Core Metrics & KPIs

Repeat Purchase Rate

The percentage of customers who make more than one purchase.

1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Reviewed by Golden Digital·Operator-reviewed ecommerce reference·Benchmark source: Golden Digital field data

The percentage of customers who make more than one purchase.

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Why It Matters

Repeat purchase rate is the ultimate indicator of product-market fit and customer satisfaction. If people aren't coming back, either your product isn't delivering or your retention marketing is failing. High repeat rates dramatically improve LTV and reduce dependence on expensive new customer acquisition.

Benchmarks

A good Repeat Purchase Rate is 25-30%. Top performers achieve 40%+.

Good Performance

25-30%

Top Performers

40%+

Practical Example

Scenario

A skincare brand acquired 10,000 new customers in Q1. By end of Q2, 3,200 had made a second purchase.

Calculation

Repeat Purchase Rate = 3,200 / 10,000 = 32%

Result

At 32%, they're slightly above the 25-30% benchmark. With focused post-purchase email flows and loyalty programs, they target 40%—which would add significant LTV and profitability.

Pro Tips

  • 1Measure repeat rate by cohort and time period. '6-month repeat rate' is more actionable than 'all-time repeat rate'.
  • 2Segment by first product purchased. Some entry products have 50% repeat rate while others have 15%—this informs product strategy.
  • 3Time your post-purchase marketing based on typical replenishment cycles. Coffee beans might be 3 weeks; skincare might be 2 months.
  • 4Survey non-repeaters to understand why. Price? Didn't like the product? Forgot about you? Each requires different intervention.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Measuring repeat rate too early. If average repurchase cycle is 90 days, measuring at 30 days understates true repeat rate.
Not differentiating between one-time repeat and true loyalty. Someone who bought twice isn't as valuable as someone who's bought 5+ times.
Ignoring product category differences. Consumables should have 40%+ repeat rate; durable goods might naturally be 15%.

Frequently asked questions

Focus on: 1) Great product that delivers on promises, 2) Post-purchase email flows that educate and re-engage, 3) Subscription or auto-replenishment options, 4) Loyalty programs that reward repeat purchases, 5) Win-back campaigns for lapsed customers.

Repeat purchase rate = % of customers who ever buy again. Retention rate = % of customers who are still active over a specific period. Repeat purchase is cumulative; retention is period-specific.

Put it to work

Related Terms

Customer Retention RateCRR

The percentage of customers who remain active over a specific time period.

Purchase Frequency

The average number of purchases a customer makes within a given time period.

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