Snapchat Ads Deliver Superior Performance for E-commerce Brands
A groundbreaking new report from analytics platform Triple Whale shows that Snapchat is delivering significantly better ad performance than many competing platforms—particularly for e-commerce advertisers. The study, based on data from over 20,000 brands and $3 billion in advertising spend, revealed that Snapchat delivered:
- 7.5% higher Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) compared to the industry average
- The lowest Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) across all major digital ad channels
This makes Snapchat a highly effective and cost-efficient platform for performance marketers in the e-commerce space, especially as many other platforms have seen a decline in ad efficiency.
Apparel Brands Reap the Biggest Rewards on Snapchat
The performance gap is even more pronounced in the fashion and apparel vertical. According to the data:
- Snapchat campaigns achieved industry-leading ROAS for apparel advertisers
- Brands saw strong results thanks to Snapchat’s visual storytelling capabilities, such as AR try-ons, immersive story ads, and interactive product showcases
- 77% of Snapchat users rely on visual search for discovering new fashion items—compared to just 50% of non-users
Moreover, Snapchat’s community is naturally aligned with fashion-forward and trend-sensitive users: over 80% of Snapchatters use social media as their primary source for fashion inspiration.
Research Methodology and Key Context
This study, released in July 2025, analyzed data from May 2025 using Triple Whale’s multi-touch attribution models. The goal was to evaluate how platform-specific ad strategies affect performance outcomes, focusing on measurable e-commerce KPIs like ROAS, CPA, and conversion lift.
Unlike traditional last-click models, Triple Whale’s advanced tracking provides deeper insights into how top-of-funnel platforms like Snapchat influence purchase behavior over time—offering a more accurate view of Snapchat’s true value in the e-commerce journey.
Why Snapchat Outperforms Competing Platforms
Several factors contribute to Snapchat’s standout performance:
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Visual-First Formats | AR Lenses, story-based product showcases, and creator collaborations drive deep engagement and immersion |
| Peer-Influenced Shopping | Snapchatters are highly social during the shopping process—92% involve friends via messaging and sharing product links |
| Young, Purchase-Ready Audience | The platform dominates among Gen Z and younger Millennials—key buyers in fashion, beauty, wellness, and accessories |
| Creator-Led Influence | Sponsored creator content drives 10x greater brand favorability, and 82% of U.S. users aged 15–26 act after viewing a creator’s post |
| Smart Campaign Tools | Snapchat’s automated campaign features like Smart Bidding helped some advertisers cut cost per purchase by 20% and improve ROAS by 15% |
These tools and behaviors combine to offer brands not just reach, but conversion-ready attention—making Snapchat a rare gem for modern performance marketers.
What This Means for E-commerce Advertisers
If you’re managing or advising e-commerce ad budgets, this study is a wake-up call: Snapchat should no longer be considered a niche or experimental channel. It has proven itself as a top-tier platform for driving revenue, especially in highly visual and trend-driven categories.
Here’s what marketers should consider:
Actionable Recommendations:
- Add Snapchat to your performance media mix, especially if your core audience is under 35
- Test creator partnerships, especially those using AR product demos or “haul”-style storytelling
- Utilize Smart Campaigns and automated bidding to optimize efficiency at scale
- Track cross-platform performance using tools like Triple Whale to see Snapchat’s real influence beyond last-click attribution
Final Thoughts
Snapchat has long been known for its social and creative storytelling capabilities. Now, with concrete data backing its advertising efficiency and cost advantages, it’s time for e-commerce brands to re-evaluate how they allocate their digital marketing spend.
With ROAS surging and CPA dropping, Snapchat offers a performance edge that’s hard to ignore—especially in today’s ROI-focused marketing environment.
