RC CM3 per Order measures the average contribution margin per returning customer order—what each repeat buyer order contributes after marketing costs.
RC CM3 per Order = RC CM3 ÷ Returning Customer Orders
| Metric | Definition |
|---|
| RC CM3 | Returning customer contribution margin |
| Returning Customers | Count of returning customer orders |
| Metadata | |
|---|
| Type | Currency |
| Data Source | Shopify, Upstack Costs |
| Aggregation | Average |
Example
Returning customers generated $27,500 CM3 from 750 orders.
| Component | Value | Calculation |
|---|
| RC CM3 | $27,500 | Contribution margin |
| RC Orders | 750 | Repeat orders |
| RC CM3 per Order | $36.67 | $27,500 ÷ 750 |
How It Works
RC CM3 per Order shows the contribution margin from each returning customer order after marketing costs. This represents pure profit contribution per repeat order, making it a key metric for understanding retention economics.
When to Use
| Scenario | Action |
|---|
| Comparing segments | Benchmark against NC CM3 per Order |
| LTV modeling | Project lifetime contribution margin |
| Retention ROI | Measure loyalty program impact on RC CM3 per Order |
| Profitability tracking | Monitor repeat order profitability over time |
| Metric | Relationship |
|---|
| RC CM3 | Total returning customer contribution margin |
| NC CM3 per Order | Contribution margin per new customer order |
| RC CM4 per Order | Operating profit per repeat order |
