Category Benchmarks
The report covers the whole DTC population. These briefs break it down one category at a time — median price, assortment benchmark, survival rate and, where our crawl supports it, the catalogue replacement rate, each with the 2020 → 2026 trajectory.
Every figure comes from the same matched cohort as the report: the same stores measured in both periods, so none of the movement is caused by merchants entering or leaving.
| Category | Stores | Survival | Median price 2026 | Δ price | Δ assortment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apparel | 58,192 | 21.6% | $57.31 | +19.6% | +38.2% |
| Home & Garden | 20,144 | 23.5% | $84.83 | +25.4% | +33.1% |
| Beauty & Fitness | 15,287 | 20.2% | $37.04 | +19.3% | +22.6% |
| Food & Drink | 12,753 | 32.4% | $33.06 | +24.9% | +26.5% |
| Sports | 8,686 | 34.2% | $74.42 | +17.5% | +35.4% |
| Arts & Entertainment | 7,823 | 35.2% | $70.23 | +20.2% | +40.4% |
| Toys & Hobbies | 6,074 | 29.2% | $32.40 | +15.5% | +45.1% |
| Autos & Vehicles | 5,161 | 36.6% | $185.10 | +24.6% | +54.8% |
| Health | 4,608 | 26.1% | $48.19 | +17.7% | +20.0% |
| Gifts & Special Events | 4,095 | 29.1% | $37.83 | +19.5% | +37.5% |
| People & Society | 4,019 | 24.8% | $36.36 | +16.1% | +37.9% |
| Pets & Animals | 3,493 | 21.1% | $34.39 | +15.2% | +33.3% |
| Business & Industrial | 3,177 | 33.8% | $128.36 | +34.7% | +48.7% |
| Consumer Electronics | 2,594 | 14.9% | $76.39 | +17.0% | +32.1% |
| Computers | 2,122 | 24.5% | $133.63 | +21.6% | +40.1% |
| Games | 1,256 | 28.0% | $34.01 | +11.3% | +52.0% |
| Books & Literature | 1,077 | 32.4% | $25.92 | +16.5% | +42.4% |
| Jobs & Education | 957 | 33.0% | $50.06 | +32.2% | +20.0% |
| Travel | 876 | 22.3% | $76.20 | +21.2% | +15.4% |
| Smoking & Vaping | 860 | 15.7% | $27.79 | -1.3% | +27.1% |
| Antiques & Collectibles | 690 | 20.4% | $145.83 | +25.6% | +73.4% |
| Safety & Survival | 622 | 31.1% | $100.21 | +20.2% | +34.8% |
| Science | 523 | 36.0% | $88.48 | +33.6% | +40.3% |
| Adult | 468 | 19.8% | $55.58 | +17.0% | +62.7% |
| Firearms & Weapons | 271 | 33.3% | $73.85 | +10.7% | +37.1% |
| Wedding | 266 | 17.5% | $110.00 | +7.9% | +37.0% |
| Internet | 187 | 28.5% | $158.13 | +6.7% | +18.4% |
| Photo & Video Services | 176 | 28.0% | $119.15 | +23.3% | +27.1% |
| Libraries & Museums | 135 | 47.2% | $60.86 | +13.7% | +56.3% |
| Holidays & Seasonal | 117 | 19.2% | $47.99 | +33.5% | +50.6% |
| Finance | 108 | 21.5% | $58.27 | +30.8% | +56.7% |
Not published: Attractions (41), Coupons & Discounts (22), Legal Services (21) — fewer than 100 matched stores each. We do not publish medians we cannot defend.
Want your own store measured against these?
The Pre-Holiday Benchmark Audit puts your storefront against your category's numbers — price positioning, assortment, and what is dead weight in your catalogue. $149, delivered in 48 hours.