WooCommerce analytics glossary

Short definitions of the terms in WooCommerce reports, order data and ecommerce metrics, and how WooCommerce calculates each one.

Action SchedulerAction Scheduler is the background job queue WooCommerce uses for tasks like filling Analytics tables. Where to see it and why it affects your reports.
Average order value (AOV)Average order value is net sales divided by the number of orders. How WooCommerce calculates it, where to find it, and why it moves.
BackordersA backorder is a sale of a product you don't have in stock yet. How WooCommerce handles backorders, where to turn them on, and how to track them.
Cart abandonmentCart abandonment is when a shopper adds products to their cart but leaves without ordering. How the rate works and what WooCommerce tracks.
Cohort analysisCohort analysis groups customers by when they first bought and tracks how each group behaves over time. How it works and how to build one for WooCommerce.
Contribution marginContribution margin is what an order leaves after product cost and the costs of selling it, like shipping and payment fees. The formula and an example.
Conversion rateConversion rate is the share of store visits that end in an order. The formula, an example, and why WooCommerce Analytics alone can't calculate it.
Cost of goods sold (COGS)Cost of goods sold is what the products you sold cost you to buy or make. How WooCommerce's Cost of Goods Sold feature works and where its limits are.
Customer lifetime value (CLV)Customer lifetime value is the total a customer spends with your store over time. A simple formula, a worked example, and how to estimate it from WooCommerce.
Dead stockDead stock is inventory that hasn't sold for a long time and probably won't soon. How to spot it in WooCommerce and what it costs to keep.
Excluded statusesExcluded statuses are the order statuses WooCommerce Analytics leaves out of every report. Where to set them and why they change your sales totals.
Gross marginGross margin is the share of net sales left after the cost of the goods you sold. The formula, a worked example, and how to get it for WooCommerce.
Gross salesGross sales in WooCommerce is product revenue before refunds and coupon discounts, without tax or shipping. How it's shown and when to use it.
HPOS (High-Performance Order Storage)HPOS is how WooCommerce stores orders in its own database tables instead of WordPress posts. What it changes, how to check it, and what it means for reports.
Lapsed customerA lapsed customer is someone who used to buy from your store but hasn't ordered in a while. How to define lapsed, find them in WooCommerce, and win them back.
Last-click attributionLast-click attribution gives all the credit for an order to the last source that brought the customer to your site. How WooCommerce uses it and its limits.
Lead timeLead time is how long it takes from placing a supplier order to having the stock ready to sell. Why it drives reorder points for WooCommerce products.
Low stock thresholdThe low stock threshold is the stock level at which WooCommerce marks a product as low and can email you. Where to set it store-wide and per product.
Net salesNet sales in WooCommerce is gross sales minus returns and coupons, without tax or shipping. Where to find it and how it differs from total sales.
Order attributionOrder attribution records where each WooCommerce order came from, such as search, a referral or a UTM campaign. Where to see it and what it can't tell you.
Order statusAn order status tells you where a WooCommerce order stands, from Pending payment to Completed or Refunded. The default statuses and how reports use them.
Product variationA product variation is one version of a variable product, such as a size or color, with its own price, SKU and stock. How they work and how to report on them.
Reorder pointA reorder point is the stock level at which you should order more. The formula with lead time and safety stock, an example, and how it fits WooCommerce.
Repeat purchase rateRepeat purchase rate is the share of your customers who have ordered more than once. The formula, a worked example, and how to get it from WooCommerce.
Returns (refunds) in WooCommerce AnalyticsReturns in WooCommerce Analytics is the value of refunds in a period, dated on the refund day. How it's counted and why it shifts your monthly numbers.
Safety stockSafety stock is the extra inventory you keep to cover slow deliveries or sales spikes. A simple way to size it and how it fits into WooCommerce reorder points.
Sell-through rateSell-through rate is the share of stock you sold in a period. The formula, a worked example, and how to work it out for WooCommerce products by hand.
Source type (order origin)Source type is the kind of channel WooCommerce order attribution credits for an order: Direct, Organic, Referral, UTM, Web admin or Unknown.
Stock runway (days of cover)Stock runway, or days of cover, is how many days a product's stock will last at its current sales rate. The formula, an example, and how to find it.
Total salesTotal sales in WooCommerce Analytics is net sales plus taxes and shipping. What it includes, how it's calculated, and why it rarely suits comparisons.
UTM parametersUTM parameters are tags added to a link, like utm_source and utm_campaign, that tell WooCommerce order attribution which campaign brought a visitor.
WooCommerce AnalyticsWooCommerce Analytics is the built-in reporting area in WordPress admin for revenue, orders, products, stock and more. What it covers and how it counts.