This is a reference page of Google Shopping statistics for retail and e-commerce advertisers, covering cost per click, click-through and conversion rates, retail ad-spend share, and how Shopping compares with Search and other platforms. Every figure names its source and period. Google Shopping is the product-listing ad format that shows an image, price, and store name directly in search results, and it now drives the large majority of retail ad clicks on Google.
The defining characteristic of Google Shopping in the data is that it trades click-through rate for click quality: Shopping ads have a low average CTR because the image and price pre-qualify the shopper before they click, so the people who do click are far closer to buying, and they cost a fraction of a Search click.
What are the key Google Shopping statistics?
The key Google Shopping statistics are a low 0.86% average click-through rate, a cheap $0.66 average cost per click, and dominance of retail advertising, with Shopping driving about 85% of retail ad clicks and capturing 76.4% of US retail search ad spend. Shopping clicks cost far less than Search clicks while reaching buyers already in a purchasing mindset.
- Google Shopping ads have an average click-through rate of about 0.86%. (Source: DemandSage)
- Google Shopping ads have an average cost per click of about $0.66, far below the Search average. (Source: Rudys.AI)
- Shopping ads drive about 85.3% of all clicks on Google Ads retail campaigns. (Source: Affinco)
- Google Shopping captures about 76.4% of all US retail search ad spending. (Source: DemandSage / WordStream)
- Google Shopping captures about 30% of global e-commerce ad spend. (Source: Affinco)
- There are about 1.2 billion monthly searches on Google Shopping. (Source: WordStream, via DemandSage)
What is the average cost per click for Google Shopping ads?
The average cost per click for Google Shopping ads is about $0.66, roughly one-eighth the cost of the average Google Search click at $5.42. This is because Shopping ads are matched to product searches by feed data rather than bid-up keywords, and the visual format filters clicks to more qualified shoppers.
- Google Shopping ads average about $0.66 per click. (Source: Rudys.AI)
- The average Google Search click, by comparison, costs $5.42, making Shopping roughly eight times cheaper per click. (Source: WordStream by LocaliQ 2026)
- Shopping clicks at about $0.66 cost less than Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ad clicks. (Source: Affinco)
- E-commerce search CPC climbed about 33% year over year, reflecting stronger competition as more brands invest in online sales. (Source: Rudys.AI)
- For e-commerce, expect roughly $0.40 to $1.80 CPC on Google Shopping, versus $1.50 to $6 on Google Search. (Source: Scandiweb)
- Amazon Sponsored Products, a direct retail competitor, average about $0.95 per click. (Source: Ad Badger, via Shno)
What is the click-through and conversion rate for Google Shopping?
Google Shopping ads have a low average click-through rate of about 0.86%, but this understates their value: the low CTR reflects that the image and price qualify shoppers before they click, so those who click are close to buying. Conversion rates for retail Shopping traffic are correspondingly efficient.
- Google Shopping ads have an average click-through rate of about 0.86%. (Source: DemandSage)
- The average conversion rate for e-commerce Shopping ads is about 1.91%. (Source: Affinco)
- Some Google Shopping sectors exceed a 3% conversion rate. (Source: Rudys.AI)
- Search campaigns deliver click-through rates on average about 680% higher than display campaigns, putting Shopping’s visual-format CTR in context. (Source: Rudys.AI)
- The low Shopping CTR is a feature, not a flaw: the product image and price act as a pre-click filter, so clicks skew to shoppers with genuine purchase intent. (Source: DemandSage analysis)
How much of retail advertising does Google Shopping drive?
Google Shopping drives the large majority of retail advertising on Google: about 85% of all clicks on Google retail campaigns come from Shopping ads, and Shopping captures 76.4% of US retail search ad spending. It has become the default format for product-based advertising.
- Shopping ads drive about 85.3% of all clicks on Google Ads retail campaigns. (Source: Affinco)
- Google Shopping is responsible for about 76.4% of all US retail search ad spend. (Source: DemandSage / WordStream)
- Google Shopping captures about 30% of global e-commerce ad spend. (Source: Affinco)
- About 36% of online purchases are influenced by Google Search or Shopping ads. (Source: Affinco)
- There are about 1.2 billion monthly searches on Google Shopping. (Source: WordStream, via DemandSage)
- Google’s Q4 2025 advertising growth was led by the retail vertical, per Alphabet’s own filing, underscoring retail’s weight in Search ad revenue. (Source: Alphabet SEC filing)
What return on ad spend does Google Shopping deliver?
Google Shopping delivers a median return on ad spend of about 3.5 to 1 for e-commerce campaigns, meaning roughly $3.50 in revenue per $1 spent, with some sectors far higher. Return varies widely by product margin, feed quality, and how the account is structured.
- The median return on ad spend for Google Ads e-commerce campaigns is about 3.5 to 1. (Source: Rudys.AI)
- For e-commerce specifically, heavy equipment and manufacturing sectors report return on ad spend as high as 690% and 540% respectively. (Source: Affinco)
- Businesses earn an average of about $2 for every $1 spent on Google Ads overall, a 200% return, per Google’s Economic Impact research. (Source: Google Economic Impact, via SEO Design Chicago)
- Amazon PPC, the main retail-search competitor, achieves an average conversion rate of 9.44% to 10.33%, a benchmark retail advertisers weigh Shopping against. (Source: Affinco / State of PPC)
How does Performance Max affect Google Shopping?
Performance Max has largely absorbed Google Shopping into an automated, cross-channel campaign type, and adoption is now near-universal: an estimated 82% of Google Ads accounts run at least one Performance Max campaign, up from 8% in 2022. Standard Shopping still exists for advertisers who want more control, but PMax now drives much of retail spend.
