2025 cost-per-click benchmarks across search, display, and social platforms
Retail has the lowest average CPC of major verticals — high inventory volume and broad audience targeting keep costs competitive. Q4 holiday season is the exception, with CPCs 30–40% above annual average.
Typical Retail campaign CPC falls between $0.35 and $1.60 depending on platform, keyword intent level, and targeting specificity.
Average (blended): $0.70 (Google Search, 2025)
| # | Platform | Avg. CPC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Google Shopping | $0.35–$0.75 | ⭐ Lowest CPC, highest intent |
| 2 | Google Search | $0.70–$1.60 | Brand + category terms |
| 3 | Meta Ads | $0.40–$1 | Catalog retargeting |
| 4 | TikTok | $0.30–$0.80 | Impulse purchase |
| 5 | Display | $0.15–$0.40 | Cart abandoner retargeting |
| 6 | $3–$6 | B2B retail only |
| Year | Average CPC |
|---|---|
| 2022 | $0.57 |
| 2023 | $0.62 |
| 2024 | $0.66 |
| 2025 | $0.70 |
| 2026E | $0.75 |
2026E = projected estimate.
Index 100 = annual average. Values above 100 indicate above-average CPC periods.
| Quarter | Index | Relative Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 80 | |
| Q2 | 94 | |
| Q3 | 96 | |
| Q4 | 130 |
Retail advertisers should use Google's Smart Bidding with target ROAS rather than manual CPC — automated bidding consistently outperforms manual by 15–25% for high-SKU retail campaigns.