Returning Customer Opex tracks user-defined operating expenses allocated to repeat buyer orders.
RC Opex = SUM ( Order Cost Entries ) WHERE category = Operating Expenses AND customer_type = returning_customer
| Metric | Definition |
|---|
| Order Cost Entries | User-defined costs configured in Upstack Cost Settings |
| category = Operating Expenses | Filters to costs categorized as opex |
| customer_type = returning_customer | Filters to repeat buyer orders |
| Metadata | |
|---|
| Type | Currency |
| Data Source | Upstack Costs, Shopify |
| Aggregation | Sum |
Example
Your Shopify store has $10,000 in operating expenses for 300 returning customer orders.
| Metric | Value | Calculation |
|---|
| Returning Customer Orders | 300 | Repeat buyers |
| RC Opex | $10,000 | Sum of opex cost entries |
| RC Opex Per Order | $33.33 | $10,000 ÷ 300 |
How It Works
Operating expenses are allocated to returning customer orders based on your cost configuration. This helps you understand the true overhead burden of customer retention including fixed business costs.
When to Use
| Scenario | Action |
|---|
| Complete retention profitability | Include opex in RC profitability |
| Break-even analysis | Understand overhead per returning customer |
| Scaling decisions | Model how RC opex changes with retention volume |
| NC vs RC opex comparison | Compare overhead allocation patterns |
| Metric | Relationship |
|---|
| Opex | Total operating expenses for all orders |
| NC Opex | Opex for new customer orders |
| RC Agency Fees | Agency costs for returning customers |
| Returning Customer Total Cost % | All costs as percentage for RC orders |
