> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.upstackdata.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# New Customer COGS Per Order: Average Cost for First-Time Orders

> Track average cost of goods sold per new customer order. Understand first-time buyer cost structure for CAC payback and margin analysis.

<Tip>
  Average product cost per new customer order—compare to returning customers to assess cost mix differences.
</Tip>

## Formula

<Info>
  **New Customer COGS Per Order** = [**New Customer COGS**](/reference/metrics/orders/cogs/new-customer-cogs) ÷ [**New Customer Orders**](/reference/metrics/orders/counts/new-customer-orders)
</Info>

### Formula Components

| Metric                                                                          | Definition                                      |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| [**New Customer COGS**](/reference/metrics/orders/cogs/new-customer-cogs)       | Total product costs for first-time buyer orders |
| [**New Customer Orders**](/reference/metrics/orders/counts/new-customer-orders) | Number of orders from first-time buyers         |

| Metadata        |                                                                         |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Type**        | Currency                                                                |
| **Data Source** | [Shopify](/sources/shopify), [Upstack Costs](/dashboard/settings/costs) |
| **Aggregation** | Ratio                                                                   |

***

## Example

Your store had **\$18,340** in new customer COGS across **412** first-time orders:

| Segment             | COGS     | Orders | COGS/Order |
| ------------------- | -------- | ------ | ---------- |
| New Customers       | \$18,340 | 412    | \$44.51    |
| Returning Customers | \$24,680 | 589    | \$41.90    |

New customers have higher COGS per order—they tend to buy starter bundles with higher product costs.

***

## How It Works

Divides New Customer COGS by the count of new customer orders. This metric reveals the average product cost burden for first-time transactions, helping you understand whether new customers are buying higher or lower-cost products compared to returning customers.

***

## When to Use

| Scenario             | Action                                      |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| CAC payback modeling | Factor into first-order profit calculation  |
| Product mix analysis | See if new customers buy different products |
| Pricing strategy     | Ensure first-order pricing covers costs     |
| Segment comparison   | Compare to RC COGS/Order for insights       |

***

## Related Metrics

| Metric                                                                                                | Relationship              |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- |
| [New Customer COGS](/reference/metrics/orders/cogs/new-customer-cogs)                                 | Total costs (numerator)   |
| [New Customer Orders](/reference/metrics/orders/counts/new-customer-orders)                           | Order count (denominator) |
| [COGS Per Order](/reference/metrics/orders/cogs/cogs-per-order)                                       | All-customer average      |
| [Returning Customer COGS Per Order](/reference/metrics/orders/cogs/returning-customer-cogs-per-order) | Repeat buyer average      |

[See all COGS metrics →](/reference/metrics/orders/cogs)