Customer Retention

Customer retention in ecommerce is the ability to keep buyers returning for repeat purchases over time. It matters because repeat customers typically convert faster, cost less to activate, and increase lifetime value. Effective retention combines post-purchase communication, replenishment timing, loyalty mechanics, and personalized offers based on behavior and product lifecycle. Teams should track repeat purchase rate, time-to-second-order, and cohort value trends to evaluate progress. A common mistake is focusing only on acquisition campaigns while underinvesting in post-purchase experience, which raises churn and weakens long-term profitability.