The October 2025 business review put the headline at 6.5×. That number is
defensible with two qualifications attached, and it is better to attach
them here than to have a prospective client find them later.
Tracked marketing cost against tracked marketing return, 2 Feb to 4 Oct 2025
| Component | Amount (AED) |
|---|
| Agency fees (approx. eight months at the AED 2,800 SEO line) | 22,161 |
|---|
| Google Ads spend (media only) | 13,400 |
|---|
| Total tracked cost | 35,561 |
|---|
| Organic search revenue (Shopify attribution) | 165,695.92 |
|---|
| Paid search revenue (Shopify attribution) | 66,549.03 |
|---|
| Total tracked return | 232,244.95 |
|---|
| Reported return, as published | 6.53× |
The two qualifications
First, the denominator is incomplete. The AED 22,161 of
agency fees corresponds closely to eight months of the SEO retainer alone;
paid media management was billed separately. Adding it back at AED 1,250
to AED 2,000 a month gives an honest range of
4.5× to 5.1×.
Second, this is a revenue-to-cost ratio, not a return on
investment. Cost of goods, fulfilment, payment processing and
the separately managed Meta budget sit outside it. A 6.5× revenue
multiple is not a 6.5× profit multiple and should never be presented as one.
The defensible claim
Between February and October 2025, AED 35,561 of tracked marketing cost
was associated with AED 232,245 of Shopify-attributed revenue from
organic and paid search, a 4.5× to 6.5× revenue multiple depending on
how paid-media management fees are treated. Stated that way it survives
scrutiny, and it is still an excellent result.
Store-wide movement: Shopify marketing report, all channels including the separately managed Meta budget