Shopify Growth Glossary

The average amount a customer spends in each order.

Why it mattersIncreasing AOV grows revenue without increasing traffic.

The share of visitors who complete a purchase.

Why it mattersHigher CVR compounds the value of every marketing dollar.

The share of visitors who click a link, button or call to action.

Why it mattersCTR tells you whether what you're showing customers is compelling enough to act on.

The total revenue a customer is expected to generate over their relationship with you.

Why it mattersLTV justifies acquisition spend. Higher LTV means you can pay more to win a customer.

Revenue generated for every dollar of paid media spend.

Why it mattersROAS tells you whether paid acquisition is profitable at today's margins.

The page dedicated to a single product — its images, price, options and description.

Why it mattersPDPs turn interest into orders. Order, hierarchy and trust placement decide whether a customer buys with confidence.

A page showing multiple products in a category — sometimes called a Product Listing Page.

Why it mattersCollection pages are where customers form a shortlist. Weak product cards make shortlisting feel like work.

The action of placing a product into the shopping cart.

Why it mattersATC rate is the earliest strong signal that a product page is converting intent into purchase.

The share of visitors who leave after viewing only one page.

Why it mattersA high bounce rate on the homepage usually signals weak clarity or relevance.

A single visit to your store, from arrival until the visitor leaves or goes idle.

Why it mattersSessions are the unit most ecommerce metrics are measured against.

A visit where the customer stayed long enough or interacted enough to be considered engaged.

Why it mattersEngaged sessions are a better proxy for interest than raw visits.

When a customer starts checkout but leaves before completing the purchase.

Why it mattersReducing checkout abandonment converts existing intent into revenue without any new traffic.

The path customers take from first visit to completed purchase.

Why it mattersDiagnosing where customers drop off shows you exactly where to invest improvement effort.

The button or link asking a customer to take a step — buy, sign up, add to cart.

Why it mattersClear, single-purpose CTAs reduce hesitation and move customers forward.

The work of helping search engines understand and surface your site for relevant queries.

Why it mattersStrong SEO compounds traffic over time and reduces dependence on paid media.

The part of a page a customer sees before they scroll.

Why it mattersWhat sits above the fold sets the tone for everything that follows.

How content and navigation are organised so customers can find what they want.

Why it mattersGood information architecture turns browsing into buying with fewer dead ends.

The system of categories and tags used to organise products.

Why it mattersA taxonomy that matches how customers shop drives discovery; one that matches internal teams creates friction.

Deciding which products are featured, where they appear, and in what order.

Why it mattersSmart merchandising lifts conversion by putting the right products in front of the right customers.

How customers narrow a list of products by attributes like size, price or material.

Why it mattersStrong filters turn large catalogues into a shortlist of products a customer will consider.

Evidence that other customers have bought, enjoyed or trusted your product — reviews, ratings, photos.

Why it mattersSocial proof reassures hesitant buyers in the moments that decide whether they purchase.

On-site cues that reassure customers it's safe to buy — guarantees, returns policies, secure payment marks.

Why it mattersTrust placement lifts conversion and reduces cart abandonment.