Repeat Purchase Rate: How to Measure and Improve Customer Loyalty

Repeat purchase rate = Customers who made more than one purchase ÷ Total customers × 100

Example: 500 customers have purchased at least twice out of 2,000 total customers = 25% repeat purchase rate.

Repeat purchase rate is one of the most direct indicators of product-market fit and customer satisfaction. If customers aren't coming back, the product or experience isn't compelling enough.

Repeat purchase rates vary significantly by product type:

| Category | Average repeat purchase rate |

|----------|-----------------------------|

| Consumables (coffee, supplements) | 40–60% |

| Beauty / personal care | 30–45% |

| Fashion / apparel | 25–35% |

| Home goods | 20–30% |

| Electronics | 10–20% |

| Furniture | 5–15% |

For subscription products, 'repeat purchase rate' is replaced by retention rate (% of subscribers who renew).

View your repeat purchase rate in Analytics → CLV → Repeat Purchase Rate.

The hardest purchase to earn is the second one — if a customer buys twice, they're much more likely to buy a third, fourth, and fifth time.

Second-purchase rate = Customers who made a second purchase ÷ Customers who made a first purchase × 100

Industry benchmark: 25–35% of first-time customers return for a second purchase within 12 months.

A low second-purchase rate is often the biggest lever available to improve overall CLV. In AskBiz, track second-purchase conversion in Analytics → CLV → Purchase Journey → Second Purchase.

When customers who will make a second purchase do so varies by product category. Replenishment products (within 30–60 days) differ from fashion (60–120 days).

In AskBiz, Analytics → CLV → Purchase Journey → Time Between Purchases shows the distribution of days between first and second purchase. Use this to time your post-purchase email flows:

• If 70% of second purchases happen within 45 days, your repeat purchase email should go out at day 30
• If the distribution peaks at 90 days, wait until day 75 before sending a replenishment nudge

This makes your retention emails more timely and less annoying.

Post-purchase email flow: the most impactful single investment. A 3–5 email sequence after first purchase nudging towards the second purchase typically improves second-purchase rate by 10–25%.

Loyalty programme: points-based loyalty programmes improve repeat purchase rate by 15–30% on average. Even a simple 'buy 5 get 1 free' punch card concept works. Digital loyalty platforms: LoyaltyLion, Yotpo Loyalty.

Subscription offering: converting one-off buyers to subscribers locks in repeat purchases. Even a small % of subscribers significantly improves CLV.

Surprise and delight: handwritten thank-you notes, free samples, or unexpected upgrades on the first order are low-cost but powerful drivers of second purchase.

Cross-sell at checkout and in order confirmation: 'customers who bought this also bought' — product recommendations that make first-time buyers aware of complementary products.