Benchmarks

A good AOV runs $45-150 for consumables and $180-436 for jewelry, with DTC Shopify stores median $85-95. See benchmarks by vertical and the AOV-vs-margin trap.

A good blended CAC runs $22-45, but channel-reported CAC double-counts. See 2026 CAC benchmarks by vertical and why CAC means nothing without LTV.

A good ecommerce conversion rate is 2-3%, but device, traffic source, and price point change that. See 2026 benchmarks and why your own trend beats any average.

A 3:1 LTV:CAC ratio can be healthy or cash-trapped depending on payback period. Why the SaaS-borrowed rule misleads DTC brands, plus benchmarks by stage.

A good repeat purchase rate depends on category: 40-60%+ for consumables, 20-35% apparel, under 15% durables. See the customer-level formula and benchmarks.

A good return rate depends on whether you count units, orders, or revenue. See 2026 benchmarks by category and how returns quietly erode your real ROAS.

Directional 2026 benchmarks for the core D2C metrics: ROAS, MER, CAC, conversion rate, AOV, repeat rate, return rate, margin, and LTV:CAC. Sourced and honest.

The 3-5x MER advice is meaningless without margin. Break-even MER equals 1 divided by contribution margin. See the math, bands by growth stage, and aMER.

There is no universal good ROAS. Break-even ROAS equals 1 divided by your contribution margin. See the math, 2026 vertical benchmarks, and why platforms inflate.