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

# Customer retention analysis

> How to measure customer retention and repeat purchasing with SourceMedium tables and common filters

Use this guide to understand how well you retain customers over time and where repeat purchasing comes from.

## Recommended tables

* Orders: [`obt_orders`](/data-activation/data-tables/sm_transformed_v2/obt_orders)
* Customers: [`obt_customers`](/data-activation/data-tables/sm_transformed_v2/obt_customers)

## Common retention cuts

* New vs repeat customers over time
* Repeat rate by acquisition channel
* Time to second order (and distribution)
* Retention by product purchased on first order

## Suggested workflow

1. Start with clean order filters:
   * `is_order_sm_valid = TRUE`
2. Decide whether to include all channels or a focused channel (e.g., Online DTC only).
3. Pick a retention definition:
   * “Customer retained” = places any additional valid order within X days
   * Or “Repeat customer” = has `order_index >= 2`
4. Break down by a single dimension (channel, first product, geography), validate, then layer on additional breakdowns.

## Troubleshooting

* If you see unexpected counts when reconciling, check for:
  * Exclude \$0 orders logic
  * Channel mapping rules

See also: [Why don’t Executive Summary & Shopify match?](/help-center/faq/data-faqs/why-dont-the-executive-summary-and-shopifys-sales-report-match)