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Home » Blogs » Increase Repeat Purchases with a Shopify App
By Gaurav Parvadiya | Last Updated On June 17th, 2025
Here’s a hard truth most eCommerce brands don’t want to face: customer acquisition is expensive, and you’re probably spending too much on it.
Rather than focus on new buyers, it is time to reverse the script. Look at the goldmine you already have in your Shopify store: your current customers.
Only 8% of your buyers may be repeat buyers, yet they can contribute as much as 41% of your revenue. That’s huge. And if you are not actively engaged in developing a Shopify customer retention strategy, then you are leaving some serious money on the table.
Your mobile app is the most powerful tool in this mission. This guide will walk you through what repeat purchase rate means, why it’s more important than ever in 2025, and how to increase repeat sales on Shopify with 14 proven, app-powered strategies.
Repeat purchase rate (RPR) is used to quantify the rate of customers who make a repeat purchase after making an initial purchase. It is the pulse of Shopify mobile app retention.
Formula: RPR = (Number of Returning Customers / Total Number of Customers) 100.
RPR Industry Benchmarks:
When the RPR of your store is below 15 percent, you definitely know that you have to improve your retention game.
When RPR is low, it is likely to indicate post-purchase engagement problems, poor mobile experience, or the absence of strong reasons to come back. Tracking this metric overtime will allow you to see if your retention activity is truly working – or it is vanity.
On the other hand, a strong RPR makes your business more predictable.
If you know that 30% of your new customers will return in 60 days, you can plan inventory, budget, and campaigns with confidence.
This is how smart Shopify stores drive repeat purchases with apps, not guesswork.
You’ve already paid to acquire the customer. Every additional purchase they make improves your return on ad spend (ROAS). You no longer have to fight Instagram algorithms or spend more on Google Ads to keep the lights on.
You have already spent money to get the customer. Each subsequent purchase they make increases your return on ad spend (ROAS). You do not need to struggle with Instagram algorithms anymore or pay more on Google Ads to turn on the light.
Return customers have a higher probability to upgrade, purchase bundles, or consider additional product lines. And when you add a convenient-to-use application with intelligent product suggestions? Their LTV increases even more rapidly.
While new customers convert at around 5–20%, returning customers convert at 60–70%, According to Doxee. They already trust you, so they’re more decisive, and less price-sensitive.
Repeat customers will review, join loyalty programs, and react to push notifications more frequently. They are your most profitable segment and your best ambassadors.
Customers do not simply return to discounts. They come back when:
Behavior is motivated by great experiences. When your app understands when a customer needs it, makes checkout fast and personalizes the experience, users will automatically come back.
It is one of the best Shopify customer retention strategies out there. Limiting friction throughout the app, by making navigation intuitive, load times fast, and suggestions intelligent, gets you a long way.
Emotion matters too. Brands that create delight, build trust, or offer surprise rewards foster stronger relationships.
This is how you increase repeat customers on Shopify and turn occasional buyers into loyal brand advocates. Focus on experiences, not just discounts, to truly drive repeat purchases with app.
Not all returning customers are the same, and identifying the right ones is key to improving retention. The more you understand their habits, the better you can apply effective Shopify customer retention strategies. Here’s how to spot and engage your most loyal users directly through your Shopify mobile app.
Go to your Shopify dashboard and select the section of customers, then filter returning. This provides you ready access to repeat customers. Note their order frequency, last purchase date, and total spend to focus on outreach.
A person who buys monthly does not have the same needs as a person who buys six months. The evaluation of AOV and buy timeframes assists you in maximizing upsells and customized push alerts.
Label your valuable customers. Divide them into Bronze, Silver, or Gold levels, and develop reward-driven experiences that boost repeat clients on Shopify.
Keep track of users that browse frequently or abandon carts multiple times. They are already addicted, all you have to do is to poke them with app-only deals or customized notifications.
After the second in-app purchase, trigger short polls to get genuine feedback. These insights power strategies that drive repeat purchases with app.
If you want to increase repeat customers on Shopify, launching a mobile app is just the first step. The real magic lies in how you engage users once they’re inside your app. From Shopify customer retention strategies to personalized nudges, here’s how to turn first-time buyers into loyal repeat customers.
