MarginReality

Sports Equipment E-commerce Benchmarks

Complete benchmark data for online sports stores. All figures based on industry averages and aggregated Shopify merchant data.

Why these numbers look like this

Sports equipment sellers must manage seasonal inventory across multiple sports, each with its own peak window—baseball in spring, football in late summer, skiing in fall. Official team licensing can add 7-12% to COGS for branded apparel and accessories. Apparel returns in this category run high (15-20%) because sizing is inconsistent across brands and athletic fit preferences vary widely.

At a Glance

35%

Avg gross margin

7%

Avg net margin

3.3x

Avg ROAS

$28

Avg CAC

$90

Avg order value

$280

Avg CLV

Profit Margin

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Gross margin25–45%(avg 35%)
Net margin5–10%(avg 7%)
COGS40–60%(avg 50%)
Return on ad spend2.8–4.5x(avg 3.3x)
Ad cost % of revenue7–14%(avg 10%)

Customer Acquisition

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CAC$18–$40(avg $28)
CLV:CAC ratio10.0:1 avg

Order Value

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Average order value$40–$200(avg $90)
Refund rate4–9%(avg 6%)

Lifetime Value

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Customer lifetime value$150–$500(avg $280)
Shipping cost %5–12%(avg 8%)

Compare your store to these benchmarks

Drop your Shopify Orders CSV into the CSV Profit Checker or use the Profit Calculator to see how your margins compare to the sports industry average.

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