Certificates And Tobacco Lead E-Commerce KPIs in 2026

Tobacco Converts Best

If conversion rate is the clearest indicator of sales efficiency, tobacco products are currently in front. The category reaches 8.83% conversion, the highest in the ranking. Close behind are certificates, dietary supplements, spices and home essentials.

At the other end sit e-scooters, travel luggage and tourism. The reason is fairly straightforward. Products linked to habits or clear necessity convert faster. When someone searches for tobacco or supplements, they usually intend to buy. When browsing holidays or electric scooters, the visit often starts with research.

For retailers, this difference matters. High-intent traffic behaves very differently from comparison traffic.

Cart Abandonment: From 48% To 95%

On average, more than 71% of shopping carts are abandoned. But the study shows dramatic variation between sectors. Costumes record the lowest abandonment rate at 48.45%, meaning more than half of initiated purchases are completed. Software, tobacco and industrial lubricants also perform relatively well.

In contrast, the adult products segment sees abandonment reach 95.59%. Bicycles and home electronics also face high drop-off levels.

The pattern again points to purchase intent. Where the need is clear, customers finish checkout. Where decisions require more thought — especially for higher-priced items — hesitation increases.

Certificates Lead Add-To-Cart

When it comes to getting visitors to take the first concrete step, certificates stand out. The category achieves an add-to-cart rate of 24.17%.

Kitchenware, tobacco and supplements also perform above average. Meanwhile, lighting and e-scooters fall as low as 0.25%, suggesting that many users are still in research mode.

For marketers, this underlines the importance of matching strategy to product type. Some categories benefit from strong, direct calls to action. Others require more reassurance and information before a customer feels ready.

Bicycles Push Order Values Above €600

The highest average order value appears in the bicycle sector, reaching €605.73. Grill and fireplace technology and food service supplies also sit near the top.

Lower-priced categories such as books and office supplies range between €49 and €56 per order.

Higher basket values allow retailers to spend more on customer acquisition, but they also increase purchase friction. Flexible payment options and trust signals become more important as the ticket size grows.

Luxury Drives Lifetime Value

Customer Lifetime Value is strongest in luxury goods, averaging €295.57. Education, bicycles and insurance also perform well.

At the lower end, categories including personal care and food imports record CLV figures around €34.90, where profitability depends more heavily on operational efficiency and repeat purchases.

Overall Top Performers

When all KPIs are combined, three industries stand out:

1. Certificates

2. Tobacco products

3. Pet supplies

What connects them is not marketing tactics but product relevance. They serve recurring needs or habitual consumption.

A Clear Lesson For Online Retail

The findings reinforce a simple point. E-commerce performance is closely tied to what you sell. Essential and repeat-purchase products naturally convert more easily. High-priced or discretionary items require more trust, more information and more time.

For retailers and marketers, the takeaway is practical: optimise based on category realities rather than chasing average benchmarks.