How can I filter out samples, returns, and exchanges?

Follow this guide to filter out samples, returns, and exchanges that impact your core metrics.

Requirements

Samples, returns, and exchanges/reshipments can be identified by order tags, discounts codes, or skus.

Background

Samples, returns, and exchanges/reshipments if not segmented properly can impact your core metrics and analysis. These orders typically have a $0 impact from a transaction standpoint, but may influence your Average Order Value (AOV), Cost Per Order (CPO), and other top-line metrics. A customer who receives a sample or an exchange should also not be counted in your retention/lifetime value analyses.

Source Medium allows you to sort out these orders into separate channels and sub-channels, which isolates these orders and provides a cleaner view of your most important KPIs.

Steps

  1. Isolate the discount codes, order tags, or other unique identifier(s) for your samples, returns, exchange/reshipments, or other orders that you’d like to separate from your core metrics
    1. Tip: Use the Orders Deep Dive to isolate $0 orders
    2. All of these $0 discount codes should be separated for cleaner data
      All of these $0 discount codes should be separated for cleaner data
  2. Create a separate orders channel using your Configuration sheet
    1. Follow the How can I create channels and sub-channels FAQ for detailed instructions
    2. Orders with a discount code that contains ‘damaged’ will be moved to the Exchanged channel
      Orders with a discount code that contains ‘damaged’ will be moved to the Exchanged channel
  3. Once the rule(s) have been set in your Configuration sheet, our data model will pick up these new changes after the next data run which occurs each hour
    1. Any rule(s) set up within the Configuration sheet will work for historical and go forward orders that conform to the rule(s) set in place