What is the Average ROI for Google Ads eCommerce Sites?

What Is the Average ROI for Google Ads eCommerce Sites? (2024 Insights) 

One of the most common questions in eCommerce advertising is: 
“What’s the average ROI for Google Ads?” 

Like many things in marketing, the answer is: it depends. But let’s break it down and then get to the real question—how to maximize your ROI. 

What Affects ROI in Google Ads for eCommerce? 

Several core variables impact your ROI: 

1. Profit Margin 

• The higher your margin, the higher your ROI can be. 
• If your margin is thin, even strong campaign performance might not look great in terms of percentage ROI. 

2. Competition 

• Google Ads is an auction model. 
• More competition = higher cost-per-click = lower ROI. 
• Less competition = better ROI potential. 

3. Volume 

• As you scale, ROI tends to decline. 
• You start reaching broader, less-qualified audiences. 
• Even though total profit might increase, percentage ROI usually drops as you go wide. 

These are fundamental laws of PPC and eCommerce scaling. 

A Better Question: How Do You Maximize ROI?

Let’s shift the question from “what is average” to “how can I get better than average?” 

Step 1: Use Google Ads Effectively 

• Target relevant traffic with long-tail keywords 
• Use your ads to qualify the right customers (and filter out the wrong ones) 

Step 2: Minimize Wasted Spend 

• Use match types strategically (don’t rely only on broad match) 
• Block irrelevant terms with negative keywords 
• Qualify aggressively in your ad copy 

Step 3: Maintain ROI as You Scale 

• Start lean and focused 
• Use search term reports to monitor quality 
• As you scale, keep tightening your targeting to maintain efficiency 

Final Thoughts 

So, what is the average ROI for eCommerce on Google Ads? 

It varies—but a healthy account might expect: 

• 3x to 5x ROAS (300–500%) as a baseline 
• Higher margins or niche markets can go above that 
• Highly competitive, low-margin markets might dip below 

But the most important takeaway is this: 
Maximizing ROI isn’t about hitting a number—it’s about controlling your traffic and spend with precision.