{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "acquisition-costs-5-25x-retention",
  "slug": "acquisition-costs-5-25x-retention",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/acquisition-costs-5-25x-retention/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/acquisition-costs-5-25x-retention.json",
  "claim": "Acquiring a new customer costs 5–25x more than retaining one",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"HBR: acquisition costs 5–25x more than retention\"",
  "verdict": "unsourced",
  "verdict_definition": "No primary data found; the trail ends in a roundup, a disowned quote or a circular citation.",
  "confidence": "high",
  "rating": {
    "value": 1,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "None — HBR (2014) cites no specific study",
    "title": "The Value of Keeping the Right Customers (HBR, Amy Gallo)",
    "year": "2014"
  },
  "quote": "Depending on which study you believe, and what industry you’re in, acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive",
  "method": "None given; a range across unnamed studies.",
  "drift": [
    "Attribution: an HBR blog line quoted as an HBR study"
  ],
  "interest": "n/a",
  "safe_rephrasing": "Acquisition is often more expensive than retention, but the ratio depends on the industry; measure your own CAC against retention cost.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "HBR — The Value of Keeping the Right Customers (2014)",
      "url": "https://hbr.org/2014/10/the-value-of-keeping-the-right-customers",
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "title": "Coteria — trace",
      "url": "https://getcoteria.com/learn/economics-of-the-returning-customer",
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "kind": "stat_check",
  "as_of": "2014",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-16",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-16",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}