- An estimated 82% of Google Ads accounts run at least one Performance Max campaign, up from 8% in 2022. (Source: Tinuiti / Optmyzr, via Pace)
- Estimated US spend on Performance Max reached about $25.6 billion, described as the fastest-growing single product line in Google Ads history. (Source: Tinuiti, via Pace)
- Performance Max campaigns show a strong incremental return in franchise and multi-location retail, with one analysis citing a 4.64 times incremental ROI. (Source: Web Tonic)
- Smart Bidding, which powers Performance Max, drives roughly 78% of all Google Ads spend. (Source: Digital Applied 2026)
- AI-powered retail campaigns reward advertisers with clean product-feed and conversion data; automation optimizes toward whatever it is fed. (Source: Strataigize / LocaliQ 2026)
How does Google Shopping compare to Search and other platforms?
Google Shopping offers much cheaper, more qualified clicks than Google Search for product-based businesses, at about $0.66 versus $5.42 per click, but it applies only to physical products with a feed. Against Amazon, the other retail-search giant, Shopping competes on reach while Amazon leads on raw conversion rate.
A clear comparison for retail advertisers:
| Format | Avg CPC | Avg conversion rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Shopping | ~$0.66 | ~1.91% (some sectors 3%+) | Product search, cheap qualified clicks |
| Google Search | $5.42 | 8.18% | Brand and high-intent keyword search |
| Amazon Sponsored Products | ~$0.95 | 9.44% to 10.33% | Retail SKU search, buying-context |
| Meta Ads | $0.70 to $1.11 | Lower, awareness-led | Demand generation, retargeting |
Sources: Google Shopping and Search from WordStream by LocaliQ and Rudys.AI; Amazon from Ad Badger; Meta from Superads and WordStream. Figures are cross-platform and directional. (Rudys.AI, Shno)
The practical read for a retail advertiser is that Google Shopping should usually be the core of product-based Google Ads because it delivers cheap, qualified clicks at scale, complemented by Search for brand and high-intent keywords, and increasingly weighed against Amazon Ads where the buying context is strongest. The winning factor across all of them is the same: a clean product feed and accurate conversion tracking, because automated retail campaigns optimize toward whatever data you give them. For product-based businesses specifically, our guides to campaign strategy and why Google Ads generates bad leads and wasted spend apply directly.
For the full cost and performance picture across all Google Ads formats, see our Google Ads statistics reference and Google Ads benchmarks by industry.
Methodology and data notes
These Google Shopping statistics come from industry benchmark studies and platform data. Cost and performance benchmarks come from WordStream by LocaliQ (Search), and from retail-focused analyses aggregated by Rudys.AI, Affinco, and others; retail ad-share figures trace to WordStream data. Where a figure could be tied to Alphabet’s own reporting, such as retail leading Search ad growth, we cite the SEC filing directly.
A few caveats: Shopping benchmarks vary more than Search benchmarks because product categories, margins, and feed quality differ enormously; conversion-rate figures depend on how each source defines a conversion; and cross-platform comparisons with Amazon and Meta are directional because each platform measures differently. Treat all figures as starting points against which to judge your own account’s trend.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost per click for Google Shopping? Google Shopping ads average about $0.66 per click, roughly one-eighth the cost of the average Google Search click at $5.42. Shopping clicks are cheaper because ads are matched to product searches through feed data rather than bid-up keywords, and the visual format with image and price filters clicks to more qualified shoppers.
Why do Google Shopping ads have such a low click-through rate? Google Shopping ads have a low average CTR of about 0.86% because the product image and price shown in the ad qualify the shopper before they click. Someone who clicks has already seen the price and product, so the low CTR actually reflects higher-quality clicks. It is a feature of the format, not a sign of poor performance.
How much of retail advertising does Google Shopping drive? Google Shopping drives about 85% of all clicks on Google retail campaigns and captures about 76.4% of US retail search ad spending, making it the dominant format for product-based advertising. It also captures roughly 30% of global e-commerce ad spend and handles about 1.2 billion monthly Shopping searches.
What ROAS can I expect from Google Shopping? The median return on ad spend for Google Ads e-commerce campaigns is about 3.5 to 1, roughly $3.50 in revenue per $1 spent, though some sectors report far higher, with heavy equipment and manufacturing reaching 540% to 690%. Actual ROAS depends heavily on product margin, feed quality, and account structure, so treat the median as a directional benchmark.
Is Google Shopping better than Google Search for e-commerce? For product-based businesses, Google Shopping is usually the core because it delivers much cheaper ($0.66 vs $5.42 CPC) and more qualified clicks at scale, complemented by Search for brand and high-intent keyword terms. Search converts at a higher rate (8.18% vs about 1.91%) but costs far more per click, so most e-commerce accounts use both, weighted toward Shopping.
How has Performance Max changed Google Shopping? Performance Max has largely absorbed Google Shopping into an automated, cross-channel campaign type, and adoption is near-universal, with an estimated 82% of accounts running at least one PMax campaign, up from 8% in 2022. Standard Shopping still exists for advertisers wanting more control, but PMax now drives much of retail spend and rewards clean product-feed and conversion data.
How does Google Shopping compare to Amazon Ads? Google Shopping offers cheaper clicks ($0.66 vs $0.95) and broader reach across the open web, while Amazon Sponsored Products convert at a higher rate (9.44% to 10.33% vs about 1.91%) because Amazon shoppers are already in a buying context. Many retail advertisers use both, with Shopping for reach and discovery and Amazon for capturing high-intent SKU searches.
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