Reviews, repeat purchases and retention

Build a post-purchase email/SMS flow that asks for a review at the right moment — typically 10–14 days for apparel and accessories, 21–30 days for supplements. Make it one click. Reward photos with discount or loyalty points. The first 50 reviews are the hardest and the most valuable.

The cheapest customer to sell to is one who already trusts you. Plan the second touch: a thank-you, a how-to-use, a story about the next product, an offer that respects what they already bought. Repeat purchase rate is the metric most first-time founders ignore — and the one investors look at first.

Track return reasons. Sizing? Quality? Expectation gap from photos? Each return is a free product brief for the next round. Handle complaints quickly, publicly when appropriate, and document the fix. Brand reputation compounds — for or against you.