOV, repeat rate and return rate by vertical and revenue band. Median and top-quartile.
All verticals — $3M–$10M
| # | Vertical | CM (med / top) | MER (med / top) | Payback (med / top) | AOV (med / top) | Return (med / top) | Repeat (med / top) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jewelry & Accessories | 54% / 64% | 3.5x / 4.6x | 55d / 32d | $95 / $130 | 3% / 1.5% | 38% / 50% |
| 2 | Health & Supplements | 52% / 62% | 3.1x / 4.1x | 60d / 34d | $52 / $68 | 2% / 1% | 55% / 68% |
| 3 | Beauty & Skincare | 46% / 56% | 3.5x / 5x | 65d / 38d | $55 / $74 | 3% / 1.5% | 48% / 62% |
| 4 | Home & Decor | 35% / 43% | 4x / 6x | 80d / 48d | $140 / $210 | 4% / 2.5% | 28% / 38% |
| 5 | Baby & Kids | 35% / 43% | 3.3x / 4.4x | 72d / 44d | $58 / $78 | 4% / 2% | 42% / 55% |
| 6 | Pet | 33% / 41% | 3.5x / 5x | 70d / 42d | $48 / $62 | 3% / 1.5% | 50% / 65% |
| 7 | Outdoor & Sports | 33% / 41% | 3.2x / 4.3x | 75d / 45d | $98 / $140 | 5% / 3% | 32% / 44% |
| 8 | Apparel & Fashion | 31% / 39% | 2.9x / 3.8x | 82d / 50d | $72 / $96 | 12% / 7% | 36% / 48% |
| 9 | Food & Beverage | 28% / 36% | 2.7x / 3.5x | 78d / 46d | $42 / $55 | 2% / 1% | 45% / 58% |
| 10 | Electronics & Accessories | 22% / 30% | 3.4x / 4.5x | 70d / 40d | $80 / $118 | 6% / 3% | 28% / 38% |
Methodology
Benchmarks are aggregated from ~50 John Galt Finance engagements ($1M–$50M DTC and marketplace brands across the EU, US and UK), normalised to a common P&L definition (contribution margin = revenue − COGS − shipping − payment − fulfillment − returns). Public data points from Shopify, Klaviyo and Centurica are used to cross-validate ranges. Updated quarterly.
Revenue bands adjust the $3M–$10M baseline using patterns from our engagements — treat everything outside the baseline band as directional.
Definitions
- Contribution margin — revenue minus all variable costs, before fixed overhead and ads.
- MER — Marketing Efficiency Ratio = total revenue ÷ total ad spend.
- CAC payback — days until contribution from a new customer equals their CAC.
- Repeat rate — % of customers placing a second order within 12 months.
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