Repeat Purchase Rate Calculator

Repeat purchase rate is the percentage of customers who come back and buy again. It is the single most important retention metric for ecommerce because it directly determines how much lifetime value you extract from each acquired customer. The average DTC brand retains only about 28% of customers for a second purchase, meaning nearly three out of four first-time buyers never return.

This calculator computes your repeat purchase rate from total and repeat customer counts, then models the revenue impact of improving retention. Even small improvements in RPR compound dramatically. Moving from 25% to 30% RPR does not add 5% more revenue — it adds 5% more repeat customers, each buying multiple times, at zero acquisition cost. The incremental revenue from repeat customers is almost pure profit since you have already paid to acquire them.

The improvement scenario table shows what happens at each RPR level, letting you quantify the business case for investing in retention programs. For a brand with 5,000 customers and a $65 AOV, moving RPR from 24% to 30% can add over $60,000 in annual revenue from customers you have already paid to acquire.

The most effective retention tactics for DTC brands are post-purchase email flows (the single highest-ROI automation), loyalty and rewards programs, subscription offers for consumable products, personalized product recommendations based on purchase history, and win-back campaigns for lapsed customers. Each of these directly targets the gap between first-time and repeat buyers. Track RPR monthly alongside LTV:CAC to measure whether your retention investments are working.