Visits to Purchase Metric

Measure the average number of site visits a customer makes before buying.

Track all your Ecommerce KPIs in one place

Sign up for free and start making decisions for your business with confidence.

Sign up with Google
Sign up with your emailFree for 14 days ● No credit card required
Ecommerce KPI Example - Visits to Purchase Metric

Visits to Purchase

A potential customer rarely makes a purchase on their first visit to your website. The Visits to Purchase KPI tracks the average number of sessions a user has on your site before they complete a transaction. It’s a key metric for understanding the length and complexity of your sales cycle.

Tracking this KPI helps you identify how many touchpoints are typically needed to secure a sale. A lower number of visits suggests an efficient, compelling sales funnel, while a higher number may indicate friction in the customer journey or that you sell high-consideration products that require more research.

How to calculate Visits to Purchase

Visits to Purchase Formula

(Total number of sessions by Customer A before purchasing + Total number of sessions by Customer B before purchasing + ... + Total number of sessions by Customer N before purchasing) / Total number of orders

A note on calculation and tools

Most e-commerce and web analytics platforms can track this metric automatically, saving you from manual calculations. For example, Google Analytics tracks "Sessions to Transaction" which provides this data directly. When using a tool like Klips, you can pull this data from its source and display it on a dashboard for continuous monitoring and reporting.

Reporting frequency

For most e-commerce businesses, monthly reporting is a good starting point. However, if you are running frequent, short-term marketing campaigns, you may want to track this on a weekly basis to gauge the immediate impact of your efforts on the sales cycle.

Example of a KPI target

The ideal target for Visits to Purchase is 1. However, this is a highly ambitious goal for most businesses. A realistic target depends heavily on your industry, price point, and product complexity. A low-cost, simple product may have a target of 1-2 visits, while a complex, high-value B2B product could have a target of 5 or more. The key is to benchmark your current performance and aim for continuous improvement.

Audience

E-commerce Manager, Marketing Manager, Store Owner

How to improve your Visits to Purchase

A high number of visits before a purchase isn't always a bad thing—it can be typical for expensive or complex products that require more consideration. However, if your goal is to shorten the sales cycle, here are a few strategies:

  • Optimize your landing pages: Ensure your product pages are clear, convincing, and have strong calls to action.
  • Use retargeting campaigns: Remind visitors of the products they viewed using targeted ads on other platforms.
  • Leverage email marketing: Create automated email flows for abandoned carts or to nurture leads who have shown interest.
  • Build trust and credibility: Display customer reviews, testimonials, and security badges prominently.
  • Simplify the checkout process: Remove any unnecessary steps or friction points from your checkout flow.

For more e-commerce metrics that can contribute to the growth and success of your business, explore our resources on e-commerce KPIs.

Build custom dashboards
for you and your team.