Customer economics audit: cohorts, LTV, payback and RFM
How much is a customer really worth, how fast do they come back, and which ones matter most? Drop in an orders export and see it, privately, in your browser.
A flagship tool with Gran: free to use, and a free account saves your report as a PDF.
1. Load your orders CSV from Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon or any system
Your file never leaves this browser. Only the summary is saved, and only if you create a report.
2. Check the columns
Your economics
Marketing spend ÷ new customers.
Cohort retention share of each month's new customers ordering again
Lifetime value cumulative contribution per customer
When the second order happens
Customer segments RFM: recency, frequency, spend
Which customers are worth most by first product, channel and city
What to do next
How it is calculated
The audit reads an orders export in your browser and groups customers by the month of their first order (their cohort). Shopify exports with one row per line item are combined into orders automatically, and cancelled, refunded and returned orders are excluded when a status column is present.
Retention, month k = cohort customers ordering in month k ÷ cohort size Contribution LTV(t) = average revenue per customer within t of first order × contribution margin CAC payback = first month where cumulative contribution ≥ CAC LTV:CAC = 12-month contribution LTV ÷ CAC
Lifetime value only counts customers who have been around for the whole window, so a young business is not flattered by its newest customers. RFM scores each customer on recency, frequency and spend and places them in segments such as Champions, At risk and Hibernating, each with a suggested action.
What file do I need?
Any CSV with a customer email or ID, an order date and an order value. Shopify: Orders, Export, all orders, CSV for Excel. WooCommerce: Analytics or any order export plugin. Channel, first product and city columns are optional and unlock breakdowns.
Questions
Is my customer data uploaded anywhere?
No. The file is read and analysed by your browser. Nothing leaves your computer unless you create a report, and then only the aggregated results are saved: no emails, names or order rows.
How do you calculate customer lifetime value?
For every customer observed for the full window, the audit adds up their revenue within 30, 90, 180 or 365 days of their first order, averages it, and multiplies by your contribution margin. That gives contribution LTV, the number to compare with CAC.
What is a good LTV:CAC ratio?
A common benchmark is 3:1 on contribution over 12 months, with CAC paid back within six months. Below 1:1 within a year, growth is being bought at a loss unless repeat revenue arrives later.
What is RFM segmentation?
RFM scores customers on how recently they bought, how often and how much they spent. Combining the three scores groups customers into segments such as Champions, Loyal, At risk and Hibernating, so retention spend goes where it matters.
How do I export orders from Shopify?
In Shopify admin open Orders, choose Export, select all orders or a date range, and export as CSV for Excel. Drop that file straight into the audit; the columns are recognised automatically.
If growth is the conversation, let’s have it.
Advisory conversations, speaking, podcasts and media. Tell me what you are working on and I will reply personally within two working days.