Customer LTV & Retention
Track lifetime value and customer retention metrics to understand customer behavior and revenue patterns
Customer LTV & Retention
The LTV & Retention dashboard provides comprehensive insights into customer lifetime value, retention patterns, and revenue distribution between new and repeat customers.
Prerequisites
Required Integration: Shopify
This dashboard requires an active Shopify integration to display customer and order data. If you haven't connected Shopify yet, you'll see a prompt to set up the integration.
Learn how to connect Shopify →
Accessing the Dashboard
- Navigate to your organization
- Click LTV & Retention in the sidebar
- Use the date range selector to adjust the analysis period (default: Last 90 days)
Date Range Persistence
Your selected date range is automatically saved to your browser's local storage. When you return to this dashboard, your previous date range selection will be restored, allowing you to continue your analysis where you left off.
Note: Each analytics dashboard maintains its own date range setting. For example, changing the date range on the LTV & Retention dashboard won't affect the date range on the Orders Analytics dashboard.
Dashboard Sections
The LTV & Retention dashboard is organized into three main sections:
Customer Acquisition
Track how you're acquiring new customers and their initial purchase behavior.
Total New Customers
- Count of first-time customers within the selected date range
- Shows daily trend of customer acquisition
- Helps identify successful acquisition campaigns
Average Order Value (AOV)
- Average order value after discounts
- Calculated across all orders (new and repeat customers)
- Useful for understanding overall revenue per transaction
Sales Overview
Understand the revenue contribution from new versus repeat customers.
Total Sales
- Total daily sales including all orders
- Includes canceled and $0 orders for complete visibility
- Shows overall revenue trends
New Sales
- Revenue from customers who made their first order within the date range
- Measures effectiveness of acquisition efforts
- Tracks revenue from customer acquisition campaigns
Repeat Sales
- Revenue from customers whose first order was before the date range
- Indicates customer retention strength
- Higher repeat sales suggest strong customer loyalty
New Customer Orders
- Number of orders from first-time customers
- Helps calculate conversion rates for new customers
- Tracks acquisition campaign effectiveness
Repeat Customer Orders
- Number of orders from returning customers
- Indicates customer engagement and satisfaction
- Higher numbers suggest successful retention
New Customer %
- Percentage of total orders from new customers
- Balance indicator: too high may indicate retention issues
- Typical healthy range: 20-40% new customers
Lifetime Value (LTV)
Track the total revenue generated by customers over different time periods.
Total LTV
- Average lifetime value across all customers
- Cumulative revenue per customer since their first purchase
- Key metric for understanding long-term customer value
30-Day LTV
- Average revenue per customer in their first 30 days
- Early indicator of customer value
- Useful for quick ROI calculations on acquisition costs
90-Day LTV
- Average revenue per customer in their first 90 days
- Medium-term value indicator
- Helps evaluate customer engagement patterns
180-Day LTV
- Average revenue per customer in their first 180 days
- Long-term value assessment
- Better predictor of true lifetime value
Key Metrics Explained
What is Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)?
LTV represents the total revenue a customer generates over their entire relationship with your business. It helps you:
- Determine how much to spend on customer acquisition
- Identify your most valuable customer segments
- Forecast long-term revenue
Formula: Total revenue from customer / Number of customers
New vs. Repeat Customers
New Customers: First-time buyers within the selected date range Repeat Customers: Customers whose first purchase was before the date range
This distinction helps you understand:
- Customer retention rates
- Revenue stability
- Acquisition effectiveness
Blended Metrics
Blended metrics combine data from both new and repeat customers to give you an overall view of business performance. Use these alongside segmented metrics for complete insights.
Using the Dashboard
Analyzing Customer Retention
-
Compare New Sales vs. Repeat Sales
- Healthy businesses typically see 60-80% repeat sales
- Low repeat sales may indicate product or service issues
-
Monitor New Customer %
- Consistent percentage indicates stable business
- Sudden increases may signal acquisition campaign success or retention problems
-
Track Repeat Customer Orders
- Increasing trend shows strong retention
- Use with Repeat Sales to calculate repeat purchase value
Evaluating LTV Performance
-
Set acquisition cost targets
- Compare 30-day customer lifetime value to customer acquisition cost (CAC)
- Aim for LTV:CAC ratio of at least 3:1
-
Identify growth opportunities
- Low LTV suggests need for retention improvements
- Compare LTV across different time periods to see value curve
-
Segment analysis
- Use with customer segments to find high-value groups
- Target retention efforts to high-LTV segments
Optimizing Date Ranges
- Short periods (7-30 days): Spot immediate trends and campaign impact
- Medium periods (30-90 days): Identify seasonal patterns
- Long periods (90+ days): Understand long-term customer behavior
Best Practices
Regular Monitoring
- Review weekly to catch early warning signs
- Track month-over-month changes for trend analysis
- Set up alerts for significant metric changes
Benchmarking
Compare your metrics to industry standards:
- New Customer %: 20-40% is typical for healthy businesses
- Repeat Purchase Rate: 27-32% is average for e-commerce
- LTV:CAC Ratio: 3:1 minimum, 5:1 is excellent
Taking Action
If New Sales are declining:
- Review acquisition campaigns
- Check website conversion rates
- Analyze traffic sources
If Repeat Sales are declining:
- Improve post-purchase communication
- Enhance product quality or selection
- Launch retention campaigns
If LTV is lower than expected:
- Focus on customer experience improvements
- Increase average order value through upsells
- Improve product-market fit
Common Questions
Why don't my numbers match my Shopify admin?
AccessFuel may include or exclude certain order types differently:
- We include canceled orders for complete visibility
- We track customers by first order date for accurate cohort analysis
- Date ranges are based on order creation date
What's a good LTV for my business?
LTV varies by industry and business model:
- Compare LTV to your customer acquisition cost
- Track LTV trends over time
- Segment by customer type for deeper insights
How often is data updated?
Data syncs according to your Shopify integration schedule:
- Typically every 24 hours
- Historical data is backfilled on initial connection
- Check your integration status for last sync time