Your mobile app is a direct-to-customer channel that bypasses email filters and social media algorithms. It boosts Shopify app retention by living on the user’s home screen, encouraging habitual browsing.
Push notifications, branded UI, and customer data collection all happen within your own space.
Compared to third-party platforms, your app gives you more control over engagement and repeat behavior.
Customers come back not just for your products, but for the app experience itself.
This approach is essential if you’re looking for ways to get returning customers on Shopify while scaling your brand presence.
Generic blasts are dead – behavioral push notifications are the new black.
Push messages such as “Your skincare bundle is low” or “Back in stock”: Your favorite tee seems like service, rather than marketing.
When you incorporate your Shopify customer retention strategies into your push flow, you will remind users to return at the perfect moment.
Behaviors and shopping cycle segmentation- nudge replenishment after X days, or follow up on an item added to cart but not checked out. Such nudges result in a friction-free, assistance-filled experience that builds trust and repeat orders.
Do loyalty programs work for Shopify stores? The answer is absolutely yes, particularly when they are integrated into your app experience.
Reward points, milestone badges, and tier-based rewards provide a user a reason to come back.
Allow them to earn rewards, gain early access, or receive surprise gifts. The programs strengthen good behavior and generate emotional loyalty.
Loyalty becomes personal when it is executed via your app, as opposed to transactional. Such gamification will motivate repeat visits and make you increase repeat customers on Shopify naturally.
Exclusive offers available in the app also introduce an element of VIP treatment that would be impossible to achieve via alternative means.
By making some of your offers exclusive to your Shopify mobile app, customers will open your app more often, simply to check what is new.
It can be flash sales, bundle discounts, or early access to product launches, but app-only deals drive active usage and repeat purchase rates.
It also adds urgency and a community feeling, “insiders” are rewarded by remaining involved. Such a strategy not only increases conversions but creates a stronger sense of belonging in repeat buyers.
It should be a single tap to reorder. By adding a Buy Again option to your Shopify mobile app by default, you eliminate the friction of browsing the catalog or searching previous orders.
It is especially effective with consumables or staples, coffee, supplements, skincare, etc.
And you can even top this up with intelligent reminders such as “It is time to refill”!
You can accommodate a convenience-driven behavior by ensuring that there are no obstacles to the checkout process and allowing users to reorder in a few seconds.
And convenience, when provided as an expected regularity, is among the most powerful stimuli to repurchase.
Make your app a shopping smart assistant with behavior-driven recommendations.
Track what customers view and purchase and display related or complimentary products. It’s a proven way to increase repeat customers on Shopify and enhance discovery.
Personalization can increase AOV as well as give your app a feel of being customized to the individual. This is part of your Shopify customer retention strategy as it demonstrates to customers that you are aware of their preferences.
Similarly to Netflix and shopping, curated experiences ensure that users have a reason to come back.
Recommendations can also be useful when used together with push notifications or loyalty rewards to drive repeat purchases with app interactions that are considerate and useful.
The engagement post-purchase is essential.
Thank your customers, provide a review request, or cross-sell complementary products with your Shopify mobile app after checkout.
These little gestures support trust and gain momentum. It’s one of the smartest ways to get returning customers on Shopify, by staying present even after the sale.
Post-purchase flows help build emotional loyalty and support your broader Shopify customer retention strategy.
A “You might also love…” suggestion or coupon for the next order inside your app helps drive repeat purchases with app-based follow-ups that convert appreciation into future sales.
VIP levels introduce status and meaning to customer loyalty. Whether by spend, frequency, or app engagement, segment your best customers and offer them early access, exclusive bundles, or free shipping.
This creates emotional attachment and brand preference, increasing Shopify mobile app retention.
Recognized customers shop more often and refer others, making this strategy great for those exploring how to increase repeat customers on Shopify.
It’s also proof that loyalty apps do work for Shopify stores, when they’re tired and personalized. The VIP program makes sure that valuable users are kept entertained, valued, and they will be back.
Subscriptions transform one-off purchases into a recurring revenue.
Selling CPG, supplements, or anything consumable? Allow users to subscribe through your app.
Subscription management through your Shopify mobile app creates more control and convenience to the customer- Satisfaction is increased.
Pause, skip or change plans are flexible options that build trust. It’s one of the best ways to increase repeat sales at Shopify while improving inventory planning.
