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Screen Pages releases quarterly e-commerce web analytic benchmarks
Screen Pages has released quarterly e-commerce benchmark data regarding visitor sources and behaviour, conversions for retail e-commerce websites, for the period October-Decemeber 2008, including Christmas.
The main findings – based on the period October-December 2008 (including Christmas) - are:
* Conversion rates ranged from 1.4% to 4.4% in the quarter and the average increased 26% to 2.18% from 1.72% in quarter three (July-September 2008). Some of this increase can be attributed to the busy Christmas period. No doubt.
* Checkout abandonment rates lowered from 58% to 55% at the same time – Christmas promotions will have played a part, but retailers are paying more attention to their checkout processes.
The following table shows average sources of traffic, and the engagement/conversiiom metrics for each source.
| Source of traffic
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Average % of site visitors
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Average bounce rate
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Average conversion rate
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| Search engines
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65.9%
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31.9%
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2.06%
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| Direct
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15.1%
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30.2%
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3.2%
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| Referrals
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11.9%
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31.2%
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1.7%
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| Email
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7.5%
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22.1%
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3.4%
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Direct traffic (visitors keying the URL) obviously performs better than generic searchers browsing the internet, with referrals from other sites (following links, including affiliates) bringing up the rear.
The impact of retailers’ email marketing campaigns on site traffic and sales is clear: email activity accounted for 8% on average of all traffic, but was the best converting source of visitors (being returning purchasers in the main).
Screen Pages also looked at the use of the onsite search box. About 5% of all visitors use these search boxes and it converts at 3% on average – that’s about 50% better than normal site usage.
The data, compiled from over 50 e-tail websites over a three month period built on the same platform all using Google Analytics, studies where visitors land on websites and what actions they take.
As a Google Authorised Analytics Consultant, Screen Pages has invested in Google Analytics to provide the tracking technology for e-commerce websites. The company provides a range of value-added services to help retailers get up to speed with Google Analytics, including standard and advanced/bespoke training, quarterly e-commerce benchmarking and individual website audits.
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