> ## 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 CM3 per Order: First-Order Contribution Margin

> Track New Customer CM3 per order for your Shopify store. Measure contribution margin per first-time buyer order.

<Tip>
  NC CM3 per Order measures the average contribution margin per new customer order—what each first-time buyer order contributes after marketing costs.
</Tip>

## Formula

<Info>
  **NC CM3 per Order** = **NC CM3** ÷ **New Customer Orders**
</Info>

### Formula Components

| Metric                                                                                       | Definition                       |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------- |
| [**NC CM3**](/reference/metrics/orders/contribution-margin/new-customer-contribution-margin) | New customer contribution margin |
| [**New Customers**](/reference/metrics/orders/customers/new-customers)                       | Count of new customer orders     |

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

***

## Example

New customers generated **\$15,000** CM3 from **500** orders.

| Component            | Value    | Calculation         |
| -------------------- | -------- | ------------------- |
| NC CM3               | \$15,000 | Contribution margin |
| NC Orders            | 500      | First-time orders   |
| **NC CM3 per Order** | **\$30** | \$15,000 ÷ 500      |

***

## How It Works

NC CM3 per Order shows the contribution margin from each new customer order after marketing costs. A positive NC CM3 per Order means new customer acquisition is profitable at the contribution margin level.

***

## When to Use

| Scenario                            | Action                                       |
| ----------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| Measuring acquisition profitability | Ensure NC CM3 per Order is positive          |
| Comparing segments                  | Benchmark against RC CM3 per Order           |
| Marketing efficiency                | Track how campaigns affect NC CM3 per Order  |
| Growth planning                     | Use NC CM3 per Order for scaling projections |

***

## Related Metrics

| Metric                                                                                             | Relationship                            |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| [NC CM3](/reference/metrics/orders/contribution-margin/new-customer-contribution-margin)           | Total new customer contribution margin  |
| [RC CM3 per Order](/reference/metrics/orders/contribution-margin/returning-customer-cm3-per-order) | Contribution margin per repeat order    |
| [NC CM4 per Order](/reference/metrics/orders/contribution-margin/new-customer-cm4-per-order)       | Operating profit per new customer order |

[See all Contribution Margin metrics →](/reference/metrics/orders/contribution-margin)