Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics defined by Google to describe real-world page experience. They currently measure loading (Largest Contentful Paint, LCP), responsiveness (Interaction to Next Paint, INP, which replaced First Input Delay in 2024) and visual stability (Cumulative Layout Shift, CLS).
Google publishes guidance thresholds for a good experience: LCP within 2.5 seconds, INP at or under 200 milliseconds and CLS at or under 0.1. Scores come from real users via Chrome data and are viewable in Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights, alongside lab tests that simulate a page load.
Online stores and venue websites feel the effect directly. Slow product pages, jumping buttons and laggy menus cost sales, particularly on mobile. Typical fixes include compressing images, reducing heavy scripts and third-party widgets, using caching and a content delivery network, and choosing lean themes.
Page experience is only one ranking signal, so a fast page will not outrank a far more relevant one, and chasing a perfect score can waste effort. Fix the worst issues on key pages such as home, product, menu and checkout first, and re-test after adding new apps or tracking tags.
Fast pages tend to keep visitors and support conversions. RetailCare's web and SEO services include performance work on ecommerce sites.