2026 Ecommerce benchmarks: From growth at all costs to habit-driven commerce

Ecommerce is undergoing a shift from prioritizing scale and price to valuing experience, personalization, and habit formation, as highlighted in the 2026 State of Digital Analytics report, which analyzed billions of events and devices globally. The report reveals a regional divergence in strategies, with North America focusing on quality and long-term value due to high customer acquisition costs, while LATAM is rapidly expanding its digital user base and engagement, driven by infrastructure improvements. APAC leads in scale and retention, though it faces onboarding challenges, whereas EMEA struggles with engagement and retention due to localization and privacy issues. The data suggests that sustainable growth in ecommerce now depends on regional tailoring of strategies to enhance user retention and engagement, prioritizing metrics such as repeat purchase rate and time to second purchase to build lasting customer relationships.