- Gavin's Email Marketing Newsletter
- Posts
- How To Calculate Retention In Klaviyo
One of the most important metrics in email marketing (and how to calculate it)
Watch the video: click here
Let’s talk retention rate.
Not open rate.
Not click rate.
Retention rate.
It’s one of the most useful metrics for any eCommerce brand — and one of the most overlooked.
Most Klaviyo dashboards try to show it, but it’s not always visible or accurate. So here’s how to calculate it yourself in under 10 minutes (and why it matters).
Why you need to know your retention rate
Retention rate = % of customers who come back and place a second order.
It tells you if your email marketing is doing its real job: keeping customers engaged beyond their first purchase and how good your product actually is.
Here’s how to calculate it inside Klaviyo:
Step 1 – Build two segments
You’re going to compare these two:
🟡 Segment 1: Customers who placed an order 6–12 months ago, but not in the last 6 months
🟢 Segment 2: Customers who placed an order in both time frames (i.e., 6–12 months ago and again in the last 6 months)
Step 2 – Set the logic like this:
Segment 1 (Total Customers in Past Year):
Placed Order at least once in last 365 days
AND Placed Order zero times in last 182 days
Segment 2 (Repeat Customers):
Placed an Order at least once in last 182 days
AND Placed Order at least once between 183–365 days
Step 3 – Do the math
Take the number from Segment 2 and divide it by the number in Segment 1.
Example:17 / 99 x 100 = 17.17% retention rate
That’s your 6-month retention rate from your last 12 months of customer activity.
Bonus tip
If Klaviyo is showing a retention rate in your dashboard, this is how they’re calculating it. So now you can sanity check it yourself (and build a strategy to actually improve it).
Because here’s the thing:
Retention doesn’t just happen. It’s built.
With smart flows.
With segmentation.
With emails that move people from “first-time” to “every time.”
Check out the video here.
Word From Our Sponsors:
Influencer code protection made simple
KeepCart: Coupon Protection partners with D2C brands like Quince, Blueland, Vessi and more to stop/monitor coupon leaks to sites/extensions like Honey, CapitalOne, RetailMeNot, and more to boost your DTC margins