Time Between Purchases

Discover how Time Between Purchases helps businesses measure the average duration between a customer’s transactions. Learn how to track, analyze, and shorten this KPI to increase customer frequency and lifetime value.

Visualize, set goals & analyze KPIs for free

KPI Details for Time Between Purchases

Category

Marketing, Ecommerce
Type

Lagging Indicator
Calculation

Time Between Purchases = ∑ (Purchase Dates Gap per Customer) / Number of Repeat Customers​
Measure

Tracks the average number of days between purchases per customer, helping businesses understand buying habits and identify when to re-engage customers.
Data Sources:

Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Klaviyo, Google Analytics (eCommerce), Stripe, ReCharge, CRM systems.
Frequency

Tracked monthly or quarterly to monitor shifts in customer behavior and fine-tune retention strategies.

Example target

Reduce average time between purchases by 20% in Q3 by launching replenishment email campaigns and personalized promotions.

Example Reports Use Case

A Retention Marketer monitors this KPI to determine optimal times to send reminder emails or promotional offers. If the time increases, they may test new engagement strategies or update product recommendations.

KPI Example

Best Practices for Time Between Purchases

  • Use Replenishment Campaigns

    Send reminders or auto-subscription prompts for consumable or frequently used products.

  • Segment Based on Buying Behavior

    Group customers by average purchase cycle to tailor communication and offers.

  • Incentivize Early Repeat Purchases

    Use limited-time discounts or loyalty bonuses to encourage quicker second purchases.

  • Test Email Cadence & Timing

    Optimize email flows and retargeting campaigns based on historical behavior data.

Automate Your Reporting in 5 Minutes

Centralize GA4, Facebook Ads, and More – Start Free

Report Smarter Now