How is the cost of a Shop Campaign calculated?

You set a maximum customer acquisition cost (CAC) and you're charged it only when an order is attributed. The real question is whether that CAC is less than your gross profit per order, your order value multiplied by your margin. Below it you profit on the first order; above it you're relying on repeat custom.

What is Shop Campaigns' estimated ROAS?

It's simply your target order value divided by your customer acquisition cost. It takes no account of your gross margin or repeat purchase rate, so a healthy-looking ROAS can still lose money on a thin margin.

What's a sensible CAC for Shop Campaigns?

As a rule of thumb, keep it below your gross profit per order if you need the first sale to pay for itself. You can go higher if customers reliably come back, because then you're buying a lifetime of orders, not just one.

Shop Campaigns · The Real Cost

What Do Shop Campaigns Actually Cost?

Shopify shows you an "estimated ROAS", which is just your order value divided by your cost per customer. It knows nothing about your margin or whether people come back. Here's the sum it doesn't do. Put in your numbers.

Run the Numbers Back to the Guide

Last updated: 11 July 2026

CAC vs MarginThe Real Test

Estimated ROASJust AOV ÷ CAC

The Shop Campaigns Cost Calculator

Three numbers in, the honest picture out. Nothing is sent anywhere, this runs entirely in your browser.

Average order value

Gross margin

Target cost per customer (CAC)

Starting figures are illustrative, edit them to your store.

Gross profit per order£0

Left after acquisition (first order)£0

Break-even CAC (first order)£0

CAC as % of revenue0%

Shopify's "estimated ROAS" (AOV ÷ CAC, ignores your margin)0.0×

Reading the Result Honestly

The calculator answers one question: after you've paid to acquire the customer, is there anything left on the first order? That's the number Shopify's dashboard skips.

Break-even CAC is your ceiling

Your gross profit per order is the most you can pay to acquire a customer and still not lose money on order one. Go above it and you're betting on them coming back.

"Estimated ROAS" is arithmetic, not a forecast

It's your order value divided by your CAC, nothing more. A 2.5× "ROAS" on a 30% margin still loses money. Don't let it do your thinking for you.

Repeat custom changes everything

If a first order is break-even but customers reliably buy again, a Shop Campaign can still be a winner over a customer's lifetime. If they don't, it can't. Be honest about which you are.

Not sure? Take the quiz

The Should you run it? quiz factors in your repeat rate and brand-search reliance too, then gives you a straight verdict.

AOV

Order Value

Margin

What You Keep

CAC

Cost Per Customer

LTV

The Real Question

Want Me to Check Your Numbers?

I'm Matt, an ecommerce consultant in Abergele, North Wales. Send me your real figures and I'll tell you honestly whether Shop Campaigns will make you money, or just cost you it.

Drop Me a Message 07515 543111