BigCommerce Analytics: The Metrics Every Store Owner Should Track

A store owner opens the dashboard and sees dozens of charts. Sessions, orders, revenue, bounce rate, cart events. Some numbers go up, others go down, and it is not clear which ones matter. Without a clear view, decisions turn into guesses.

Good analytics does not mean tracking everything. It means tracking the right numbers, checking them on a regular schedule, and acting on what they show. This guide explains the metrics that matter most for a BigCommerce store, where to find them, and how to use them. It is part of our complete guide on how to scale a BigCommerce store.

Why Analytics Matters for Growth

Every improvement you make, from a faster page to a better offer, needs a way to be measured. Analytics shows which channels bring profitable customers, where shoppers drop off, and which products drive revenue.

Accurate tracking also depends on correct setup. Many brands use BigCommerce development services to configure tracking, connect data sources, and fix errors in purchase events. Wrong data leads to wrong decisions, so setup is worth getting right early.

Where to Find Your Data

Most stores use a mix of tools.

Check which reports are available on your current plan, since features can vary.

Sales Metrics

These numbers show how much money the store makes and how efficiently.

Total revenue. The overall sales amount for a period. Compare it with the same period last month and last year, so seasonal changes do not mislead you.

Number of orders. Shows demand independent of price changes.

Average order value (AOV). Revenue divided by the number of orders. A rising AOV means shoppers are buying more per visit, often thanks to bundles, thresholds, or upsells.

Revenue per visitor. Revenue divided by sessions. It combines traffic quality and conversion in a single number.

Gross margin. Revenue minus the cost of goods, shipping, and fees. Revenue can grow while profit shrinks, so margin keeps the picture honest.

Conversion Metrics

These numbers show how well the store turns visitors into buyers.

Conversion rate. The percentage of sessions that end in a purchase. Break it down by device, traffic source, and new versus returning visitors, since the overall number hides large differences.

Add-to-cart rate. The share of product page visitors who add an item to the cart. A low rate points to problems on the product page, such as weak images, unclear pricing, or missing details.

Cart abandonment rate. The share of carts that never reach checkout completion. High abandonment often comes from unexpected shipping costs, forced account creation, or slow pages.

Checkout completion rate. Shows how many shoppers who start checkout finish it. Look at each step to find where people leave.

Traffic Metrics

These numbers show who visits and where they come from.