Customer return rate
Updated September 30, 2026
In one sentence
The return rate is the share of customers who come back at least once within a set period after a first visit, for example 30, 60 or 90 days.
How to calculate it
Take the customers who visited for the first time during a period, then count those who came back within the chosen window. Divide the second number by the first. The window depends on the trade: 30 days makes sense for a café, 60 to 90 days for a hair salon.
Why track it
It is the most direct number for knowing whether a loyalty program brings people back. Compare it with itself over time, not with another business. Careful: a rate that rises after a card launches is not necessarily due to the card, because the season or a promotion can play a part. Only a comparison with a control group isolates the real effect.
In March, 120 new customers visit a café; 54 of them come back within 30 days. The 30-day return rate is 54 ÷ 120, or 45%.
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