Plus, offering special perks for subscribers can strengthen your Shopify customer retention strategy. This model guarantees recurring engagement and is a reliable way to drive repeat purchases with app automation.
Referrals represent a cheap method of getting new users and increasing loyalty.
Include in-app referral capabilities to make it simple to copy an invite code or link.
Give incentives to both so that they share and become repeat buyers. This dual incentive approach is a solid Shopify customer retention strategy that also lowers acquisition costs.
Referral customers are more emotionally attached, and they will enable you to boost repeat customers on Shopify.
Referrals increase value and trust when they are associated with your loyalty or VIP program.
It’s a scalable way to drive repeat purchases with app features that build community and engagement naturally.
In-app surveys allow you to collect first-hand feedback without interfering with the user experience. A one-question survey can provide helpful information either after a purchase or after using an app.
Customers desire to be listened to- listening can make you develop trust. Utilize feedback to modify UX, enhance product assortment, or tweak rewards loyalty.
It’s a data-driven approach that supports your Shopify customer retention strategy.
Being able to understand what is and is not working will enable you to maximize repeat customers on Shopify as you will be able to take action based on real-time feedback.
Surveys also demonstrate customers that their opinion is important to make them remain involved and further shop using your app.
It is necessary to utilize behavioral retargeting to claim the missed opportunities. When a user visits a product or adds it to the cart without completing a purchase, utilize that indication to retarget with a personalized push notification.
An urgency is created with a message such as: Still thinking about this? or Only 2 left!
These nudges are effective ways to increase repeat sales of Shopify and close abandoned sessions. By acting on in-app signals, you support Shopify mobile app retention with intelligent follow-ups.
Behavioral campaigns offer a strategic way to drive repeat purchases with app precision and keep your brand relevant in moments that matter most.
Quick, friction-free service is a game changer in terms of customer satisfaction. Include live chat right into your Shopify mobile app and do not make your users leave to receive assistance.
It reduces cart abandonment and enhances trust, two key elements in any Shopify customer retention strategy. Support does not have to be reactive either, and it may be initiated by cart value or browse time.
It’s one of the most impactful ways to get returning customers on Shopify because it shows you care.
Real-time resolution improves user confidence, turning confusion into conversions and helping to drive repeat purchases with app support that builds long-term relationships.
The answer to retention lies in the data of your app.
Track analytics to understand which screens users are most active on, at what point they are losing interest and how they are converting or reacting to push messages or offers. These findings can be used to constantly optimize UX and to make messaging more intelligent.
Tracking user behavior helps you pinpoint what drives repeat visits and increase repeat sales Shopify. By acting on real data, you improve your Shopify mobile app retention strategy over time.
App analytics also guide A/B tests, home screen redesigns, and loyalty enhancements—making them a core tactic to drive repeat purchases with app intelligence and precision.
If this sounds like a lot to implement, here’s the good news, you don’t need to code any of it.
Twinr helps Shopify merchants to:
More than 30,000 users are already using Twinr to turn their apps into high-retention sales engines.
Q: What’s a good repeat purchase rate on Shopify?
A good repeat purchase rate depends on your industry, but as a general benchmark: beauty stores should aim for 25–30%, fashion stores around 20–25%, and CPG brands can reach 30–40%.
Q: What is an example of a repeat buyer?
A repeat buyer is someone who makes a second purchase after their first order, often within a short time frame, a key signal that they’re ready to be nurtured through loyalty strategies.
Q: How can I increase repeat purchases on Shopify?
You can increase repeat purchases on Shopify by using mobile app strategies like push notifications, personalized product offers, loyalty programs, and easy reorder buttons that reduce friction.
Q: Do loyalty apps work for Shopify stores?
Yes, loyalty apps are highly effective for Shopify stores, especially when built into a native mobile app, where they can reward engagement, gamify repeat purchases, and drive long-term retention
Gaurav is the founder and CEO of Twinr, a tech entrepreneur with a decade of experience and a passion for SaaS. With a Master's degree in Computer Science, he specializes in no-code development, driving innovation in the mobile app industry. When he's not busy growing the company, you'll find him writing about tech, growth, software development, e-commerce, and occasionally sneaking in a game of badminton.