Collect the matching inputs.
Deduplicate customer identities and orders. Report the duration next to the number and separate new and established customers when investigating changes.
← All ecommerce KPIs
Customer loyalty · Orders per customerPurchase frequency.
Purchase frequency.
Understand the rhythm of repeat buying.
Purchase frequency measures completed orders per purchasing customer during a defined period. It describes how often active buyers ordered in that period.
Start with your numbers.
Orders per customer calculator
01 / The definitionWhat is
What is
purchase frequency?
Purchase frequency measures completed orders per purchasing customer during a defined period. It describes how often active buyers ordered in that period.
An active-buyer denominator excludes dormant customers. Use the original acquired cohort denominator when evaluating acquisition-cohort value.
02 / The measurementA clear formula.
A clear formula.
A useful comparison.
Orders per customer =Completed orders ÷ Unique purchasing customers
Read the result in context.
Compare the same length of period and buying season. Monthly frequency for groceries cannot be applied to furniture.
Document the comparison.
Keep the reporting dates, population, exclusions and calculation with every result. Show underlying counts as well as the average or rate, so a small sample does not look more conclusive than it is.
Illustrative example
From inputs to insight.
- Completed orders
- 1,500
- Unique purchasing customers
- 1,000
- Orders per customer
- 1.5
1.5 orders per purchasing customer in the reporting period.
Try your numbers ↑03 / Industry benchmarksContext first.
Context first.
Targets second.
Compare the same length of period and buying season. Monthly frequency for groceries cannot be applied to furniture.
We have not verified a public industry benchmark that matches the exact definition used on this page. A precise-looking generic range would hide important differences between businesses.
Build your own benchmark
Start with a comparable baseline.
01
Match the population.
Choose the category, channel or customer cohort you can compare consistently.
02
Let the data mature.
Use complete periods and allow the purchase, attribution or returns window in your definition to close.
03
Test a specific opportunity.
Set a target from your economics and observed variation. Keep conversion and contribution in view.
04 / Clerk customer evidenceReal stories.
Real stories.
Clear measurement limits.
These examples show the reported outcome or a related use case. Read each evidence label before comparing it with your KPI.
Related customer-engagement example
Barefoot Junkie
The case describes welcome and win-back journeys. It does not publish a quantified result for this KPI.
Read the customer story ↗Customer stories describe individual implementations. They are not industry benchmarks, guarantees or standardized causal tests.
05 / Put it into practice
Understand the rhythm of repeat buying.
Build post-purchase journeys around the expected next need instead of sending everyone the same promotion cadence.
06 / Common questionsA little more
A little more
clarity.
How do I calculate purchase frequency?
Completed orders ÷ Unique purchasing customers. 1.5 orders per purchasing customer in the reporting period.
What should I check before comparing results?
An active-buyer denominator excludes dormant customers. Use the original acquired cohort denominator when evaluating acquisition-cohort value.
What is a good purchase frequency?
Compare the same length of period and buying season. Monthly frequency for groceries cannot be applied to furniture.
Does a higher attributed result prove incremental growth?
No. Attribution connects an interaction with an outcome under a reporting rule. To estimate what a change added, compare randomly assigned treatment and control groups using the same eligible population and a predefined measurement window.
Keep learning
Connect the numbers.
Your next opportunityMake product discovery
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