Use this guide to analyze lifetime orders (LTO) by cohort (typically first order month) and understand which acquisition cohorts generate the most repeat purchasing.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.
Recommended tables
- Orders:
obt_orders - Customers:
obt_customers - (Optional) Order lines:
obt_order_lines
Define the cohort
Most commonly:- Cohort grain: first order month
- Cohort key: customer’s first valid purchase date (using SourceMedium-valid orders)
Build the analysis (high level)
- Filter to SourceMedium-valid orders (
is_order_sm_valid = TRUE). - Determine each customer’s cohort (first valid order date).
- For each cohort, compute:
- Total orders
- Distinct customers
- Average lifetime orders =
total orders / distinct customers
- Add breakdowns (channel, product category, geography) only after the cohort math looks right.
Common pitfalls
- Mixing invalid/test/refunded orders with valid orders (always start with
is_order_sm_valid = TRUE). - Comparing cohorts with different “age” (newer cohorts haven’t had time to accumulate repeat purchases).
- Blending channels (e.g., Amazon + Online DTC) when the question is channel-specific.
Next steps
- Pair this with retention-focused analysis: Customer retention
- If you’re reconciling to Shopify: start with Why don’t Executive Summary & Shopify match?