Purchase Frequency
The average number of purchases a customer makes within a given time period.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Reviewed by Golden Digital·Operator-reviewed ecommerce reference
Quick Reference
CategoryCore Metrics & KPIs
Related Terms2
The average number of purchases a customer makes within a given time period.
Why It Matters
Purchase frequency is a key lever in the LTV formula (AOV × Frequency × Lifespan). Increasing how often customers buy has the same revenue impact as acquiring new customers—but at a fraction of the cost since you're not paying acquisition costs again.
Practical Example
Scenario
A supplements brand's customers purchase 2.3 times per year on average. They implement a subscription option and targeted replenishment reminders.
Calculation
After 6 months, frequency increases to 3.1 purchases/year. At $75 AOV and 10,000 customers:Result
Revenue impact: 10,000 × 0.8 additional orders × $75 = $600,000 additional annual revenue from existing customers.
Pro Tips
- 1Calculate frequency by customer segment. VIP customers might buy 6x/year while one-time buyers (by definition) are at 1x.
- 2Implement subscription and save for consumables—it dramatically increases frequency while also improving predictability.
- 3Send replenishment reminders timed to average product usage. Use purchase date plus expected usage time.
- 4Cross-sell complementary products to create more purchase occasions. Someone buying coffee might also buy mugs or grinders.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Calculating frequency using all customers including those acquired last month. Use cohorts with enough time to repurchase.
Ignoring the difference between frequency and recency. High historical frequency means nothing if the customer hasn't bought in a year.
Setting unrealistic frequency targets for low-frequency product categories. A mattress brand can't expect monthly purchases.