Foundation · 2 min
What you need to know
What product metrics should ecommerce stores track?
Track product-list exposure, detail views, cart additions, checkout participation, units, net sales, margin, returns, availability and search demand. Use a stable product and variant identifier across systems.
Which products get the most views?
Count validated product-view events by product and unique user or session, then separate list exposure from deliberate detail viewing. Exclude internal and test activity.
Which products get the most Add to Carts?
Count accepted Add to Cart events by stable item ID and compare them with product views. Quantity, variant and removal events help distinguish interest from a lasting cart choice.
Which products have the highest conversion rate?
Calculate purchases divided by eligible product viewers for each item, using the same attribution window and availability rules. Show volume because tiny products can produce unstable rates.
Which products generate the most revenue?
Aggregate net item sales by stable product ID and reconcile them to order totals. Keep shipping, taxes, discounts and refunds allocated or separately reported according to the documented method.
Which products generate the most profit?
Subtract item cost and the allocated variable costs needed for the chosen margin level from net item revenue. Ranking by profit can differ sharply from ranking by sales.
Why does a popular product have low conversion?
A popular product may attract broad curiosity but have price, availability, variant, delivery, trust or product-information barriers. Segment the view-to-cart and cart-to-purchase path.
Why does a high-converting product generate little revenue?
A high-converting product may receive little traffic, have a low price, limited inventory or be bought as an add-on. Review exposure, units, price and contribution before expanding it.
How do I identify underperforming products?
Compare each product with its category and role using exposure, conversion, net sales, contribution, returns and inventory. Investigate products that miss the intended outcome at a meaningful volume.
A quick store check
Select one high-view and one high-profit product and compare their full view-to-purchase-to-return paths.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
Should products with no sales be removed immediately?
No. First check exposure, availability, seasonality, price, content and the role the product plays in the assortment.
Can profit be compared without allocating shared costs?
Contribution can be compared, but full profit requires a documented and consistent shared-cost method.